Programmable light source

Abstract

A programmable spectrum light source is disclosed. In one embodiment, the programmable light source comprises a light source, a spectrum separation system that splits the light into its constituent spectral components, a light modulator that modulates the spectral components according to a required spectral envelope and a light recombination system that recombines the shaped spectral components to produce light with a required spectrum.

1 . An apparatus comprising a light source, a spectrum separator, a light modulator and a light recombiner, wherein the light modulator is configured to switch an entire column of pixels to one among a plurality of states. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light modulator is a micro-mirror array. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of states includes an ‘ON’ state and an ‘OFF’ state. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the intensity of light reflected from a column of pixels of the micro-mirror array is controlled by binary pulse-width modulation. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 separating light into a plurality of spectral components,   modulating each spectral component to create a required intensity using binary pulse-width modulation,   recombining the modulated spectral components into light of a required spectrum.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modulation of a spectral component is performed by switching a column of micro-mirrors into an ‘ON’ state or an ‘OFF’ state. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising setting a row address select register to a value such that all rows are selected at once, and setting a column data register to a sequence of bits such that each bit controls an entire column of micro-mirror.