Broadband solid-state spectroscopy illuminator and method

Abstract

An improved spectroscopy illuminator ( 103 ) 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 uses a solid-state broadband white LED ( 107 ) to produce broadband light ( 114 ), which is then transmitted to a sample region ( 125 ), such as a living tissue or blood in vivo or a biological sample in a spectrophotometer target region. The solid-state source keeps both the illuminator and sample cool during operation, allowing the illuminator to be integrated into the tip of a medical probe, a medical system such as an oximeter, or other monitoring systems or devices making measurements based on light scattering, absorbance, fluorescence, phosphorescence, Raman effects, use of a contrast agent, or other known spectroscopy techniques. Systems incorporating the improved illuminator, and methods of use are also disclosed.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A broadband illuminator for use in illuminating spectroscopy samples comprising at least one solid-state broadband light source, wherein the broadband spectroscopy source emits useable light over a wavelength range of 40 nm or more. 
     
     
         25 . A broadband illuminator for use in illuminating spectroscopy samples comprising at least one solid-state broadband light source, wherein the broadband spectroscopy source emits useable light over a wavelength range of at least 100 nm. 
     
     
         26 . A broadband illuminator for use in illuminating spectroscopy samples comprising at least one solid-state broadband light source, wherein the solid-state broadband light source emits useable light over a wavelength range of at least 100 nm, and wherein said solid-state broadband light source is a broadband LED. 
     
     
         27 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25  or  26 , wherein said illuminator is incorporated into a device or system. 
     
     
         28 . The illuminator of  claim 27 , wherein the device or system is configured to enable an analysis performed using at least a portion of the light returning after interaction with the sample. 
     
     
         29 . The illuminator of  claim 27 , where said device or system is selected from the group of devices or systems consisting of: spectrophotometers, microdevices, microchip, lab-on-a-chip, or other small optical device with space and size constraints, disposable optical devices, or other optical spectroscopy devices and systems. 
     
     
         30 . The illuminator of  claim 28 , further comprising an analysis system configured to perform the analysis by solution of multiple simultaneous spectroscopic equations. 
     
     
         31 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , further wherein said illuminator is incorporated into a medical device or a medical system. 
     
     
         32 . The illuminator of  claim 31 , wherein the medical device or medical system is selected from the group of medical devices and systems consisting of: probes for medical endoscopic use, targetable injection needles, catheters, needles, catheters with extendable needles, nibblers, devices with jaws, scissors, probes that measure colon oxygenation, probes that measure by pulse oximetry, probes that measure arterial oxygenation, probes that measure oxygen delivery to the body's core organs, probes that measure in the gastrointestinal system including could reasonably include the oropharynx, nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, ileum, colon, or other gastrointestinal tissues. 
     
     
         33 . The illuminator of  claim 31 , wherein the medical device is a probe configured for use in measuring oxygenation. 
     
     
         34 . The illuminator of  claim 31 , wherein the medical device is an oximeter probe. 
     
     
         35 . The illuminator of  claim 31 , wherein the medical device is a probe is configured to monitor any one or more of: met-hemoglobin, carboxy-hemoglobin, and other blood components. 
     
     
         36 . The illuminator of  claim 36 , wherein the monitoring of met-hemoglobin, carboxy-hemoglobin, and other blood components is achieved by pulse oximetry. 
     
     
         37 . The illuminator of  claim 31 , wherein the medical device is configured to identify tissue by type or state. 
     
     
         38 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25  or  26 , wherein the illuminator is a medical device configured for use inside, or in contact with, living tissue. 
     
     
         39 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a spectrophotometer. 
     
     
         40 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the light is pulsed. 
     
     
         41 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a system where the light is analyzed as time-resolved, frequency-resolved, or spatially-resolved. 
     
     
         42 . The illuminator of  claim 26 , wherein the broadband LED is comprised of multiple light emitting elements to produce a broadband and continuous spectrum of light. 
     
     
         43 . The illuminator of  claim 42  wherein the multiple light emitting elements are comprised of a combination of different light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         44 . The illuminator of  claim 43  wherein each of the multiple LEDs operate in at least one wavelength band. 
     
     
         45 . The illuminator of  claim 26 , wherein the broadband LED is a white LED 
     
     
         46 . The illuminator of  claim 26 , wherein the broadband LED comprises a blue LED and a phosphor. 
     
     
         47 . The illuminator of  claim 26 , wherein the broadband LED comprises an LED and a fluorescent dye. 
     
     
         48 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the illuminator operates to produce at least a portion of its light in the infrared spectrum. 
     
     
         49 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the illuminator operates to produce at least a portion of its light in the ultraviolet spectrum. 
     
     
         50 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , further comprising a target signal, where said target signal is enhanced, produced, or detected, at least in part, by one or more of the following: light absorbance, polarization, optical rotation, scattering, fluorescence, Raman effects, phosphorescence, fluorescence decay, re-emission, use of a contrast agent, dye shift, or other spectroscopy techniques. 
     
     
         51 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25 , or  26 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a pulse oximeter. 
     
     
         52 . The illuminator of  claim 24 ,  25  , or  26 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a medical device that analyzes hemoglobins selected from the list of hemoglobins consisting of: methemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, and hemoglobins blood components. 
     
     
         53 . A spectroscopy method comprising:
 illuminating a sample with a broadband illumination from a broadband solid-state illuminator, wherein said broadband illuminator emits useable light over a wavelength range of at least 100 nm; and   performing optical spectroscopy.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the illuminator is a broadband LED. 
     
     
         55 . A spectroscopy method wherein illumination of a sample is achieved using a broadband LED. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53  or  55 , wherein performing optical spectroscopy further includes: obtaining a target signal, where said target signal is enhanced, produced, or detected, at least in part, by one or more of the following methods: light absorbance, polarization, optical rotation, scattering, fluorescence, Raman effects, phosphorescence, fluorescence decay, re-emission, use of a contrast agent, dye shift, or other spectroscopy techniques. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the broadband LED is comprised of multiple light emitting elements to produce a broadband and continuous spectrum of light. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the multiple light emitting elements are comprised of a combination of different light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  wherein each of the multiple LEDs operate in at least one wavelength band; 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 54  wherein the broadband LED is a white LED. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 53  or  55 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a pulse oximeter. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 53  or  55 , wherein the illuminator is incorporated into a medical device that analyzes hemoglobins and further including the step of monitoring hemoglobins selected from the list of hemoglobins consisting of met-hemoglobin, carboxy-hemoglobin, and other hemoglobins.