UV Illumination Spatial Filter for Thermal Load Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical systems designed for ultraviolet wavelengths face challenges due to high absorption of short-wavelength illumination, leading to thermal loading and component damage, which limits the intensity and performance of the illumination source.
Innovation Solution
An ultraviolet illumination source with wavelength selection control, utilizing a system that includes dispersive elements to introduce and remove spatial dispersion, and a spatial filter element to selectively pass a subset of wavelengths, reducing absorption and thermal loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the intensity of the illumination source is increased to improve resolution, then the resolution improves, but thermal loading increases leading to component damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary wavelength range from the broadband illumination source using a monochromator. By selecting a narrow bandwidth of wavelengths instead of using the full spectrum, the system achieves high resolution imaging while significantly reducing the total energy load on optical components, thereby preventing thermal damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spectral parameter of the illumination by using a monochromator to select a specific wavelength range. This parameter change allows the system to operate at optimal resolution wavelengths while controlling the intensity distribution across the spectrum, preventing excessive thermal loading on components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If broadband illumination is used to maintain flexibility, then versatility is improved, but absorption and thermal loading increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monochromator extracts a specific, narrow wavelength range from the broadband source. This extraction maintains the ability to select different wavelength ranges (versatility) while ensuring that only the necessary spectral portion interacts with the sample and optical components, thereby reducing energy absorption and thermal loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The monochromator provides dynamic wavelength selection capability, allowing the system to adaptively choose different wavelength ranges based on imaging requirements. This dynamic control maintains versatility while optimizing energy efficiency by excluding unnecessary wavelengths that would contribute to thermal loading.
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 enhances the performance of ultraviolet illumination systems by allowing higher intensity and reducing thermal loading, thereby improving the resolution and longevity of optical components.
Implementation Method 1
one or more first dispersive elements positioned to introduce spatial dispersion into the beam
Implementation Method 2
a spatial filter element positioned in a plane conjugate to the illumination source, configured to pass at least a portion of the beam, wherein the beam directed from the spatial filter element includes a second set of wavelengths, wherein the second set of wavelengths is a subset of the first set of wavelengths
Implementation Method 3
one or more second dispersive elements positioned to remove spatial dispersion from the beam
Data Source
AI summary
A system for illuminating a sample with a spectrally filtered illumination source includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam of illumination having a first set of wavelengths. In addition, the system includes a wavelength filtering sub-system, a sample stage, an illumination sub-system, a detector, and an objective to focus illumination from the surface of one or more samples and focus the collected illumination to the detector. Further, the wavelength filtering sub-system includes one or more first dispersive elements positioned to introduce spatial dispersion into the beam, a spatial filter element, and one or more dispersive elements positioned to remove spatial dispersion from the beam. The spatial filter element is further positioned to pass at least a portion of the beam including a second set of wavelengths, wherein the second set of wavelengths is a subset of the first set of wavelengths.