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Liquid Light Guides![]()
LLG5-4T 220 - 650 nm LLG3-8H 340 - 800 nm Application Idea Liquid Light Guides Mounted to LLG3-4Z 420 - 2000 nm ![]() Please Wait
Features
Thorlabs' Liquid Light Guides (LLGs) offer high transmission from 220 - 650 nm, 340 - 800 nm, or 420 - 2000 nm (see the Graphs tab for typical performance). These LLGs can be used with our stabilized broadband sources, free-space broadband sources, or UV light source. For large core diameters, liquid light guides are a more efficient transmission solution than fiber bundles as they eliminate the packing fraction loss (dead space) that fiber bundles have. These liquid light guides are offered from stock with a core diameter of either 3 or 5 mm, and in lengths of 4' (1.2 m), 6' (1.8 m), or 8' (2.4 m). LLG3-4T and LLG5-4T light guides can have either end used as an input. LLG3-4Z and LLG5-4Z liquid light guides have a yellow band that indicates the end that must be used as the input because it contains a filter to protect the light guide from radiation below 420 nm. Light guides with a 340 - 800 nm wavelength range each have a yellow band that acts as a visual indicator for use with our previous-generation HPLS343 (for Ø3 mm core) or HPLS345 (for Ø5 mm core) high-power plasma light sources; the LLG is correctly inserted when the edge of the band is flush with the front panel of the instrument. These light guides can be mounted to an optical breadboard by using one of our VH1(/M) V-Mounts, a Ø1/2" (12.7 mm) post, and post holder. They can also be mounted to SM1-threaded (1.035"-40) components, SM2-threaded (2.035"-40) components, or microscope ports using the adapters sold below. Thorlabs also offers collimating and coupling adapters for the liquid light guides, which are sold separately below. The SLSLLGx coupling/collimating adapters feature external SM2 (2.035"-40) threading on the housing that makes them directly compatible with our Broadband Light Sources. Additionally, we offer a variety of collimating adapters that allow the LLGs to be coupled to a Cerna® microscope or the illumination ports used by various microscope manufacturers. All of our LLGs are available with custom core diameters or custom lengths as made-to-order items by contacting Tech Support. All transmission data presented here is typical. The maximum variation from lot to lot is ±2.3%. As a function of length, only minimal variations (<2.3%) are expected between our 4' (1.2 m), 6' (1.8 m), and 8' (2.4 m) long liquid light guides. The blue-shaded region in each graph denotes the spectral range over which we recommend using that liquid light guide. Ø3 mm Core Liquid Light Guides ![]() Typical Transmission of LLG3-4T. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 34°. ![]() Typical Transmission of LLG03-4H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG3-6H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG3-8H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG3-4Z. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. Ø5 mm Core Liquid Light Guides ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG5-4T. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 34°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG05-4H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG5-6H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG5-8H. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 50°. ![]() Click to Enlarge Typical Transmission of LLG5-4Z. The transmission was measured using an input light source with a full entrance angle of 34°. Liquid Light Guide Dimensions
The drawings and photographs below illustrate the dimensions given in the table above. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Cleaning the Optical End Faces of Liquid Light GuidesThe optical end faces of these liquid light guides are made of fused silica, PTFE and either aluminum, chrome plated brass, or stainless steel. All of these materials are very resistant to all common cleaning solvents, making them easy to clean. Please note that when using solvents to clean the end faces, you cannot submerge the tip of the light guide in the solvent, or use a heavily soaked cleaning pad, as the solvent may get into the light guide, causing damage. If you find that debris from the light guide end cannot be removed by using a solvent, you can gently use a razor blade to clean the tip, making sure that you do not chip the edge of the fused silica glass window.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Click to Enlarge An SM1 Adapter for Liquid Light Guides is used with a lens tube to couple the output of a light source into a liquid light guide. Adjusting the depth of the SM1 adapter in the lens tube is necessary in order to achieve maximum throughput.
These Liquid Light Guide Adapters allow the integration of our Ø3 mm and Ø5 mm liquid light guides into any of our selection of SM1-threaded (1.035"-40) components, such as fixed optic mounts, kinematic optic mounts, and lens tubes. The LLG is secured with a nylon-tipped setscrew using a 5/64" hex key (found in the CCHK kit). ![]() ![]() Click to Enlarge An SLSLLG2 LLG adapter, with a liquid light guide, attached to an SLS402 light source.
These Liquid Light Guide Adapters allow the integration of our Ø3 mm and Ø5 mm liquid light guides into any of our selection of SM2-threaded (2.035"-40) components, in particular our SLS301, SLS401, and SLS402 broadband light sources. The adapter can be directly threading onto a light source without the need to adjust the position of the collimating lens. The SLSLLG1 is designed with an uncoated collimating lens, which provides a wide operating range from 185 nm - 2.1 µm. For superior performance from 350 nm - 700 nm, the SLSLLG2 and SLSLLG3 lenses use an AR-coated lens that provides improved coupling efficiency in this wavelength range. Additionally, the SLSLLG2 features an integrated diaphragm shutter and an external controller that can operate at continuous frequencies up to 10 Hz and burst frequencies up to 15 Hz. For more information on the integrated shutter, please refer to the manual. All liquid light guide adapters come with a Ø3 mm LLG to SM1 (Ø1.035"-40) AD3LLG adapter preinstalled, making them compatible with Ø3 mm core liquid light guides out of the box. They are also shipped with a Ø5 mm LLG to SM1 (Ø1.035"-40) AD5LLG adapter, which can be swapped in by unthreading the AD3LLG and replacing it with the AD5LLG. This allows the adapters to connect with Ø5 mm core liquid light guides.
![]() Thorlabs offers collimation adapters to couple Ø3 mm or Ø5 mm liquid light guides (LLGs) to our CSE2100 and CSE2200 Cerna Epi-Illuminator Modules; see the table at the bottom right for compatibility information. For even illumination at the back focal plane of the objective, these adapters feature an optic pair of an achromatic doublet and a double convex lens. These adapters utilize a male D3T dovetail adapter to connect to the end of the epi-illuminator module; for additional information about microscope dovetails, see the full web presentation. The LLG is secured via a thumbscrew at the back of the adapter. These adapters are calibrated such that the image plane from the LLG output is located at the back aperture of the objective when used with the compatible epi-illuminator module; to optimize illumination for your microscope or realign the image plane, the collimation can be fine-adjusted via the knurled ring on the thread adapter (see image to the bottom left).
![]() Click to Enlarge Cutaway View of LLG Collimation Adapter Depicting Multi-Element Design ![]() Click for Details These simulations illustrate chromatic focal shift in a system with a collimated light source and a CSE2100 epi-illuminator module. A collimation adapter using a single optic (top) produces a larger focal shift for different wavelengths at the objective back aperture compared to a collimation adapter with a multi-element design (bottom). ![]() ![]() Click to Enlarge Output With Collimation Adapter ![]() Click to Enlarge Output Without Collimation Adapter ![]() Click to Enlarge Collimation Adapter Fitted to the Tip of an LLG Thorlabs offers collimation adapters with AR-coated aspheric condenser lenses (EFL = 40 mm) for collimating the output from our light sources. Four different collimator housings are available; each is designed to mate to the illumination port on an Olympus IX/BX, Leica DMI, Zeiss Axioskop, or Nikon Eclipse Ti microscope. These adapters quickly mount onto the end of either the Ø3 mm or Ø5 mm Liquid Light Guide (LLG). The LLG is secured into the back of the collimator via a 4-40 setscrew with a 0.050" hex.
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