Noise on photon correlation data. I. Autocorrelation functions

Abstract

An adequate analysis of photon correlation data requires knowledge about the statistical accuracy of the measured data. For the model of gamma-distributed intensities, that is including the effect of a finite intercept, the full covariance matrix is calculated for all the channels of the photon autocorrelation functions. A thorough discussion of multiple sample time correlation illuminates the importance of temporal averaging effects at large lag times. A practical estimation scheme is given for the noise in photon correlation data from a multiple sample time measurement.