The MonoLED is supplied with a USB interface acting as a shutter emulator to provide on/off control. To utilize this functionality, follow these steps: 

  • Download the MonoLED USB drivers from our support page and unzip the folder. 

  • Plug in the USB connection and direct Windows to the recently downloaded drivers. The device should now be recognized as a ‘USB Serial (UBW-based) communications port.’ Make a note of the COM port number allocated. 

  • The LED can now be digitally switched on or off in the following software packages using the appropriate hardware drivers (ensuring the correct COM port is assigned): 

    - MicroManager: Vincent-D1 

    - MetaMorph: Uniblitz Shutter Device 

    - NIS Elements: Vincent Associates Shutter


If you have any issues or questions, please contact us at tech@cairn-research.co.uk.

Yes, it’s fairly straightforward. The main thing to consider is that both the diameter and radiation solid angle of the LED chip will be greater than a 100-micron fiber can accept, so some light loss is inevitable.

However, a significant amount of light will still get through.

Since the illuminated area at the fiber’s output end will be smaller, the brightness should be comparable to direct illumination.

While attaching the fiber directly to the LED is possible, it is often more practical to focus an image of the LED onto the entrance of the light guide, making it easier to optimize performance. We can supply the necessary components to achieve this. 

A “white” LED typically consists of a blue LED with a peak around 445 nm, coated with a broadband phosphor centered in the green section of the spectrum.

Part of the blue emission from the primary LED is absorbed and re-emitted at lower energy by the phosphor. This combination of blue primary and green/red secondary emission appears white to the human eye.

Variants of white LEDs include: 

  • Cool white
  • Neutral white
  • Warm white


Each of these reflects an increasing red output from the phosphor. 

For fluorescence applications, both the primary (blue) and secondary (green/red) emission bands can be used, but the longer wavelength band will require a relatively broad excitation filter. 

The OptoLED can switch wavelengths in approximately 100 nanoseconds, which is effectively instantaneous for biological measurements.

The OptoLED Lite has sub-millisecond performance, which is sufficient for most applications. 

OptoLED: 

  • Controls two LEDs independently
  • Provides a very stable optical output via optical feedback
  • Can be pulsed on and off extremely rapidly (~100 nanoseconds)
  • LED intensity control via continuous current variation or high-frequency current pulses (or a combination of both)


OptoLED Lite:
 

  • Also controls two LEDs
  • Designed for less demanding applications (no optical feedback or high-frequency pulsing)
  • Operates over a wide current range
  • Has switching times of a few microseconds
  • Ideal alternative to quartz halogen lamps for general illumination but still suitable for many quantitative measurement applications

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