The application of single photon array cameras for high speed life science imaging.

Solid state single photon detectors are an underpinning technology in a vast range of applications. Typically, single photon detectors are single point devices based on Avalanche Diodes, photomultiplier tubes or superconducting technologies. In this work I will discuss a revolutionary new type of single photon array detector that brings this technology to widefield imaging applications. Our work focusses on microscopy applications, specifically towards live cell fluorescence lifetime imaging. In this I will discuss how, we have characterised a new type of SPAD array, “SPCImager” and compared it directly with a commercial Andor emCCD and state of the art Hamamatsu sCMOS camera. We show that for conventional imaging the commercial sCMOS remains the camera of choice, but for ultra-fast imaging where dynamic range can be compromised, and for time tagged imaging, the SPCImager offers several significant advantages.