SENSOR WITH IMPROVED SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO AND IMPROVED ACCURACY

摘要

The present invention provides a sensor and a method for detecting an optically variable molecule (9) in a sample (3). The sensor comprises an excitation radiation source (1) for irradiating the sample (4) and exciting the optically variable molecule (9), thus generating a luminescence signal (7). The sensor furthermore comprises a modulation means (4) for modulating the excitation radiation beam (2) in a direction different from, preferably substantially perpendicular to, a scanning direction of the excitation radiation beam (2) over the sample (3). The method and sensor according to the invention lead to an improved signal- to-noise ratio by reducing and even minimising the background signal in the luminescence signal (7) and to an improved accuracy by minimising signals coming from false-positives.