Luminescence instrumentation charge-coupled devices

In recent years no truly new basic principles have been introduced for the detection of luminescence. However, the technical evolution in the field of microelectronics and optoelectronics, charge coupled device (CCD) detectors, fiberoptics, assembly techniques, and robotics resulted in the introduction on the market of new generations of instruments with increased performance, speed, and ease of handling. In this chapter, some of their typical features will be reviewed. To keep this presentation at a concrete level and to illustrate some specific item, instruments of different makes will be referred to. However, this does not imply they are better than those not cited. It is more a matter of availability of recent documentation at the time of writing. Note that numerical values cited typically relate what can be done today and may vary from one instrument to another from the same company. 

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