PHOTON-COUNTING SPECTRAL ANALYZING SYSTEM OF EXTRA-WEAK CHEMILUMINESCENCE AND BIOLUMINESCENCE FOR BIOCHEMICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract— The systematic study of the method for measuring the spectral distribution of extra‐weak light signals, such as from biochemical systems and living tissues involving chemi‐ and bio‐energized processes, led to the design and construction of a new type of spectrometer, called the filter spectral analyzer system, incorporated with the high‐sensitivity photon counting technique. Experimental tests to examine the operational characteristics of this filter spectral analyzer system and comparisons of the signal‐to‐noise ratio with a conventional grating spectrometer were made by accomplishing the spectral analysis of low‐level light sources. The measurement of the spectra of very weak chemilumines‐cence accompanying various kinds of chemical and biological processes, including autoxidation and enzymatic reaction were performed successfully. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved