FPGA-based chlorophyll fluorescence measurement system with arbitrary light stimulation waveform using direct digital synthesis

• Instrument based on signal synthesis for chlorophyll fluorescence measurement.
• Customizable waveform processor that is capable of implementing arbitrary waveforms.
• Providing researchers with new ways to obtain physiological information.
• FPGA-based tool to study photosynthesis by modifying the excitation light waveform.

Nowadays, it is critical to generate technology to be applied to crops in order to counteract the lack of food, which can be produced by several biotic and abiotic factors. It is well known that stress conditions affect photosynthetic activity, which is closely related to crop yields. As a result, chlorophyll fluorescence can be used as an appropriate analytical tool to investigate the physiology and stress conditions of photosynthetic organisms, and to improve them. This paper presents an FPGA-based measurement system with direct digital synthesis capabilities for Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement. This is achieved through a customizable waveform processor that is capable of implementing arbitrary waveforms to modulate light source, get new frequency components to enrich information that a photosynthetic sample can generate, and provide researchers with new ways to obtain physiological information.