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US007062306B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: Us 7,062,306 B2
Benaron et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jun. 13,2006
(54) SPECTROSCOPY ILLUMINATOR WITH
IMPROVED DELIVERY EFFICIENCY FOR
HIGH OPTICAL DENSITY AND REDUCED
THERMAL LOAD
(75) Inventors: David A. Benaron, Portola Valley, CA (US); Ilian H. Parachikov, Fremont, CA (US)
(73) Assignee: Spectros Corporation, Portola Valley, CA (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 150 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/651,541
(22) Filed: Aug. 29, 2003
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2004/0039274 Al Feb. 26, 2004
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation of application No. 10/119,998, filed on Apr. 9, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,711,426.
An improved illuminator for generating broadband light, and for delivering the light to a sample with an improved delivery efficiency, for higher optical density and/or reduced thermal transfer, than achieved with conventional halogen bulb sources. The illuminator enables spectroscopic analysis in thermally-sensitive or spatially-constrained environments. A phosphor-coated broadband white LED and integrated collimating optics produces a continuous, collimated broadband light beam from 400 nm to 700 nm, which is then transmitted through space to a sample region, such as a living tissue in vivo. A method and system for measuring oxigeneration of mucosal or subsurface tissue is also described.
11 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
128
