Confocal Microscope Illumination with Dynamic Delay Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illumination devices for confocal microscopes using current-modulated semiconductor light sources suffer from dynamic delays in light emission due to temperature modulation and refractive index changes, which affect the precision and speed of illumination control, especially at high scanning speeds.
Innovation Solution
An illumination device with a driver unit that synthesizes operating current signals for semiconductor light sources using digital signal processing, incorporating compensation signals to pre-distort the current modulation and compensate for specific dynamic delays in light emission, thereby minimizing temporal deviations from the requested intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If semiconductor light sources are directly current-modulated to achieve time-controlled emission, then the response speed and control precision are improved, but dynamic delays occur due to temperature modulation and refractive index changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing compensation values in a lookup table that account for thermal and refractive index delays. Before actual operation, the system determines the required current modulation that will compensate for anticipated delays, allowing the light emission to accurately track the desired temporal profile despite inherent physical delays in the semiconductor material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters (current modulation waveform) of the semiconductor light sources based on pre-stored compensation data. By adjusting the current signal characteristics according to lookup table values that account for thermal and refractive index effects, the system maintains accurate temporal control of light emission despite the inherent dynamic delays in the material.
2Productivity
If high modulation frequencies are used to match the high scanning speed of confocal microscopes, then the productivity is improved, but thermal effects cause deviation of light emission from the control signal
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation and storage of compensation values in a lookup table that specifically accounts for thermal effects at high modulation frequencies. This pre-computed compensation data allows the system to maintain precise intensity control even when operating at high speeds required for modern confocal microscopy applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the electrical parameters of the current modulation signal based on lookup table values that were pre-determined to compensate for thermal effects. By changing the current waveform characteristics according to these stored compensation values, the system maintains accurate light emission control despite the thermal deviations that occur at high modulation frequencies required for high-speed scanning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple semiconductor light sources are combined to provide different wavelengths, then the versatility is improved, but the complexity of synchronizing and controlling their emission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple semiconductor light sources into a single illumination system with unified control. By integrating the control of multiple wavelength sources through a single driver unit that uses a common lookup table for compensation, the system maintains versatility while reducing control complexity compared to independently managing each light source.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver unit is designed with universal functionality to control multiple types of semiconductor light sources emitting at different wavelengths. The single driver unit and unified lookup table approach allows it to handle various light source configurations, making the system adaptable to different wavelength requirements without proportionally increasing control complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively compensates for dynamic delays in light emission, ensuring precise and fast control of illumination intensity, which is critical for achieving high image quality in confocal microscopy applications.
Implementation Method 1
two or more semiconductor-based light sources, in particular laser diodes, which are designed to emit light at different wavelengths
Implementation Method 2
the current modulation results in a temperature modulation of the semiconductor crystal due to the power dissipation converted into heat
Implementation Method 3
At high modulation frequencies, a modulation of the refractive index takes place in the semiconductor of the particular light source due to the change of the charge carrier density
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination device, in particular for a confocal microscope. The object of the invention is to provide an illumination device which operates with a plurality of current-modulated semiconductor-based light sources, in which the light emission is as free as possible from distortions due to dynamic delays of the light emission in the output beam. To this end, the proposed illumination device comprises:two or more semiconductor-based light sources, in particular laser diodes, which are designed to emit light at different wavelengths,a combining unit, which is designed to combine the light emissions of the light sources into a single output light beam, anda driver unit connected to the light sources, which driver unit is designed to synthesise an operating current signal, which is supplied to each of the light sources, from at least one control signal, which specifies the temporal course of the light emission of each of the light sources, by means of digital signal processing, wherein the driver unit impresses a compensation signal on each of the operating current signals, which compensation signal at least partially compensates for a specific dynamic delay of the light emission of the particular light source.