# US 2013/0155648 A1 · Colour-tunable light source unit with phosphor element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155648 A1 - Document ID: US20130155648A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/818,390 - Filed: 2010-08-24 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-24 - Assignees: OSRAM GmbH - Inventors: Nico Morgenbrod; Henning Rehn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155648A1 ## CPC - A61B 1/0638: {providing two or more wavelengths} - A61B 1/0653: {with wavelength conversion} - A61B 1/0669: {at proximal end of an endoscope} - F21V 9/20: Dichroic filters, i.e. devices operating on the principle of wave interference to pass specific ranges of wavelengths while cancelling others - F21V 13/08: the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors - G02B 19/0028: {refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems} - G02B 19/0047: {for use with a light source (G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence; details of lighting devices in general F21V; non-semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S3/005)} - G02B 27/0944: {Diffractive optical elements, e.g. gratings, holograms (gratings per se G02B5/18; holograms used as optical elements per se G02B5/32)} - G02B 27/0955: {Lenses (lenses per se G02B3/00)} - G02B 5/001: {Axicons, waxicons, reflaxicons} - G02B 6/0008: {the light being emitted at the end of the fibre} - G02B 15/14: by axial movement of one or more lenses or groups of lenses relative to the image plane for continuously varying the equivalent focal length of the objective - G02B 23/2469: {using optical fibres} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The invention concerns a light source unit of tunable spectral properties, having a pump light source and a phosphor element for a conversion of pump light into converted light intended for illuminating a target, wherein the phosphor element has at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with pump light, and wherein the light source unit further comprises a deflecting unit, such as a zoom lens or a variable diffraction grating, for deflecting the pump light so as to vary a distribution of pump light incident onto the phosphor element with respect to the different phosphor element sections, in order to vary spectral properties of the combined converted light beam emanating from the light source unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light source unit comprising a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation by altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections in order to vary spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein said pump light is incident in a main propagation direction onto said phosphor element, and said phosphor element sections are rotationally symmetric with respect to said main propagation direction in a plane perpendicular thereto. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein said deflecting unit comprises a variable diffraction grating for deflecting at least a part of said pump light intended for incidence onto said phosphor element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein said deflecting unit comprises a lens system for deflecting at least a part of said pump light intended for incidence onto said phosphor element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The light source unit according to claim 4, wherein said lens system comprises an axicon lens for generating an annular profile shape in a beam of said deflected pump light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The light source unit according to claim 4, wherein said lens system is a zoom lens system for varying a cross-sectional size of a beam of said deflected pump light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The light source unit according to claim 4, wherein said lens system is transversally movable within a beam of said pump light for varying an angle of deflection of said deflected pump light with respect to a main direction of propagation of said pump light entering said deflecting unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a light guide is provided between said deflecting unit and said phosphor element for transmitting at least a part of said deflected pump light to said phosphor element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The light source unit according to claim 8, wherein a coupling lens system is provided between said deflecting unit and an entry face of said light guide for coupling at least a part of said deflected pump light to said light guide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The light source unit according to claim 8, wherein a focusing lens system is provided between an exit face of said light guide and said phosphor element for focusing said transmitted pump light exiting said light guide towards said phosphor element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a collecting lens system is provided for collecting at least a part of said converted light emanating from said phosphor element, said collecting lens system providing an exit pupil for a beam of said converted light intended for further use. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a mixing optical element is provided in a path of said converted light for mixing said converted light emanating from said at least two different phosphor element sections with respect to coordinates in a plane perpendicular to said path for obtaining a beam of said converted light having a uniform cross-sectional distribution of spectral properties at a target to be illuminated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The light source unit according to claim 11, wherein said mixing optical element is arranged in said exit pupil of said collecting lens system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The light source unit according to claim 11, wherein a mirror, preferably a dichroic mirror, is provided in said exit pupil of said collecting lens system and at least a part of said pump light is coupled to said mirror for being directed to said phosphor element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a main direction of propagation of said pump light incident on said phosphor element and a main direction of propagation of said converted light at said phosphor element are approximately opposite to each other and said phosphor element is provided on a heat sink not being translucent for said pump light. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein a main direction of propagation of said pump light incident on said phosphor element and a main direction of propagation of said converted light at said phosphor element approximately coincide and a dichroic mirror is provided in a path of said pump light incident onto said phosphor element, for reflecting at least a part of said converted light emanating from said phosphor element in a direction opposite to either of said main propagation directions. ### Claim 17 A surgical illumination system for illuminating surgical operating field comprising: a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation by altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections in order to vary spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 18 A moving head spotlight, comprising: a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation by altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections in order to vary spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 19 A projection system, comprising: a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation by altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections in order to vary spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 20 A fibre-optical illumination system, comprising: a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation by altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections in order to vary spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) A method for varying spectral properties of light emanating from a light source unit comprising a pump light source for an emission of pump light, a phosphor element for a conversion of said pump light into converted light for further use, which phosphor element comprises at least two phosphor element sections interacting differently with said pump light and being suitably arranged for an irradiation in at least one of a simultaneous and a selective manner by said pump light, and a deflecting unit for deflecting at least a part of said pump light for varying said irradiation, also in combination with one of claims 2 to 16, the method comprising a step of adjusting said deflecting unit for altering a distribution of said pump light incident on said phosphor element with respect to said phosphor element sections for varying spectral properties of said converted light. ### Claim 22 (canceled)