Lifetime Measurement by Using the Laplace Transform in Single-Photon-Decay Spectroscopy

Abstract

In this paper we present a method for processing the time-interval data obtained in a single-photon-decay spectroscopy experiment. This method is based on the measurement of the Laplace transform of P_ƒ(t) [the probability distribution function of the time of arrival of the first photon (PDFP) after the excitation pulse] instead of the direct measurement of P_ƒ(t) by means of a multichannel analyzer. With the use of this method, a good estimation of the lifetime of the signal can be obtained with a shorter measurement time than that used in the conventional method, in which the recorded time intervals are used to construct P_ƒ(t). A theoretical model of the error involved in determining the lifetime is obtained for the Laplace method, and it is compared with that corresponding to the measurement of P_ƒ(t) by means of a multichannel analyzer. Finally, a computer simulation of the experiment is performed to corroborate the theoretical predictions.

Keywords

Fluorescence Luminescence Spectroscopic techniques Time-resolved spectroscopy

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