Fiber-Coupled Xenon Light Source

75 W Xenon Short-Arc Bulb with 240 - 1200 nm Output
Long 2000 Hour Lifespan
SMA905 Fiber-Coupled Output
Compatible with SM1 Components and 30 mm Cage Systems

SLS205

Xenon Light Source

SLS255B

Replacement Xenon Bulb (Not to Scale)

Application Idea

The SLS205 Light Source in a Free-Space Configuration with 30 mm Cage System Components and SM1-Threaded Components

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Overview
Specs
Graphs
Bulb Installation
Output Coupling
Lamp Selection Guide
Feedback

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The SLS205 fiber-coupled light source shown with the included M111L01 solarization-resistant patch cable.

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Click for Raw Data
The measured spectral power distribution for the SLS205 light source. The spectrum is plotted on a log scale so that both the underlying shape and spectral lines are visible.

Features

Xenon Short Arc Light Source for 240 - 1200 nm
75 W Xenon Bulb with a 1.3 mm Arc Gap
Removable SMA905 Fiber Adapter
Internally SM1-Threaded (1.035"-40) Aperture
BNC Port for External CMOS Shutter Control
0.12% Per Hour and 0.1% Per °C Output Power Drift
Compatible with 30 mm Cage System and Ø1" Lens Tubes
Replacement Xenon Bulb Available Separately
Location-Specific Power Cord Included

Thorlabs' SLS205 Fiber-Coupled Xenon Light Source provides illumination from 240 nm to 1200 nm with intense lines between 800 nm and
1000 nm. The strong continuous spectrum at UV and visible wavelengths (240 - 700 nm) makes this an ideal source for UV and visible spectroscopy applications. This light source also emits at wavelengths out to 1200 nm, allowing for use with near-infrared-light applications. A constant power supply stabilizes the 75 W bulb, which has a short arc gap of 1.3 mm to support high coupling efficiency when used with the included patch cable. The shutter in the SLS205 light source can be controlled manually via the switch on the front panel or externally via a 0 to 5 V CMOS BNC port on the back panel. A fan cools the light source and bulb, enabling continuous operation for >30 hours (see the Graphs tab for lamp stability).

The SLS205 light source comes equipped with an SMA905 fiber adapter on the output aperture and ships with a SMA to SMA Solarization-Resistant Multimode Fiber Patch Cable (Item # M111L01). The fiber adapter can be removed so the lamp functions as a free-space source. The removal of the fiber adapter also exposes the internal SM1 (1.035"-40) threading, which can connect other externally SM1-threaded fiber adapters. The typical fiber-coupled output power is 5 mW using the included patch cable and 290 mW when used in a free-space configuration. For more information on the output power and radiance of compatible Thorlabs fiber patch cables and liquid light guides, see the Output Coupling tab.

Four 4-40 tapped holes on the front panel are designed for 30 mm cage rods to provide compatibility with 30 mm cage system components. Using the cage system, it is possible to incorporate various optic mounts that are centered along the optical center of the lamp (as pictured in the image to the upper right).

Within the light source housing is a xenon bulb and a series of lenses to focus the emitted light into the fiber port. A mirror placed behind the bulb helps to increase the coupling efficiency. Within the bulb, an electric arc is generated that excites the gaseous xenon, causing emission of a broadband spectrum that ranges from UV into near-infrared wavelengths. The xenon bulb in the SLS205 light source has a lifetime of 2000 hours. A status LED on the front panel indicates when the unit is functioning normally or if an issue occurs, such as overheating or the bulb nearing the end of its lifetime. Additionally, the bulb power can be monitored via a BNC port on the back panel that provides a voltage feedback signal from a photodiode inside the housing. Replacement bulbs can be purchased separately below. Please see the Bulb Installation tab for detailed instructions on how to install and replace the bulb in these lamps.

Please note that the SLS205 light source generates high-intensity UV light. Wear appropriate eye protection and do not look directly at the output during operation. Do not place hands or body parts in the path of the beam.

Item #	SLS205
Wavelength Range	240 - 1200 nm
Bulb Electrical Power	75 W
Included Output Fiber	M111L01 Patch Cable Ø105 µm, 0.22 NA, SMA905 Connectors
Fiber-Coupled Output Power^a	5 mW (Typical)
Free-Space Output Power^b	290 mW (Typical)
Fiber-Coupled Color Temperature^a	5400 K (Typical)
Free-Space Color Temperature^b	5800 K (Typical)
Output Power Drift	0.12% Per Hour (Typical) 0.1% Per °C (Typical)
Output Power Stability^c	<0.5%
Bulb Lifetime^d	2000 h
Bulb Arc Gap	1.3 mm
Shutter Switch Time	5 ms
Shutter Repetition Rate (Max)	10 Hz (Burst)
Bulb Power Monitor	0 - 5 V Analog
External Shutter Control	0 - 5 V CMOS High: 3.8 - 5 V, Low: 0 - 1.5 V
Power Supply	100 - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz
Operating Temperature	0 - 45 °C
Storage Temperature	-15 - 70 °C
Dimensions (L x W x H)	325.6 mm x 162.5 mm x 162.8 mm (12.82" x 6.40" x 6.41")

Measured with M111L01 Fiber Patch Cable at Beginning of Bulb Lifetime
Measured at the Output Port with the Fiber Adapter Removed at Beginning of Bulb Lifetime
Standard deviation of optical power measured at room temperature over a 1 hour period (after 45 minutes of warm-up) with a 1 Hz sampling rate.
Defined as the time it takes for the bulb to decrease to ≤50% of the initial output intensity.

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SLS205 Xenon Light Source Front Panel

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SLS205 Xenon Light Source Back Panel

Patch Cable Item #	M111L01
Wavelength Range	180 - 1200 nm
NA	0.22
Core Diameter	105 ± 2.1 µm
Cladding Diameter	125 ± 1 µm
Coating Diameter	250 ± 10 µm
Bend Radius (Short Term)	15 mm
Bend Radius (Long Term)	30 mm
Length	1 m

Click to Enlarge
Click for Raw Data
The measured spectral power distribution for the SLS205 lamp.

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Click for Raw Data
The output of the SLS205 lamp over 30 hours of continuous operation. This graph does not include 45 minutes of warm-up to ignite the source and stabilize the output.

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The bulb should be held by the handle with gloved hands. Avoid making contact with the bulb envelope directly.

Bulb Handling

The bulbs used in a xenon lamp operate at a very high temperature. If handled incorrectly, they will become a serious hazard to users and could potentially cause severe injury. It is critical to follow safety instructions when handling them.

The guidelines below describe correct bulb handling.

Any dust or grease on the bulb will compromise the integrity of the bulb envelope, increasing the chance that the bulb will burst. Clean any dirt, oil, or lint away from the bulb with alcohol and a lint free cloth or tissue.
Never bump, drop, apply excessive stress to, or scratch the bulb. This could cause it to burst.
Always transport the bulb in the provided protective case or cover until installation.
Save the protective case or cover and packaging materials (box) for bulbs that have been used to their rated service life.
Always wear gloves when handling the bulb; never hold the bulb by its envelope (see photo to the right). Thorlabs offers gloves that can be used for bulb handling.
The bulb generates very high-intensity UV light output; wear the appropriate laser safety glasses during operation.
The bulb gets very hot during operation. Always wait at least 30 minutes for the bulb to cool down before handling the bulb after operation.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is recommended when handling the bulb.

Bulb Installation

The bulb must be installed in the SLS205 Xenon Light Source before operation. The instructions and photos below detail the recommended procedure for installing the bulb. Do not attempt to change the light bulb while the bulb and unit are hot. Allow at least 30 minutes after turning the lamp off before attempting to replace the light bulb.

We strongly recommend wearing gloves when replacing the bulb to prevent skin oils from being deposited onto the bulb. If you suspect the bulb is dirty, carefully clean it with alcohol before connecting it to a power supply.

Prepare the Bulb for Installation

Remove the bulb base from its original packaging. Always hold the module at its handle. Avoid holding the glass envelope.
Loosen the setscrew on the bulb base by turning it counterclockwise using the included torque driver. Remove the pre-installed dummy bulb.
Carefully place the 75 W Xenon short arc bulb into the bulb base with the cathode facing down. Make sure the bulb slides all the way down the bulb base until it is in contact with the bottom of the slot.
Then, using the same torque driver, turn the setscrew on the side of the bulb base clockwise until the torque driver clicks.

Note: Failure to use the torque driver for installation will likely damage the bulb.

Open the Lamp Housing

Use the included 2 mm (5/64") hex key to loosen the panel screw on the side of the light source.
Grip the bulb cover and pull to remove it.

Secure the Bulb in Place

Slide the bulb base into the optics base on the bottom of the lamp house.
Place the heatsink on the bulb anode.
Turn the thumb screw clockwise to tighten it. The thumbscrew only needs to be finger tight. Applying too much torque on the thumb screw may break the bulb. Replace the side panel and tighten the panel screw with the hex key.

For instructions on removing and replacing the bulb, please refer to steps listed in the manual, which can be accessed by clicking on the red docs icon () below.

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Step 1: Remove Bulb from Packaging

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Step 2: Remove Dummy Bulb

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Steps 3 & 4: Install Bulb in Base

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Step 5: Loosen Panel Screw

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Step 6: Remove Bulb Cover

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Step 7: Slide Bulb into Optics Base

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Step 8: Place Heat Sink on Bulb Anode

Click for Details
Step 9: Tighten Thumbscrew

The SLS205 Xenon Light Source is compatible with any SMA-terminated fiber patch cable when using the included SMA905 fiber adapter. For compatibility with our Liquid Light Guides (LLGs), the fiber adapter can be replaced with our AD3LLG or AD5LLG SM1 adapters for LLGs. We recommend several LLGs and multimode solarization-resistant fiber patch cables. These are listed in the table below with the corresponding typical output power and radiance when coupled to the SLS205 light source.

The SLS205 Xenon Light Source's coupling optics are not designed or aligned for a single mode fiber, but it is possible to use a single mode fiber. This would result in a significant drop of coupled power and could result in a high variation of coupled power. Also, we do not recommend using a fiber patch cable that is not solarization-resistant as it can result in photon darkening and degradation of the fiber patch cable.

Recommended Patch Cables and LLGs for the SLS205
Patch Cable Item #	Wavelength Range	NA	Core Diameter	Output Power^a,b (Typ.)	Radiance^a,c (Typ.)
M111L01^d	180 to 1200 nm	0.22	105 ± 2.1 µm	5 mW	3723 mW/sr/mm²
M112L01			200 ± 4 µm	18 mW	2757 mW/sr/mm²
M113L01			400 ± 8 µm	52 mW	1673 mW/sr/mm²
M114L01			600 ± 12 µm	88 mW	960 mW/sr/mm²
LLG Item #	Wavelength Range	NA	Core Diameter	Output Power^e (Typ.)	Radiance^e (Typ.)
LLG3-4T	220 - 650 nm	0.42	3 mm	62 mW	15 mW/sr/mm²
LLG5-4T	220 - 650 nm	0.42	5 mm	66 mW	6 mW/sr/mm²
LLG03-4H	340 - 800 nm	0.59	3 mm	140 mW	16 mW/sr/mm²
LLG05-4H	340 - 800 nm	0.59	5 mm	147 mW	6 mW/sr/mm²
LLG3-4Z	420 - 2000 nm	0.52	3 mm	195 mW	30 mW/sr/mm²
LLG5-4Z	420 - 2000 nm	0.52	5 mm	204 mW	11 mW/sr/mm²

When coupled to the SLS205 light source using the included SMA905 fiber adapter.
This is the total output power which includes the cladding modes.
The radiance is calculated based on the output power with the cladding modes removed.
Included with the SLS205 light source.
When coupled to the SLS205 light source using an SM1 adapter for LLGs. The AD3LLG and AD5LLG adapters were used for LLGs with 3 mm and 5 mm core diameters, respectively.

Below is a selection guide for all of our white-light, broadband light sources (or lamps). In addition to these sources, Thorlabs also offers unmounted white-light LEDs, white-light mounted LEDs, white-light fiber-coupled LEDs, and high-powered, white-light Solis^® LEDs.

Broadband Light Source Selection Guide
Item #	(Click to Enlarge; Not to Scale)	Emitter Type	Wavelength Range (Click for Plot)	Output Coupling	Output Power	Bulb Electrical Power	Color Temperature	Bulb Lifetime	Replacement Bulb
SLS204		Deuterium	200 - 700 nm	Free Space or Fiber Coupled (SMA)	2 mW^a 0.1 mW^b (Typ.)	30 W	N/A	2000 h^c	SLS254B
SLS205		Xenon Arc	240 - 1200 nm	Free Space or Fiber Coupled (SMA)	290 mW^a 5 mW^d (Typ.)	75 W	5800 K^a 5400 K^d	2000 h^c	SLS255B
SLS401		Xenon Arc	240 - 2400 nm	Free Space^e	>1.3 W^a	150 W	5800 K	2000 h^c	SLS401B^f or SLS402B
SLS402		Mercury-Xenon Arc	240 - 2400 nm	Free Space^e	>1.3 W^a	150 W	6000 K	2000 h^c	SLS401B or SLS402B^f
SLS302		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	360 - 2500 nm	Free Space^e	>10 W^a	150 W	3400 K	1000 h^g	SLS301B
SLS201L(/M)		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	360 - 2600 nm	Free Space^e or Fiber Coupled (SMA)	500 mW^a 10 mW^h	9 W	2796 K	10 000 h	SLS251
SLS301		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	360 - 3800 nm	Free Space^e	>1.6 W^a	150 W	3400 K	1000 h^g	SLS301B
OSL2		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	400 - 1600 nm (Typical)	Fiber Bundle	1.4 Wⁱ	150 W	3200 K	1000 h^c	OSL2B^f, OSL2B2, or OSL2BIR
OSL2IR		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	400 - 1750 nm (Typical)	Fiber Bundle	3.8 Wⁱ	150 W	3200 K	200 h^c	OSL2B, OSL2B2, or OSL2BIR^f
QTH10(/M)		Quartz Tungsten-Halogen	400 - 2200 nm	Free Space	50 mW (Typ.)	10 W	2800 K^j (Typ.)	2000 h	QTH10B
SLS202L(/M)		Tungsten	450 nm - 5.5 µm	Free Space^e or Fiber Coupled (SMA)	700 mW^a 1.5 mW^k	7.2 W	1900 K	10 000 h	SLS252
SLS203L(/M)		Silicon Carbide Globar	500 nm - 9 µm	Free Space	>1.5 W^a	24 W	1500 K	10 000 h	SLS253
SLS303		Silicon Nitride Globar	550 nm - 15 µm	Free Space	4.5 W^a	70 W	1200 K	5000 h^g	SLS303B

Free-space optical power measured without adapters at the beginning of bulb lifetime.
Measured with Thorlabs' M114L01 solarization-resistant patch cable at beginning of bulb lifetime.
Operation time before the maximum optical output power of the bulb reaches 50% of its original output.
Measured with Thorlabs' M111L01 solarization-resistant patch cable at beginning of bulb lifetime.
Adapters are available separately to couple the free-space output into liquid light guides (LLGs).
This bulb is identical to the original bulb that comes with the light source.
Operation time before the controller cannot stabilize the output power of the bulb.
Fiber-coupled optical power, measured with included fiber patch cable at beginning of bulb lifetime.
Power at Fiber Tip at Maximum Bulb Intensity
Color temperature will vary from unit to unit.
Measured with Thorlabs' MZ41L1 ZrF₄ mid-IR patch cable at the beginning of bulb lifetime.

Posted Comments:

Florian Foschum (posted 2021-04-23 01:59:16.913)

Hello, can you please provide me spectral data for this light source using a 600 µm or even a 1000 µm optical fiber (180 to 1200 nm) in mW/nm? Best regards, Florian Foschum

YLohia (posted 2021-04-26 01:57:13.0)

Hello Florian, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. We will reach out to you directly with some spectrum data.

YI Yang (posted 2020-11-26 09:43:32.463)

Dear Thorlabs，您好，请问你们这款氙灯方便发我一份excel或者txt的光谱数据吗？杨翼，上海睿励科学仪器谢谢！

YLohia (posted 2020-12-01 10:30:47.0)

An applications engineer from our team in China (techsupport-cn@thorlabs.com) will reach out to you directly.