Broad-spectrum illuminator for microscopy applications, using the emissions of luminescent materials

A method for providing light along an optical axis, comprising:

• causing a plurality of semiconductor chips to emit light within different wavelength ranges towards a luminescent body spaced apart from said plurality of semiconductor chips, causing said luminescent body to emit light;
• and
• collecting light emitted by the luminescent body;
• passing the light collected from the luminescent body through an aperture to form a beam along the optical axis;
• and
• collimating the beam and directing the collimated beam along said optical axis to a target.

A broad-spectrum, multiple wavelength LED array illuminator for providing light along an optical axis, comprising:

• a substrate;
• at least one array of multiple LED chips without individual packaging supported by said substrate, wherein the LED chips are distributed laterally with respect to said axis over an area, said LED chips having light emitting surfaces for emitting light in directions transverse to said area;
• a luminescent layer on at least some of the LED chips, said luminescent layer emitting light in the yellow region of the visible spectrum in response to light emitted by said at least some of the LED chips;
• and
• an optical element adjacent to the light emitting surfaces of the LED chips in said at least one array that collects and directs light emitted by the LED chips of the at least one array and by the luminescent layer along said axis towards a target, wherein the light received by the target from the optical element is of substantially uniform intensity across a broad spectrum.