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Lambda 421

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Beam Combining Pentagon (Sutter Instrument)
Sutter Instrument  Lambda 421  Beam Combining Pentagon
Description

 

The Lambda 421 beam combiner is a new, patented, concept for combining separate light sources with different spectra into a single common output beam.


Each separate light source is collimated before entering the optical path through a bandpass filter. The filters for each light source also function as mirrors that reflect the collimated beams from the previous light sources. In the diagram below the optical paths are outlined for each position including the reflections that occur:

Optical path for each light source position from 0 through 3. The position number of the light sources are labeled based on the number of total reflections.

Traditionally, combining more than two light sources required the use of a dichroic ladder. Dichroic mirrors, which switch from transmission to reflection at one point in the spectrum, allow the combining of separate light sources, provided that those sources do not have overlapping wavelengths. The downside of this approach is that light sources cannot be easily changed.

Dichroic ladders also demand careful attention to the order in which the light sources are introduced into the optical path to avoid having the light blocked by the next dichroic in line. Typically, additional bandpass filters must be added in front of each light source before the dichroic, to select the desired range of wavelengths for each source. Each filter and dichroic used in the ladder decreases the total light output of the system.

FEATURES

The Lambda 421 was designed to keep the size of the beam combiner small and the optical path short and efficient. Thin-film bandpass filters, such as Semrock’s STR, reflect greater than 90 % of out-of-band light. If the band pass of each light source does not overlap, it is possible to use the filters for both attenuation and reflection of the light from the other sources. By arranging the filters and sources into a pentagon, we were able to combine four light sources in a compact design with lower losses than previously achievable. As an added benefit, the last position in the optical train does not require any filter, since no other input reflects from that position. This input can be used with any sort of light source as long as you are aware of the possible losses if there are filters in use that overlap this light source. The fifth side of the pentagon becomes the output for the combined sources. The filters are easily exchangeable and are installed on small sliders inside the core of the pentagon. Filters and associated light sources can be arranged in any order around the pentagon.

Notes:

 

Lambda 421 - LED Spectra Options (Click on image to enlarge)

 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Output Range
(330 nm - 960 nm) Depending the LED's selected for use

Shuttering
Turn ON/OFF time:

Noise/Short term stability
0.01 %

LED Life
> 50,000 h

Control Box Dimensions
40 cm × 27.9 cm × 19.05 cm

Weight
8.07 kg

Electrical
120/240 V
50/60 Hz power line

 

LED modules for Lambda 421

Catalog Number Description
OBC-340 LED, 340 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-365 LED, 365 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-380 LED, 380 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-385 LED, 385 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-410 LED, 410 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-440 LED, 440 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-460 LED, 460 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-480 LED, 480 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-506 LED, 506nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-530 LED, 530 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-561 LED, 561nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-590 LED, 590 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-630 LED, 630 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-660 LED, 660 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-740 LED, 740 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-850 LED, 850 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-940 LED, 940 nm for Optical Beam Combiner
OBC-W5 LED, White Light for Optical Beam Combiner