Thorlabs' Chrolis™ 6-Wavelength High-Power LED Sources are ideal for fluorescence imaging or any other application that requires up to six wavelengths of light. These user-configurable light engines efficiently combine the output of all six LEDs into a single liquid light guide (LLG); Thorlabs' LLG03-4H LLG is included. Compared to conventional non-LED sources like halogen and gas discharge lamps, these mercury-free 6-wavelength light sources offer many advantages such as higher signal-to-noise ratios (due to narrow bandwidth emission), high stability (see the Stability tab), longer life, and lower replacement costs. The Chrolis LED sources are available in two pre-set configurations; user-configured LED sources can also be ordered using the tool below.
Features
- Combine 6 User-Changeable, High-Power LEDs into One Liquid Light Guide
- Eleven Wavelength Options Cover All Known Fluorophores Between 365 nm and 780 nm
- USB 2.0 Interface
- Control LEDs Using Included Software with GUI
- Individually Modulate LEDs for Pulsed Light Applications
- Integrated Cooling System for Extending Liquid Light Guide's Lifetime
- Typical Lifetime of LED Modules is ≥10,000 Hours
- Breakout Box for External Modulation and Triggering Other Devices (Sold Separately Below)
- User-Configurable LED Sources Available
The Chrolis software allows users to set the power level and define the pulse lengths, pulse timings, and internal and external trigger signals for each LED independently.
The Chrolis light engines are designed to couple light into a Ø3 mm core liquid light guide (LLG). The typical output power for each LED from the included LLG03-4H LLG is shown in the table to the right. Each light source is equipped with an integrated cooling system that cools the tip of the LLG using thermoelectric coolers (TECs), thus extending the LLG lifetime. The optical output port for the LLG, LLG release lever, and On/Off button are located on the front of the housing for easy access.
The side panel is engraved with the LED schematic and spaces for the user to record the installed LEDs, as shown in the image above. Users can easily remove this panel by unscrewing the five setscrews with a 2 mm (5/64") hex key and access the LED and dichroic mirror modules. To remove LED modules, press the locking pin handle and turn toward "OPEN", then pull outward. Dichroic mirror modules are secured by magnets and can be removed by pulling outward on the handle. The modules are mounted on an actively cooled heat sink and the temperature of the LED modules is continuously monitored to ensure highly stable performance. Each LED module also has a removable SM1-threaded filter holder that is magnetically held in place in front of the LED. This feature provides space for Ø1" (Ø25 mm) bandpass filters up to 0.248" (6.3 mm) thick to be inserted in the Chrolis light paths and restrict the spectrum emitted by each LED.
Every 6-wavelength LED source includes a software package with an easy-to-use GUI; see the Software tab for more details. Once the light source is connected via a USB interface, this intuitive software can detect the LED configuration and display the corresponding LED spectra. Users can set the intensity of each LED as well as modulate them for pulsed light applications. A different pulse train can be defined for each LED, with an allowable on/off time of 5 µs to 71 minutes; see the image to the right. For externally triggering the LEDs, we offer a breakout box that can be configured with the Chrolis software. LED pulse trains can be linked in the software such that a single external trigger will initiate a user-defined pulse sequence for up to six LEDs.
Users can modulate individual LEDs using the Chrolis software. The GUI displays the user-defined pulse trains for each LED.