Luminosa PDA-23 Add-On

Confocal Time-Resolved SPAD Array Detection

Transformative upgrade for time-resolved confocal microscopy, combining ISM’s higher resolution and contrast with the rich functional information of FLIM.
PDA-23 cooled 23-pixel SPAD detector array module

Key Benefits

Higher resolution & contrast in functional FLIM imaging
Seamless integration into Luminosa workflows
Time-tagging for every single pixel of the array
Method development made easy
Simultaneous dual-channel acquisition via pulsed interleaved excitation

Advanced ISM-FLIM Detection with the PDA-23 SPAD Array

Designed for Seamless Integration and Customizable Method Development

Integrated in Luminosa, PDA-23 ensures stable alignment, optimized signal routing, and reliable daily performance. In combination with the NovaISM software, users can move smoothly from acquisition to pixel reassignment, computational sectioning, lifetime analysis, and deconvolution within one coherent workflow.

Open hardware access and the .ptu data format enable researchers to adapt or develop time-resolved techniques with confidence. From imaging to fluctuation analysis and single-molecule studies, PDA-23 provides the flexibility needed for advanced method development.

Comparison of ISM-FLIM and conventional confocal imaging highlighting improved resolution and contrast. Sample courtesy of the Rizzoli Group, University of Göttingen Medical Center.

Pushing the limits of confocal microscopy with More Resolution and Higher Contrast

PDA-23 enhances spatial resolution and optical sectioning by leveraging ISM reconstruction and computational sectioning. At the same time, FLIM adds quantitative lifetime information, giving users a clearer and richer view of molecular dynamics within the sample.

In Image Scanning Microscopy (ISM), each detector element acts as an individual confocal pinhole, enabling pixel reassignment and improved spatial resolution.

Experience the Synergy of ISM and FLIM

By combining ISM’s resolution enhancement and contrast improvement with FLIM’s multiplexing and lifetime-based contrast, Luminosa gains a powerful hybrid imaging mode. This synergy reveals structural and functional details that remain inaccessible in standard confocal microscopy.

  • Resolution increase of about 30 % after pixel re-assignment:
    • For 485 nm excitation: resolution down to 155 nm FWHM after pixel re-assignment and 120 nm FWHM after deconvolution
    • Computational sectioning for improved contrast
ISM–FLIM analysis in Luminosa including online pixel reassignment, automatic shift vector determination, real-time lifetime contrast, and multiplexed FLIM evaluation. Sample courtesy of the Rizzoli group, Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University of Göttingen Medical Center.

Luminosa Acquisition Features for ISM-FLIM

  • One-click fine alignment without the need of extra sample
  • Online pixel re-assignment image with lifetime contrast.
  • Shift vectors automatically determined. Scientific transparency as shift vectors can be exported , saved and loaded.
  • Set analysis channels for subgroups of the Array pixels.
MultiHarp 160: High-throughput multichannel time tagging & TCSPC unit.

Precision Meets Smooth Integration

PDA-23 is perfectly matched with the MultiHarp 160 multichannel time tagging & TCSPC unit for high-accuracy timing and multi-channel acquisition. Together, they deliver low timing jitter, minimal dead time, and consistently reliable photon statistics for demanding time-resolved experiments. 

Relevant for Your Research​

Matching Applications & Methods​

Switcher A&M
Concept illustration of optical environmental sensing where time-resolved fluorescence lifetime detection monitors dynamic environmental signals and trace compounds.
Life Science | Materials Science | Metrology
In-Depth Scientific Resources

Premium Resources

Access in-depth application notes and scientific posters with detailed methods, measurement data, and real-world use cases.

Poster: FCS with SPAD Arrays

Luminosa enables advanced single-molecule studies with FLIM, FCS, varPSF control, and a new SPAD array for higher-resolution imaging and innovative FCS applications.

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Expand Your System

Complete your system

Combine compatible components to build a complete system tailored to your experimental requirements and measurement workflows.

Single Photon Counting Confocal Microscope
Reliable single-molecule precision
Time-saving workflows
Fast learning for non-expert users
Flexible for custom experimental setups
Quick results through automated analysis
Expert-level application support
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Analysis Software
Fast GPU-accelerated analysis of FLIM, FLIM-FRET, and anisotropy data
FLIM analysis modes: Fast Lifetime, decay fitting, phasor plots, and pattern matching
Efficient batch analysis of z-stacks, time-lapse series, and stitched images
Advanced, flexible ROI handling and data export options
Reproducible ROI selection using histograms of fitted parameters
Image Scanning Microscopy Analysis Software
Sharper images with higher resolution
Reliable results with transparent processes
Enhanced contrast in lifetime determination
Improved image contrast through out-of-focus rejection
Reproducible ROI selection using histograms of fitted parameters
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