-13 October 2005 -

Miniature silicon photon counter

SensL has releasd its “PCDMini” photon counting platform. The PCDMini, the first miniature photon counting system, offers a complete photon counting capability incorporated on a PCB with hermetically sealed detector.

The basic unit features SensL’s unique quenching architecture and is available with a number of optional snap on modules for enhanced functionality including a Peltier cooler driver to enable operation down to -20C and a PC control interface with integrated counter featuring 1000 updates a second counting.

“The PCDMini is the ideal photon counting solution for original equipment designers who require an intelligent and ultra-compact photon counting solution” commented Joseph O’Keeffe, CEO.

“This technology offers numerous benefits for applications in the biosensing, bio-medical, food analysis and diagnostic equipment markets, especially in those point-of-care / point-of-use applications where miniturisation is critical.”

Carl Jackson, CTO, further added “The PCDMini exceeds the performance of the incumbent photomultiplier tubes in many of the critical performance parameters and combined with its size lends itself as the perfect solution for applications where portability and power consumption are critical.

" Also, the USB based control interface eliminates the need for an external counter further saving space and decreasing the engineering time required to implement a photon counting solution”

SensL’s silicon photon counting sensors are based on a new shallow junction Geigermode avalanche photodiode technology. This offers advantages over competing systems including increased sensitivity to blue-red wavelengths, increased response time to fast optical signals and low internal operating voltages – ideal for critical biomedical applications allowing capture of fast fluorescence decay signals with unparalleled accuracy.