Re: Signal to Noise

Gerhard Nebe-von-Caron (Gerhard.Nebe-von-Caron@unilever.com)
31 Oct 1996 08:05:34 Z

Yes. The best signal to noise ratio can be achieved on a
single channel e.g. when you take all filters out and only
use one fluorochrome, in case you get desperad for photons.
There are a few articles out about that and it was also in
one of the earlier (94?) threads.

Gerhard Nebe-v.Caron
Unilever Research, Colworth,
Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire
GB - MK44 1LQ
Tel: +44(0)1234-222066
FAX: +44(0)1234-222344
gerhard.nebe-von-caron@unilever.com

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Signal to Noise
Author: Kbahjat@nwu.edu at INTERNET
Date: 30/10/96 03:53

Forgive my ignorance as I struggle through cytometry basics, but I was
wondering:

When considering only the filter sets that are shipped with an instrument,
when performing 4 color experiments on the Coulter XL and the BD
FACSCalibur, wouldn't a greater signal to noise ratio be achieved on the
FACSCalibur due to the increased "width" of the bandpass filters??

In other words: As Coulter has managed to achieve four color capabilities
from a single 488 nm laser, they have in turn used smaller bandwidths (?)
in the filters to the 4 PMTS, such that each filter only has about a 15 nm
range. Does this not decrease the signal to noise ratio obtainable with
this filter set for all fluorescent channels?

Would I be better off when performing 3 color experiments on my XL to use
different filters to maximize my signal to noise ratio?

Any help appreciated.

A curious guy,

Keith Bahjat
Kbahjat@nwu.edu