03 Jan 2008 High Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Excellent Stability, Long Lifetime The performance of filters depends heavily on a high signal transmission. Also significant is a low noise level. In many applications, the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is the critical factor. This is especially true when only a few photons are available and the illumination time is short. Confocal microscopy, microscopy of living cells, and multi-photon processes are just a few examples where S/N is an important parameter.
With this in mind, Omega Optical developed its QuantaMAX series of excitation and emission filters with extremely high blocking that extends to within the sensitivity limit of CCDs, at 1150nm. With the QuantaMAX technology background light is kept to a minimum. Together with a high transmission in the bandpass region, a high signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved.
The EP (energetic process) coatings used in the production of QuantaMAX filters are spectrally highly stable, mechanically robust, and insensitive to moisture. This results in a long life expectancy of the filter, even under harsh environmental conditions. The filter layers are not sensitive to intensive radiation, although they do have to be protected against mechanical damage, thus these high performance filters are supplied in special assembly.
A datasheet, which contains not only a list of the five filter sets currently available, but includes the relevant fluorophores as well. Whilst available, one set each of both QMAX-green and QMAX-red are available for testing purposes and can be loaned out upon request.
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