A fast multispectral light synthesiser based on LEDs and a diffraction grating

Optical experiments often require fast-switching light sources with adjustable bandwidths and intensities. We constructed a wavelength combiner based on a reflective planar diffraction grating and light emitting diodes with emission peaks from 350 to 630 nm that were positioned at the angles corresponding to the first diffraction order of the reversed beam. The combined output beam was launched into a fibre. The spacing between 22 equally wide spectral bands was about 15 nm. The time resolution of the pulse-width modulation drivers was 1 ms. The source was validated with a fast intracellular measurement of the spectral sensitivity of blowfly photoreceptors. In hyperspectral imaging of Xenopus skin circulation, the wavelength resolution was adequate to resolve haemoglobin absorption spectra. The device contains no moving parts, has low stray light and is intrinsically capable of multi-band output. Possible applications include visual physiology, biomedical optics, microscopy and spectroscopy.