SPC-150N TCSPC Series

Discontinued - Please Use SPC-180N Series

  • Time Channel Width Down to 203 fs
  • Electrical Time Resolution Down to 1.1 ps RMS (3 ps FWHM)
  • Extremely High Timing Stability, Low-Frequency Timing Wobble < 0.4 ps RMS
  • 10 MHz Saturated Count Rate
  • Single Mode, Oscilloscope Mode, FLIM, PLIM, FLITS, FCS, Mosaic FLIM
  • Fluorescence Decay Recording
  • Phosphorescence Decay Recording
  • Fluorescence and Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging
  • Photon Correlation
  • Single-Molecule Spectroscopy
  • Free Instrument Software for Windows 10 / 11 (Realtime Calculation and Fitting of FCS Curves)
  • Parallel Operation of Up to 4 Modules
  • Available as Multi-Module Package e.g. SPC-152N, SPC-153N and SPC-154N
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Description

The SPC-150N is an all-purpose TCSPC and FLIM module with PCI bus interface. The board can be used for fluorescence lifetime measurements, single molecule spectroscopy, FCS and FCCS recording, FLIM, Mosaic FLIM, FLITS, and combined FLIM / PLIM applications. 

The SPC-150NX is a resolution-enhanced version of the SPC-150N for ultra-fast detectors. The board can be used for traditional fluorescence lifetime measurements, single molecule spectroscopy, FCS and FCCS recording, FLIM, Mosaic FLIM, FLITS, and combined FLIM / PLIM applications. The SPC-150NX is recommended especially for applications that require ultimate time resolution from superconducting detectors, MCP PMTs, and fast hybrid detectors.

General Information

The SPC-150N boards have a large internal memory and a fast bus interface and ultra-fast discriminators in the detector- and synchronization inputs. This allows the modules to obtain superior time resolution with detectors that both have low transit time spread and an extremely fast single photon response. They are recommended especially for superconducting detectors, MCP PMTs, and fast hybrid detectors with bi-alkali or multi-alkali cathodes. They offer all standard photon distribution modes, the continuous-flow mode, the FIFO (time-tag) mode and the FIFO Imaging (FLIM) mode is implemented. The SPC-150N board can thus be used for traditional fluorescence lifetime experiments, diffuse optical tomography, stopped flow experiments, single molecule spectroscopy, FCS and FCCS recording, FLIM, Mosaic FLIM, FLITS, and combined FLIM / PLIM. One or more SPC-150N modules are used for the bh DCS-120 confocal FLIM system. They are also the basis of standard FLIM systems for the Zeiss LSM 710 and 510 microscopes and various other confocal and multiphoton laser scanning microscopes.

The SPC-150NX board is a resolution-enhanced version of the SPC-150N. The minimum time-channel width is 405 fs. These modules are recommended especially for applications that require ultimate time resolution from superconducting detectors, MCP PMTs, and fast hybrid detectors. The SPC-150NX achieves sub-20 ps (FWHM) IRF width with these detectors.

Measurement Software Included

The SPCM operating and measurement software is included with all SPC series modules. SPCM provides online calculation and display (2D, 3D) of data (decay curves, FLIM, FCCS) acquired in multiple operation modes. SPCM software undergoes active continuous development. SPCM receives frequent updates with new features and bug fixes. Read more…

FLIM and FCS Data Analysis

For advanced fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and single-curve data analysis, please use SPCImage.
For advanced fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and cross-correlation (FCCS) data analysis, please use Burst Analyzer.

Custom Programming Libraries (DLL, LabVIEW)

For automation and custom software integration, DLLs and LabVIEW drivers are available. Read more…

Specifications

SPC-150N

SPC-150NX

SPC-150NXX

Photon Channel

 

Principle

Constant Fraction Discriminator (CFD)

Discriminator Input Bandwidth

4 GHz

Time Resolution (FWHM/RMS, electr.)

6.6 ps / 2.5 ps

< 3.5 ps / 1.6 ps

< 3 ps / 1.1 ps

Variance in Time of IRF max. (RMS)

< 1 ps over 50 s

< 0.4 ps over 100 s

< 0.4 ps over 100 s

Optimum Input Voltage Range

-30 mV to -500 mV

Min. Input Pulse Width

200 ps

Threshold

0 to -250 mV

Zero Cross Adjust

-100 mV to 100 mV

Syncronisation Channel

 

Principle

Constant Fraction Discriminator (CFD)

Discriminator Input Bandwidth

4 GHz

Optimum Input Voltage Range

-30 mV to -500 mV

Min. Input Pulse Width

200 ps

Threshold

0 to -250 mV

Frequency Range

0 to 150 MHz

Frequency Divider

1, 2, 4

Zero Cross Adjust

-100 mV to 100 mV

Time-to-Amplitude Converters / ADCs

 

Principle

Ramp Generator / Biased Amplifier

TAC Range

50 ns to 5 µs

25 ns to 2.5 µs

12.5 ns to 50 ns

Biased Amplifier Gain

1 to 15

Biased Amplifier Offset (of TAC Range)

0 % to 100 %

0 % to 50 %

0 % to 50 %

Time Range incl. Biased Amplifier

3.3 ns to 5 µs

1.67 ns to 2.5 µs

0.834 ns to 50 ns

Min. Time Channel Width

813 fs

407 fs

203 fs

ADC Principle

50 ns Flash ADC with Error Correction

Diff. Nonlinerarity

< 0.5 % RMS, typ. < 1 % peak-peak

Data Acquisition

Histogram Mode

Method

on-board multi-dim. histogramming process

Dead Time

100 ns, independent of computer speed

Saturated Count Rate

10 MHz

Useful Count Rate

5 MHz

10 MHz

Max. Counts / Time Channel

16 bits

Overflow Control

none, stop, repeat and correct

Collection Time

0.1 µs to 100,000 s

Diplay Interval Time

0.1 µs to 100,000 s

10 ms to 100,000 s

Repeat Time

0.1 µs to 100,000 s

Sequencing Recording

Programmable Hardware Sequencer, unlimited recording by Memory swapping, in curve mode and scan mode

Syncronisation with Scanning

Pixel, Line and Frame from Scanning Device

Input Count Enable Control

1 bit, TTL

Input Experiment Trigger

TTL

Data Acquisition

FIFO / Parameter-Tag Mode

Method

Time and wavelength tagging of individual photons and continuous writing to disk

Online Display

Decay functions, FCS, Cross-FCS, PCH MCS Traces

FCS Calculation

Multi-tau algorithm, online calculation and online fit

Number of counts of decay/ waveform recording

unlimited

Dead Time

100 ns

Saturated Count Rate, Peak

10 MHz

Sustained Count Rate (bus transfer limit)

typ. 4 MHz

Output Data Format (ADC / Macrotime / Routing)

12 / 12 / 4

FIFO Buffer Capacity (Photons)

2 * 106

Macro Timer Resolution, Internal Clock

25 ns, 12 bit, overflows marked by MOTF entry in data stream

Input Macro Timer Resolution, Clock from Sync

10 ns to 100 ns, 12 bit, overflow marked by MOTF entry in data stream

Input Curve Control (external Routing)

4 bit, TTL

External Event Markers

4 bit, TTL

Input Count Enable Control

1 bit, TTL

Input Experiment Trigger

TTL

Data Acquisition

FIFO / Parameter-Tag Imaging Mode

Method

Buildingup images from time- and wavelength tagged data

Online Display

up to 8 Images in different time and wavelength windows

Synchronisation with Scanner

via Frame Clock, Line Clock and Pixel Clock Pulses

Detector / Wavelength Channels

1 to 16

Image resolution (64-bit SPCM Software)

 

No. of Time Channels

64

256

1024

4096

No. of Pixels, 1 Detector Channel

4096 x 4096

2048 x 2048

1024 x 1024

512 x 512

No. of Pixels, 16 Detector Channels

1024 x 1024

512 x 512

256 x 256

128 x 128

Operation Environment

 

PC System

Windows 8 / 10, > 8 GB RAM, 64 bit operating system recommended

PC Interface

PCI

Power Consumption

approx. 12 W from +5 V, 0.7 W from +12 V

Dimensions

240 mm x 130 mm x 15 mm

Downloads

Documents

The bh TCSPC Handbook
10th edition, September 2023

View

Principles

The bh SPC modules use a multi-dimensional TCSPC principle. The principle is an extension of the classic TCSPC process: A detector detects single photons of a periodic light signal. The TCSPC electronics measures the times of the photons within the signal (excitation) period, and builds up the distribution of the photons over the time of the signal period. The time resolution of the TCSPC process is much higher than the resolution of an analog recording with the same detector: The time of a photon pulse can be determined with a much higher precision than its width.

In extension of the classic process, the bh technique determines additional parameters of the photons, such as wavelength, point of origin within an image area, excitation wavelength, time from an external stimulation of the sample, time within an additional modulation period of the excitation light. The photon distribution is built up over the photon times in the signal period and one or several of these additional parameters. The results of this process are multi-wavelength fluorescence-decay data, fluorescence-lifetime images, multi-wavelength lifetime images, multi-excitation decay data or multi-excitation FLIM data, decay data or FLIM data of fast dynamic changes within a sample, or combined fluorescence / phosphorescence decay data or FLIM / PLIM data. Please see also 'The bh TCSPC Technique'.

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