Analytical Instrumentation, Methods & Materials
Super-Continuum Ultraviolet Light Source with Single Stage Laser Drive
WARF: P05396US
Inventors: Scott Sanders, Joachim Walewski
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing a fiber-coupled, broadband UV light source with approximately one million times the spectral radiance of conventional UV lamps.
Overview
Ultraviolet (UV) lamps are used as a source of white (multi-colored) UV light for many applications; however, these lamps are large and expensive, require a high voltage, generate a lot of heat and may waste much of the bright light due to leakage when coupled with optical fibers.
The Invention
UW-Madison researchers have developed a fiber-coupled, broadband UV light source with approximately one million times the spectral radiance of conventional UV lamps. This UV supercontinuum source consists of a pulsed ultraviolet laser followed by a fiber-optic cable. It produces light that is laser-like, except that it possesses many colors rather than just one. To achieve supercontinuua, a particular relationship among properties including laser pulse duration and energy, laser wavelength and fiber dispersion, diameter and length must be met.
Applications
- Sensing gases, biospecimens and other materials that absorb UV light
Key Benefits
- Compact; making it a practical, direct, drop-in replacement for all fiber-coupled UV lamps
- Produces a UV continuum in a wavelength range extending to less than 350 nanometers
- Can be coupled with a “scanner” to provide a broadly tunable UV source
- Can be driven with a single-stage, narrow-band laser
- Does not require spectral broadening of the fiber optic excitation pulse by an organic dye laser
- Different types of optical fibers may be used.
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
Tech Fields
For current licensing status, please contact Michael Carey at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9867