1. Introduction
The SPECTRA III (L) light engine consists of up to 8 individually addressable solid-state light sources with
integrated electronic control systems. The constituent light sources may be LEDs, luminescent light pipes or
lasers. The outputs of the constituent light sources are refined by bandpass filters and merged into a
common optical train directed to the light output port on the front panel. The light output port has a built-in
adapter for connection to an SMA-terminated optical fiber or a liquid light guide (LLG). An onboard
photodiode continuously monitors the light output and generates a reference signal that is applied to the
constituent sources in a feedback loop to maintain constant light output over time. The light sources within
the SPECTRA III (L) light engine
®
are controlled by an on-board microprocessor operating Lumencor
firmware accessed via one of two serial interfaces, USB/RS-232 or TCP. The user can enable or disable
each source independently by serial commands as well as change the intensity of each source
independently. The SPECTRA III (L) light engine can either be controlled by third-party image acquisition
software or by a GUI resident on the on-board microprocessor. Alternatively, the light sources may be turned
on and off by TTL inputs from a trigger device such as a camera or a real-time controller. The only manual
control is the master power switch on the front panel. Optimal internal operating temperature is maintained
by negative pressure air cooling, with the air intake at the front of the light engine and the exhaust fan at the
the rear.
SPECTRA III (L) Light Engine® Instruction Manual
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