Biomedical Optics Products

The PL-200 by Prior Scientific (Rockland, MA) is a high-speed automated slide loading system for a variety of high throughput microscopy applications. Designed to be compatible with the widest range of microscopes, the PL-200 uses a space-saving rotating arm design combined with a multiple sensory based gripper system. It interfaces with Prior's ProScan II series of motorized stages to ensure a safe and reliable high-speed slide-transfer routine. System stability is built in by the presence of a rigid, common baseplate for both the slide loader and the microscope, which minimizes vibration and provides a solid connection between slide loader and microscope.

The PL-200 has a 200 slide capacity accommodated in four removable slide racks that house 50 slides each. Sensors monitor the presence of the slide racks so the system can intelligently respond when racks are removed and replaced. Upon detection of a newly installed slide rack, the PL-200 uses an advanced slide detection system to automatically scan and identify the quantity of slides in the rack and its respective location within the rack. To ensure that any data generated using the PL-200 system is correctly associated with the correct slide reference details, and consequently to fulfill the requirements of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), an optional barcode reader can be calibrated to read 1D or 2D barcodes.

The PL-200 comes with a comprehensive Software Development Kit that simplifies integration with 3rd party software packages.

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Prior Scientific's PL-200 Slide Loader System

Thorlabs' (Dachau, Germany) LEDD3 series modulating LED source is designed for frequency domain fluorescent lifetime imaging (FLIM) and other microscopy applications that require modulated high brightness LED sources (HBLEDs). The first in a new line of ultra stable HB-LED drivers and light sources for demanding scientific applications from Thorlabs, LEDD3 comprises a non switching high current driver plus a HBLED head with passive cooling for high thermal dissipation losses.

The driver is compact, promises ease of use, and offers three operation modes for flexibility in usage and application. The first mode is for frequency modulated FLIM applications offering modulation frequencies from 10 to 100 MHz. A second mode offers modulation control via external trigger for frequencies up to 100 kHz. In the third mode an adjustable constant current can be set for visual inspection of samples.

The LEDD3 head offers flexible mounting options. Via a 2" external thread different collimation optics can be connected. Collimation optics that are compatible with the following microscopes are optionally available: Olympus BX & IX, Leica DMI, Nikon Eclipse (F-Mount), and Zeiss Axioskop.

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Thorlabs modulating LED source LEDD3 series

nLIGHT Corp. (Vancouver, WA) manufactures its very large mode area (LMA), low numerical aperture (NA), all erbium fibers using proprietary Direct Nanoparticle Deposition (DND) active fiber production technology. Highly doped, LMA erbium fibers are suited for high-power, eye-safe applications at 1.5+ µm such as medical devices.

The new all erbium fibers offer high core absorptions of 60 - 120 dB/m at 1530 nm, low NAs <0.10, cores of 20 - 70 µm and claddings from 125 - 400 micrometers, including LIEKKI Er60-20/125DC, LIEKKI Er60-40/140DC, LIEKKI Er60-60/270DC, LIEKKI Er60-70/400DC, and LIEKKI Er120-20/125DC.