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Low Light Imaging

Low Light Imaging

Low Light Imaging

Product catalog summary
Mission Statement
Andor Technology aims to lead globally in high-performance light measuring solutions, including advanced CCD and ICCD detectors, EMCCD technology, and UltraVac™ vacuum seal development.
UltraVac™ Sealed Vacuum Technology
UltraVac™ ensures optimal vacuum for sensor cooling, preventing degradation from moisture and hydrocarbons, thus maintaining high quantum efficiency.
EMCCD Technology
EMCCD technology detects single photon events without an image intensifier by using a gain register to multiply electrons, eliminating readout noise and enabling weak spectra detection at fast speeds. Andor introduced this with the iXon camera in 2001.
Super Resolution Microscopy
Techniques like STORM and PALM surpass the Abbe limit in optical resolution, allowing high-resolution imaging at the nanometer scale by exciting subsets of single labels with laser pulses.
Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)
Andor's cameras, with features like single photon sensitivity and high QE across visible and NIR, are used in setups for creating and detecting BECs.
Low Light Imaging Applications
Applications include single molecule detection, live cell microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy. Andor's cameras are recommended for various scientific applications due to their sensitivity and performance.
Product Features & Specifications
Andor offers cameras like iXonEM+, LucaEM, and iKon-M, featuring single photon sensitivity, high QE, TE cooling, and USB connectivity. Specifications include pixel size, image area, cooling temperature, and frame rates.
Specifications Overview
  • Peak Quantum Efficiency (QE): 95% for BV sensor.
  • Minimum Operating Temperature: -80°C with air cooling, -100°C with water cooling.
  • Active Area Pixel Well Depth: 100,000 to 300,000 electrons.
  • Frame Rate: 0.92 to 8 frames per second.
  • Pixel Read-Out Rate: 2.5, 1, and 0.05 MHz.
  • Read Noise: 2.5 to 18 electrons.
  • Digitization: 16-bit.
  • Dark Current: 0.00008 to 0.00012 electrons per pixel per second at -100°C.
  • PC Interface: USB 2.0.
Features & Benefits
  • High-resolution multi-megapixel sensors.
  • Advanced thermoelectric cooling to -100°C.
  • Ultra-low noise readout and USB 2.0 connectivity.
Key Applications
  • Astronomy, Bioluminescence, Chemiluminescence, High Throughput Screening, Biochip Reading, Neutron Radiography, Semiconductor Analysis, Hyperspectral Imaging, In-Vivo Imaging.
Product Highlights
  • iKon-L CCD Camera: Large-area, high-sensitivity platform with unparalleled cooling capabilities.
  • iStar ICCD Camera: Fast gating for low-light, time-resolved applications with built-in digital delay generator.
  • iQ Imaging Software: Seamless control and synchronization with microscopy hardware, offering real-time interactive volume rendering.
  • SDK: Suite of functions for data acquisition and camera control, compatible with multiple programming environments.
  • Solis Software: Camera control and analysis platform with real-time data display and advanced virtual memory management.
Contact Information
  • Head Office: Belfast, Northern Ireland.
  • North America Office: South Windsor, CT, USA.
  • Japan Office: Tokyo, Japan.
  • China Office: Beijing, China.
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Catalog excerpts

Low Light Imaging-1

Low Light Imaging Cameras Discover New Ways of Seeing™

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Low Light Imaging-2

Low Light Imaging Expertise UltraVac™ Sealed Vacuum Technology The ability to operate the detector at very low temperatures is essential in achieving the highest sensitivity of the detector system. To cool the sensor it must be operated in a vacuum. To efficiently cool it, the sensor should be the coldest component in the camera. All-Metal Seal Mission Statement “To become the Global Leader in Pioneering & Manufacturing High Performance Light Measuring Solutions ” Andor Technology’s mission is to However, this means if the sensor is not housed in a very good vacuum it becomes the surface of choice...

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Low Light Imaging-3

Low Light Imaging Applications Super Resolution Microscopy Light microscopy has always been suffering from the limit imposed by the Abbe’s law which manifested itself as presence of Airy disks. These structures defined the resolution of any optical systems regardless of imaging modality. Until recently, the Abbe limit seemed to be the ultimate barrier in optical resolution therefore all images obtained from high performance light microscopes were irrevocably diffraction-limited. All finer structures in low sub-micrometre space were impossible to render without major distortions. To address this...

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Low Light Imaging-4

iXonEM+ EMCCD Camera Extracting the Absolute Best from EMCCD Technology With the iXonEM+ range, Andor have delivered a truly high-end, ultrasensitive scientific camera platform, designed specifically to get the absolute best from back-illuminated EMCCD technology across all critical performance specs and parameters. Features & Benefits Composite triple color image of a microtubule protein (EB1-GFP) imaged with objective-type TIRFM (60x 1.45NA), incorporating the iXonEM+ 897 backilluminated running at 0.5 frames/sec. • Single photon sensitivity and up to 95% QE • TE cooling to -100˚C - enabling...

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Low Light Imaging-5

LucaEM EMCCD camera EMCCD Technology Within Everyone’s Reach Andor’s Luca is a highly cost-effective yet powerful TE-cooled camera, making EMCCD technology available to every laboratory. LucaEM represents a new performance standard in ‘workhorse’ scientific cameras. Features & Benefits • EMCCD single photon sensitivity • High Resolution • Exceptional red/NIR response • RealGain™ • Fast & Flexible • USB 2.0 • Ideal for Live Cell Microscopy Image of standard Bovine fixed immunofluorescent cell sample Key Applications • Widefield fluorescence microscopy • Living and fixed cells • Ion Signalling...

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Low Light Imaging-6

Low-light fluorescence image of one million trapped rubidium atoms cooled to micro Kelvin temperatures. High QE Low Noise, -100°C Cooled CCD The iKon-M benefits from negligible darkcurrent with industry-leading thermoelectric cooling down to -100°C, enabling use of significantly longer exposure times than other cameras on the market using the same sensors. The iKon-M platform offers Multi-Megahertz readout for rapid frame rate acquisition or fast focusing, along with direct USB 2.0 connectivity to PC. NIR-enhanced ‘deep depletion’ model is ideal for Bose Einstein Condensation and Photovoltaic...

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Low Light Imaging-7

iStar Gated, ICCD camera Fast Gating for Low-Light Time-Resolved Applications The iStar intensified CCD cameras are simply the best ICCD available and the only fibre-coupled system that includes an optional digital delay generator, actually built into the head. This unique system is designed for low-light spectroscopy applications requiring fast gating. Key Applications Features & Benefits • Gate width down to <2ns • Digital Delay Generator (DDG™) built in head • Single photon sensitivity • Multiple CCD and intensifier combinations (e.g. Gen II, Gen III, Ø18mm & Ø25mm tubes, Underlay/No Underlay)...

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Low Light Imaging-8

iQ Imaging Software Features & Benefits • Enables seamless control and synchronization of the iXonEM+ EMCCD camera with other microscopy hardware devices • Accessible dashboard interface and wizard structure • Comprehensive range of analysis and processing functionality • Real-time interactive volume rendering • Live cell imaging • Multi-dimensional microscopy • Single molecule detection • FRAPPA • TIRFM • FRET • Micro-spectroscopy • Radiometric studies Andor iQ is our flagship live cell imaging software, designed with flexibility and power in mind. iQ - image and quantify - occupies a central...

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