Solid state continuous white light source
First Claim
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1. An illumination system, comprising:
- a first light source comprising a first LED which emits violet light and a first collimator which receives the violet light and emits a collimated beam of violet light;
a second light source comprising a second LED which emits blue light and a second collimator which receives the blue light and emits a collimated beam of blue light;
a third light source comprising a third LED which emits cyan light and a third collimator which receives the cyan light and emits a collimated beam of cyan light;
a fourth light source comprising a fourth LED which emits red/orange light and a fourth collimator which receives the red/orange light and emits a collimated beam of red/orange light;
a fifth light source comprising a plurality of LEDs which emit blue light, a luminescent rod positioned to receive the blue light, wherein the blue light is absorbed by the luminescent rod which then emits green light, and a fifth collimator which receives the green light and emits a collimated beam of green light;
a controller configured to operate all of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth light sources simultaneously such that the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light are emitted simultaneously; and
a plurality of dichroic mirrors which combine the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light to create a beam of white light which is directed at an input aperture of a light guide;
wherein the white light is substantially continuous in the visible spectrum from 380 nm to 650 nm and has a spectral power which substantially equals or exceeds a usable spectral power of a 120 W metal halide lamp at substantially every visible wavelength between 380 nm and 650 nm.
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Abstract
A solid state illumination system is provided as a replacement for conventional arc light, metal halide and Xenon white-light sources for applications in microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and endoscopy. The solid state illumination system generates high quality white light output from LED light sources. The white light output is continuous in the visible spectrum from 380 nm to 650 nm and is suitable for imaging all the most common fluorophores and fluorescent proteins. In embodiments, an LED light pipe engine is used to generate a portion of the spectral content of the white light output.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An illumination system, comprising:
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a first light source comprising a first LED which emits violet light and a first collimator which receives the violet light and emits a collimated beam of violet light; a second light source comprising a second LED which emits blue light and a second collimator which receives the blue light and emits a collimated beam of blue light; a third light source comprising a third LED which emits cyan light and a third collimator which receives the cyan light and emits a collimated beam of cyan light; a fourth light source comprising a fourth LED which emits red/orange light and a fourth collimator which receives the red/orange light and emits a collimated beam of red/orange light; a fifth light source comprising a plurality of LEDs which emit blue light, a luminescent rod positioned to receive the blue light, wherein the blue light is absorbed by the luminescent rod which then emits green light, and a fifth collimator which receives the green light and emits a collimated beam of green light; a controller configured to operate all of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth light sources simultaneously such that the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light are emitted simultaneously; and a plurality of dichroic mirrors which combine the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light to create a beam of white light which is directed at an input aperture of a light guide; wherein the white light is substantially continuous in the visible spectrum from 380 nm to 650 nm and has a spectral power which substantially equals or exceeds a usable spectral power of a 120 W metal halide lamp at substantially every visible wavelength between 380 nm and 650 nm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An illumination system, comprising:
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a first light source comprising a first LED which emits violet light and a first collimator which receives the violet light and emits a collimated beam of violet light; a second light source comprising a second LED which emits blue light and a second collimator which receives the blue light and emits a collimated beam of blue light; a third light source comprising a third LED which emits cyan light and a third collimator which receives the cyan light and emits a collimated beam of cyan light; a fourth light source comprising a fourth LED which emits red/orange light and a fourth collimator which receives the red/orange light and emits a collimated beam of red/orange light; a fifth light source comprising a plurality of LEDs which emit blue light, a luminescent rod positioned to receive the blue light, wherein the blue light is absorbed by the luminescent rod which then emits green light, and a fifth collimator which receives the green light and emits a collimated beam of green light; a controller configured to operate the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth light sources simultaneously such that the collimated beams of violet, blue, cyan, red/orange and green light are emitted simultaneously; and an optical system comprising a plurality of dichroic mirrors which combines the collimated beams of violet, blue, cyan, red/orange and green light to create white light and directs said white light into a light guide; wherein the white light is substantially continuous in the visible spectrum from 380 nm to 650 nm and has a spectral power greater than 1 mW/nm at substantially all of each visible wavelength between 380 nm and 650 nm and has a spectral power which substantially equals or exceeds a usable spectral power of a 120 W metal halide lamp at substantially every visible wavelength between 500 nm and 600 nm. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An illumination system, comprising:
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a first light source comprising a first LED which emits violet light and a first collimator which receives the violet light and emits a collimated beam of violet light; a second light source comprising a second LED which emits blue light and a second collimator which receives the blue light and emits a collimated beam of blue light; a third light source comprising a third LED which emits cyan light and a third collimator which receives the cyan light and emits a collimated beam of cyan light; a fourth light source comprising a fourth LED which emits red/orange light and a fourth collimator which receives the red/orange light and emits a collimated beam of red/orange light; a fifth light source comprising a plurality of LEDs which emit blue light, a luminescent rod positioned to receive the blue light, wherein the blue light is absorbed by the luminescent rod which then emits green light, and a fifth collimator which receives the green light and emits a collimated beam of green light; a controller configured to operate all of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth light sources simultaneously such that the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light are emitted simultaneously; and a plurality of dichroic mirrors which combine the collimated beams of violet light, blue light, cyan light, red/orange light, and green light to create a beam of white light which is directed at an input aperture of a light guide; wherein the white light has a spectral power greater than 1 mW/nm at substantially every visible wavelength between 380 nm and 650 nm and has a spectral power greater than 3 mW/nm at every visible wavelength between 500 nm and 600 nm and has a spectral power which substantially equals or exceeds a usable spectral power of 120 W metal halide lamp at substantially every visible wavelength between 500 nm and 600 nm. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification