Lambert Instruments has introduced the LIFA-X, for long lifetime phosphorescence imaging, from 0.1ns up to 1ms (phosphorescence). Applications include measuring oxygen concentrations using optodes or reactive oxygen species in cells.
The LIFA-X is based on the LIFA (Lambert Instruments Fluorescence lifetime imaging Attachment) for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and is designed in such a way that it can be retro fitted onto an existing LIFA system.
The system can be attached to any widefield fluorescence microscope, it works in the homodyne frequency domain, is easy to install (within 1 hour) and to operate, and does not require an optical bench with laser.
The image intensifier (tube) is fibre-optically coupled to a CCD camera and integrated in the LI2CAM MDX camera, made by Lambert Instruments. The camera has an integrated pulse generator, which is activated for low frequency modulation. Additionally, a separate pulse amplifier is delivered for converting the LI2CAM MDX generated pulses to signals suitable for the modulated LED light source.
The user-friendly LI-FLIM software package can acquire single- and multi-frequency lifetime images, process them and do analyses by statistics or polar plot. Time series can be carried out as well, for which the frequency domain FLIM is highly appropriate, because of its fast acquisition possibilities. Different light sources are integrated in LI-FLIM such as the modulated LEDs, directly modulated laser diodes, and the Cobolt DPSS laser (not modulated). Moreover the nanopositioning system NanoF100 (z-stepper) is integrated in the LI-FLIM software, which is ideal when using the LIFA with the Yokogawa spinning disk.
