A wide field fluorescence lifetime imaging system using a light sheet microscope

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) has allowed scientists to discern information about the chemical properties of biological processes and has become a vital tool in the life sciences and medical research communities. Measuring the spatial lifetime distribution of the fluorophores as well as the intensity distribution enables users to discern vital information about the chemical environment. It however, remains challenging and often involves slow scanning. We present a new microscope system based on light sheet illumination that uses a micro channel plate (MCP) device called a Capacitive Division Imaging Readout (CDIR) which has been developed by Photek Ltd. The device uses an array of capacitors to move the charge site from the MCP to four pre-amplifiers and time-over-threshold discriminators. This camera has the ability to image photons as well as measure the arrival time, enabling high speed FLIM imaging of biological samples.