Contrast is an important factor in resolution because high contrast objects (e.g. The limiting spatial resolution is commonly determined from the minimum separation required for discrimination between two high contrast objects, for instance, white points or lines on a black background. This parameter is often expressed in terms of the quantum efficiency ( QE), a measure of the detector's ability to produce an electronic charge from the percentage of incident photons that are detected.

Spectral sensitivity refers to the detector signal as a function of the wavelength of the incident light. Detectors of this type as well as other alternatives are reviewed in the following paragraphs.Įlectronic imaging sensor performance may be described by a number of variables including: spectral sensitivity, quantum efficiency, spatial resolution, uniformity, the signal/noise ratio, dynamic range, and response speed. Illustrated in Figure 1 is an epi-fluorescence microscope equipped with a digital imaging camera system designed to image specimens over a wide exposure range in 24-bit color at low light levels. This discussion is intended to aid in understanding the basics of light detection and to provide a guide for selecting a suitable detector for specific applications in fluorescence microscopy. The range of light detection methods and the wide variety of imaging devices currently available to the microscopist make the selection process difficult and often confusing. The imaging device is one of the most critical components in fluorescence microscopy because it determines at what level specimen fluorescence may be detected, the relevant structures resolved, and/or the dynamics of a process visualized and recorded.

The field of fluorescence microscopy has evolved from a dependence on traditional photomicrography using emulsion-based film to one in which electronic images are the output of choice.

Ccd detector chip side length imaging