PicoRaman – the first commercial time-gated Raman spectrometer
The PicoRaman spectrometer broadens the application areas of Raman spectroscopy by drastically reducing fluorescence interference. By using patented time-gating technology, PicoRaman spectrometer allows making the most out of Raman spectroscopy, with new applications in the fields of science and industry. PicoRaman is the only commercial Raman spectrometer capable of time-resolved measurements. Raman spectroscopy is a very powerful technique on account of its intrinsically high molecular specificity, the requirement for minimal or no sample pre-treatment, the ability to measure aqueous samples, the flexibility of sampling configurations, and suitability for automation. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive, non-contact, label-free, fast and easy to use measurement technique. Time-gating increases the robustness and reliability of Raman measurements even further by enabling true fluorescence rejection.
▶ NEW DATA DIMENSION: TIME PicoRaman provides data on Raman scattering, and also delivers time-resolved information on fluorescence emission decay. PicoRaman consists of a spectrometer, laser, sampling optics, PC with NI I/O card, and software. This compact instrument fits on a laboratory table, and is easy to transport to a sample collection site.
▶ REAL FLUORESCENCE SUPRESSION The Achilles’ heel of conventional Raman technology is photoluminescence (including fluorescence and phosphorescence) interference. Photoluminescence is a competing phenomenon with Raman scattering and it can overlap or “swamp” Raman signals making the identification and quantification of materials impossible. With the new Timegated® technology, we can now achieve real fluorescence suppression and redefine the ways Raman spectroscopy is exploited.
▶ PRINCIPLE Timegate Instruments’ patented breakthrough innovation is an affordable electrical gating solution using pulsed picosecond range lasers and new CMOS-SPAD (Single Photon Avalanche Diode) array detectors. The picosecond range laser excitation source and a time-gated single photon counting array detector create a totally new type of spectrometer which is able to acquire Raman spectra with real fluorescence suppression. The system rejects the fluorescence interference (which has a longer average delay) while capturing the instantaneous Raman scattering signal. It also enables the acquisition of time-resolved fluorescence spectra by sequentially sampling the emission pulses at different temporal positions. This approach simultaneously opens two windows for material characterization and provides valuable new information in several different application fields.