Fiber optic bundle for NMR ESR measurements

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy are an established methods to assess changes in certain molecules in chemistry and biology. Both NMR and ESR spectroscopes are based on placing a sample in high magnetic field generated by special big electromagnets. These measurements can now also be extended to photochemistry and photobiology - measuring the magnetic resonance or electron spin resonance on molecules modified in reaction to light. Regular fiber optic assembly utilizes metal ferules for connectors and for the distal tip. These metal parts cannot be used within the NMR ESR spectrometers. In order to address this problem Prizmatix developed alternative method of fiber optic assembly. Now special non-metal fiber optic probes can be assembled of multiple fibers arranged on various configurations. In-line fibers arrangement (see photo) can be used to illuminate thin tubes or pipettes in the NMR or ESR spectrometer.

The fibers can be standard low NA silica fibers with Polyamide buffer, Hard-clad silica fibers with high NA of 0.37 or 0.48 or the Polymer Optical Fibers (POF) with NA of 0.5. The fibers can deliver light from a single or multiple fiber-coupled High Power Black-LEDs or Ultra-High Power Black-LEDs at various wavelengths. Other options include the fiber-coupled FC2-3-5-LED or MWLLS Multiwavelength LED Lights Sources, ranging from 2 to 11 different LEDs.

Rectangular illumination using in-line optical fibers

Optical fibers have a round cross section, resulting a circular spot of light. For some application require illumination of a non-round area, e.g. microscope slide. This job can be efficiently done using an in-line arrangement of optical fibers, as demonstrated in the picture showing the fibers (coloured black) and the overlapping cones of light forming a rectangular illuminated spot of ca. 50 x 18mm. Taking into consideration the numerical aperture (NA) of the fibers (NA dictates the head angle of the light cone emitting from the fiber), the distance from the target, and the required illumination area, the pitch between the fibers can be set to create the appropriate rectangular illumination. Prizmatix offers custom designing and production of fiberoptic illumination heads. Combining this expertise with Prizmatix High-Power Black-LEDs and Ultra-High Power Black LEDS creates a comprehensive solution to various illumination needs.

Kit for external fiberoptic spectral measurements for Shimadzu RF-5301PC Spectrofluorometer

This kit turns the standard cuvette chamber of a Shimadzu

RF-5301PC spectrofluorometer into a fiberoptic launching system that enables the connection of a probe for external spectral measurements.

The probe is Y-shaped, consisting of optical fibers which are randomly mixed in the sensing tip, and divided to excitation branch and emission branch. The branches are equipped with standard SMA connectors. The system consists of a set of optical elements that direct the excitation beam towards focusing optics, coupling the excitation light into the excitation branch of the probe. The fibers in the emission branch of the probe are arranged in a line in order to maximize the light passing through a slit towards the spectrometer's grating. The kit is very easy to install - just pull out the standard cuvette holder and put in the kit instead. A few fine-tunings will finalize the installation - taking only a few minutes and no need for any tools.

This system, along with its flexible fiberoptic probe, enables easy fluorescence measurements outside of the spectrofluorometer - such as measurements of photo-chemical reactions, monitoring photo-biological processes, etc.

The kit is available from Prizmatix: http://www.prizmatix.com/docs/contact_us.cfm

Microscope LED with liquid light guide output

For some applications single or multi wavelength LED illumination can be coupled to a microscope or other kinds of imaging devices through a liquid light guide.

In this specific device we coupled the Prizmatix Mic-LED-480 collimated LED to a liquid light guide by adding a barrel with a focusing lens and an adapter to EXFO 3mm core liquid light guide. The output of this system at distal end of the light guide was >35mW at 480nm for CW operation. At pulsed mode >45mW of power can be achieved.

Multiple wavelength systems can be assembled by using several Mic-LEDs as in our another post (see: Fiber Coupled Dual-LED). The system is very modular as the LED modules can be easily and quickly swapped as shown in this video clip)