Barry R. Masters, Fellow of OSA and SPIE:

Wolfgang Becker has written an a practical book that covers all aspects of time-correlated single photon counting techniques (TCSPC). This book is an excellent guide for the detection and recording of multidimensional low-level photon signals with high precision and picosecond or nanosecond time resolution. The intended audience includes researchers who work with time-resolved laser scanning microscopy, photon correlation techniques, single molecule spectroscopy and optical tomography.

It is clearly written, well illustrated and represents a fine balance of theory, engineering principles, instrument design and biomedical applications. I especially appreciated the emphasis on instrument and device limitations and suggestions to minimize them. The author has succeeded in explaining a wide range of time-correlated single photon counting techniques in a manner that is readily understandable by biomedical researchers; yet the description of the physics, signal processing, and mathematics is rigorous. The extensive biomedical applications are from the current literature.

The comprehensive chapter on detectors for photon counting is outstanding and covers many types of modern photon detectors. Each type of detector is described and their advantages and limitations are elucidated. I have not found an equivalent chapter in other books. One third of the book is devoted to the practice of TCSPC experiments. Both the user of commercial optical instruments and those who construct their own microscopes will gain insight from this chapter. The discussions of optical systems are clear and very useful. I recommend the sections on choosing the detector and testing PMT's. The book contains an extensive listing of references and an index.

I highly recommend this book to researchers whose research involves the recording of low level light signals in the picosecond and nanosecond range.

Advanced Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting Techniques by W. Becker (Springer / ISBN 3-540-26047-1) should be compulsory reading for anyone interested in utilizing photon counting methods in biology where spectroscopic techniques are applicable. It concentrates a wealth of theoretical, practical and detailed information on this fast-evolving area of instrumentation and points out potential pitfalls. It is written in clear, concise and to-the-point manner, and has plenty of excellent diagrams and illustrations as well as over 550 pertinent references. It inevitably makes use of commercial implementations of the TCSPC technique by Becker&Hickl but has excellent chapters on detectors (the reference, page 222, to the lack of scientific interest of cats in single-photon work suggests the next detector developments!! ...), on excitation sources, on the practice of TCSPC where correct system setting up is discussed, on numerous applications of modern TCSPC techniques and overview of 'competing' photon counting methods. It is a book that is long overdue.  Individuals practiced in the art of 'TCSPC' will be somewhat annoyed as they will ask themselves two simple questions: why was such an excellent book not available when they started out (and made all the avoidable mistakes!) and why did they not take the time to compile such an information reference. The next generation of 'photon counters' should indeed be grateful to W. Becker for his efforts, both for this book and for championing modern, high count rate TCSPC methods.

Joseph R. Lakowicz, Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy:

Time-resolved fluorescence is now an important tool in biophysics, biotechnology and cell biology. The introduction of solid state pulsed lasers and compact electronics has reduced the size and cost of the TCSPS instruments. Importantly these advances have made the measurements and data analysis available to many laboratories. While the principles of TCSPC are known and described in earlier monographs, the presently available instruments have capabilities not imagined just a few years ago. The monograph by Dr Wolfgang Becker is a complete and lucid summary of both the basic principles and the state-of-the-art of TCSPC. This book contains descriptions that are only available from the primary literature or specialized web sites. An understanding of the present technology will allow the reader to make effective use of the multi-dimensional capabilities of modern time-resolved fluorescence instruments.