Diffusing Collection Lens for Uniform LED Microscopy Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power microscopy illumination systems using LED sources face challenges in achieving uniformity of illumination due to electrode structures blocking light emission, leading to optical non-uniformity and significant power loss when using traditional diffusers or fly eye lens arrays, which are not cost-effective.
Innovation Solution
A diffusing collection lens with a diffusing surface on its first surface, designed for LED illumination sources, which includes refractive surfaces like half-ball, plano-convex, meniscus, or aspheric lenses, directly couples the LED light to the microscope, improving uniformity without substantial loss of optical power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a traditional diffuser (ground glass plate) is inserted into the optical path to improve illumination uniformity, then the uniformity of illumination is improved, but the optical power coupled to the objective plane decreases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the diffuser and collection lens into a single integrated component. The diffusing surface is formed on the front surface of a spherical lens, merging the light-diffusing function with the light-collecting and focusing function of the lens. This integration allows the system to achieve both illumination uniformity and high optical coupling efficiency simultaneously, avoiding the significant power loss associated with separate diffusers.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical lens with diffusing surface acts as an intermediary optical element between the LED source and the microscope objective. It mediates the light transmission by both diffusing the light to improve uniformity and maintaining sufficient optical power coupling, thus resolving the contradiction between uniformity and power loss.
2Illumination intensity
If a fly eye lens array is used to improve illumination uniformity, then the uniformity is improved, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive fly eye lens array with a simpler, more cost-effective spherical lens that has a diffusing surface. This single lens is much cheaper to manufacture while still achieving the desired illumination uniformity, making the solution economically viable for most microscopy applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the essential diffusing function from the complex fly eye lens array, implementing it through a simple spherical lens with a diffusing surface. This extraction eliminates the need for the expensive multi-lens array while retaining the beneficial effect of improved illumination uniformity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If LED electrode structures are used to spread current over the emitting area, then the current distribution is improved, but light emission is blocked causing optical non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The diffusing surface on the spherical lens acts as an intermediary that processes the light after it emerges from the LED. It takes the non-uniform light pattern caused by electrode blocking and transforms it into a uniform illumination pattern, effectively compensating for the electrode interference without affecting the electrical current distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
While not directly related to color, this principle refers to transforming the characteristics of light. The diffusing surface transforms the spatial distribution characteristics of the light, converting the non-uniform pattern (with dark regions from electrode blocking) into a uniform pattern suitable for microscopy illumination.
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 diffusing collection lens enhances illumination uniformity at the objective plane while maintaining high optical coupling efficiency, reducing power loss by less than 25% compared to conventional systems, making it a cost-effective solution for microscopy applications.
Implementation Method 1
An ideal diffuser would scatter the light in a Lambertian pattern with zero loss
Implementation Method 2
a diffusing collection lens arranged with a diffusing surface on a surface of the diffusing lens for collecting light emission from the LED illumination source
Data Source
AI summary
A high power microscopy illumination system is disclosed, including a solid state illumination source. A diffusing collection lens having a diffusing surface is configured to collect and diffuse light emission from the solid state illumination source. An emitting surface is disposed substantially opposite the diffusing surface. An optical coupling element couples the light emission from the diffusing collection lens emitting surface along an optical axis to an optical output. The diffusing collection lens provides improved uniformity of illumination with direct coupling, without significant power loss.