Integrated sensor for multi-dimensional signal analysis

Abstract

Some aspects relate to an integrated circuit, comprising at least one photodetection region configured to generate charge carriers responsive to incident photons emitted from a sample, at least one charge storage region configured to receive the charge carriers from the photodetection region, and at least one controller configured to obtain information about the incident photons, the information comprising at least one member selected from the group comprising pulse duration and interpulse duration and at least one member selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. In some embodiments, the information comprises at least three, four, and/or five members selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, intensity information, pulse duration information, and interpulse duration information. In some embodiments, the information obtained may be used to identify the sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 generating, with at least one photodetection region of an integrated circuit, charge carriers responsive to incident photons emitted from a sample;   obtaining information about the incident photons, the information comprising pulse duration information and/or interpulse duration information and at least one member selected from a group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information;   
       wherein:
 the pulse duration information is obtained at least in part by determining a first pulse comprising measures of arrivals of a plurality of incident photons emitted from the sample and determining a length of a first time interval during which the first pulse exceeds a first threshold; and 
 the interpulse duration information is obtained at least in part by determining a second pulse comprising measures of arrivals of a second plurality of incident photons emitted from the sample and determining a length of a time interval between the first time interval and a second time interval during which the second pulse exceeds a second threshold. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising receiving, with at least one charge storage region of the integrated circuit, the charge carriers from the at least one photodetection region. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising identifying the sample based at least in part on the information obtained. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein identifying the sample comprises identifying at least one fluorescent marker and at least one molecule to which the at least one fluorescent marker is attached. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein identifying the at least one molecule comprises identifying at least one amino acid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the information comprises at least two members selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the information comprises wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 at least one chamber for receiving a sample; and   at least one component configured to obtain information about incident photons emitted from the sample in response to excitation light, the information comprising pulse duration information and/or interpulse duration information and at least one member selected from a group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information;   
       wherein:
 the pulse duration information is obtained at least in part by determining a first pulse comprising measures of arrivals of a plurality of incident photons emitted from the sample and determining a length of a first time interval during which the first pulse exceeds a first threshold; and 
 the interpulse duration information is obtained at least in part by determining a second pulse comprising measures of arrivals of a second plurality of incident photons emitted from the sample and determining a length of a time interval between the first time interval and a second time interval during which the second pulse exceeds a second threshold. 
 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 at least one photodetection region configured to generate charge carriers responsive to the incident photons emitted from the sample; and
 at least one charge storage region configured to receive the charge carriers from the photodetection region. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers configured to receive a portion of the sample. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the system is configured to identify the sample based at least in part on the information obtained by the at least one component. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the information comprises at least two members selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the information comprises wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising an integrated device comprising the at least one chamber. 
     
     
         35 . A system comprising:
 at least one chamber for receiving a sample; and   at least one component configured to determine information about the incident photons, the information comprising at least three members selected from a group comprising a characteristic wavelength of the incident photons emitted from the sample, a characteristic luminescence lifetime of one or more of the incident photons emitted from the sample, a characteristic intensity of the sample, a characteristic pulse duration of the sample, and a characteristic interpulse duration of the sample; wherein:   the system is configured to identify the sample at least in part by comparing the information of each of the three members determined by the at least one component to known information about a candidate matching sample.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 at least one photodetection region configured to generate charge carriers responsive to the incident photons emitted from the sample; and
 at least one charge storage region configured to receive the charge carriers from the photodetection region. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers configured to receive a portion of the sample. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the information determined by the at least one component comprises at least two members selected from a group comprising the characteristic wavelength of the incident photons emitted from the sample, the characteristic luminescence lifetime of the one or more of the incident photons emitted from the sample, and the characteristic intensity of the sample, and one member selected from a group comprising the characteristic pulse duration of the sample and the characteristic interpulse duration of the sample. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the information obtained by the at least one component comprises the characteristic luminescence lifetime of the one or more of the incident photons emitted from the sample, the characteristic intensity of the sample, and one member selected from the group comprising the characteristic pulse duration of the sample and the characteristic interpulse duration of the sample. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising an integrated device comprising the at least one chamber.