SOLA white light source for fluorescence microscopy

The SOLA is an LED-based solid state white light source for fluorescence microscopy. A true alternative to metal halide, xenon and mercury arc lamps, the SOLA offers all of the benefits of LED technology with none of the drawbacks.

An LED source with an arc lamp spectrum…

The SOLA microscope light source produces a similar spectrum to traditional arc lamps and is suitable for imaging all common fluorophores and fluorescent proteins. In addition, the SOLA spectrum is strong in areas that are usually weak for LED based lamps. Unlike microscope arc lamps, the output from the SOLA does not decay or fluctuate significantly with time, or during the course of a multi-day experiment.

The use of solid-state LED technology eliminates stray UV and IR light that can damage cells and cameras. The fact that most filters do not block UV light is no longer a problem. In this way, the spectrally pure output reduces phototoxic events that occur while imaging samples.

…That saves you money…

There are no bulbs to change or align. As the SOLA light engine produces little heat and UV, it will not damage your liquid light guide. With nothing to replace, you save money and have less downtime. The SOLA also makes complying with environmental policies easier, as there are no mercury or metal halide bulbs to dispose of.

The SOLA light engine has a lifetime in excess of 15,000 hours. Over this lifetime, the SOLA actually costs you less to own than metal halide lamps or mercury arc lamps. In addition, unlike traditional lamps, you can switch the SOLA off when the light is not in use. The lifetime in years therefore exceeds that usually expected of 15,000 hours.

…And gives you more control.

Quickly turn the SOLA light source on and off using the keypad. The keypad also gives you manual control of the intensity. Additionally, you can control the SOLA using the remote control accessory or footswitch, which leaves your hands free to control your microscope.

The SOLA has high speed shuttering through both hardware and software. The ability to trigger the source directly from the camera helps to minimise photobleaching. The SOLA is easy to control and integrate as it uses uniblitz shutter commands, supported by most imaging software.

• Multiple solid-state sources operating simultaneously produce one white output, 380 - 680 nm with no UV or IR light
• Instant on/off with no warm-up time: Switching speed is 5 kHz with turn on/off ~ 10 µs
• Liquid light guides & adapters are available for most microscopes
• Pre-aligned, easy to install
• Lifetime is ~ 15,000 hours
• 36 month warranty
• Filtering requires external bandpass filters (see our range from Semrock)
• Easy camera synchronization - Uniblitz command control for on/off and electronic shutter
• No-hands operation - Remote control accessory and foot pedal options