Sample Illumination With Dichroic White-UV LED Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illumination systems, such as halogen bulbs, suffer from instability, long warm-up times, inconsistent output spectrum, short lifetimes, and radiation hazards, while white LEDs lack UV components necessary for accurate color grading and analysis.
Innovation Solution
A system combining a high CRI white LED and a UV LED, controlled by a computer system, uses a dichroic beam splitter to merge their emissions, with temperature and current sensors to adjust intensity and spectrum for stable, consistent illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If halogen light bulbs are used for illumination, then stable light output and consistent spectrum can be achieved, but long warmup time and short lifetime are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple LED light sources with different spectral characteristics (white LED, UV LED, blue LED) into a single illumination system. By merging these separate light sources and controlling them simultaneously, the system achieves the spectral stability and consistency previously only available from halogen bulbs, while eliminating the warmup time penalty.
2Reliability
If halogen light bulbs are used for illumination, then consistent output spectrum can be achieved, but radiation hazard is created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal radiation mechanism of halogen bulbs with LED electroluminescence. Instead of heating a filament to produce broad-spectrum thermal radiation, the system uses LED semiconductor junctions to generate specific wavelengths through electroluminescence, controlled by computer-programmed current regulation. This substitution eliminates the intense thermal radiation hazard while maintaining spectral consistency through electronic control.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If white LED is used for illumination, then long lifetime and energy efficiency are achieved, but UV components and color rendering are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple LED types (white LED for general illumination, UV LED for fluorescence excitation, blue LED for color balancing) into a unified illumination system. This combination allows the system to achieve both the energy efficiency and long lifetime of LEDs while simultaneously providing the complete spectral output needed for accurate color rendering and fluorescence detection, overcoming the limitations of single-type white LEDs.
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
Provides reliable, long-lasting, and safe illumination with a CRI greater than 90, suitable for diamond color grading, meeting safety and environmental standards, and mimicking halogen light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation source to provide first EM radiation, a second EM radiation source to provide second EM radiation, and optical equipment to combine at least a portion of the first EM radiation with at least a portion of the second EM radiation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods used to illuminate samples are disclosed. An illumination system includes a stage to support a sample thereon, a first electromagnetic (EM) radiation source to provide first EM radiation, a second EM radiation source to provide second EM radiation, and optical equipment to combine at least a portion of the first EM radiation with at least a portion of the second EM radiation to provide combined EM radiation to the stage to illuminate the sample. A method of illuminating a sample includes illuminating a first input of a dichroic beam splitter with white light from a white light emitting diode (LED), illuminating a second input of the dichroic beam splitter with ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV LED, and directing combined light from an output of the dichroic beam splitter toward the sample.