Diffused fiber-optic horticultural lighting
AssigneeSuntracker Technologies Ltd.
InventorsIan Edward Ashdown, Wallace Jay Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Laser light emanates from optical components that are mounted on a substrate, each optical component being coupled to an optical fiber that delivers laser radiation combined from multiple lasers. A linear or elliptical holographic diffuser is located to diffuse the light emanating from the optical components. The laser wavelengths excite plant photopigments for predetermined physiological responses, and the light source intensities may be temporally modulated to maximize photosynthesis and control photomorphogenesis responses. Each laser is independently controlled. At least one laser emits ultraviolet-C radiation.
Claims13
A horticultural lighting system comprising:
- one or more optical components mounted on a substrate;
- at least one optical fiber coupled to each optical component;
- a linear or elliptical holographic diffuser located to diffuse light emanating from said optical components;
- and
- one or more laser light modules optically coupled to said optical fibers, wherein each laser light module comprises:
- a laser light source that produces a laser beam;
- a diffractive optic beam splitter located to split the laser beam into multiple beams;
- a beam collimator located to collimate the multiple beams;
- a dual-band dichroic mirror located to combine each of the multiple beams with one of further multiple beams provided by a further laser light source, further diffractive optic beam splitter and further beam collimator, to result in multiple combined beams;
- and
- a fiber optic assembly into which the multiple combined beams are coupled, wherein said optical fibers in part form a portion of the fiber optic assembly;
- wherein the laser light source generates optical radiation with a wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 280 nm.
A method for inducing a predetermined physiological response in a plant comprising:
- determining wavelengths suitable in the plant to cause the predetermined physiological response;
- providing a horticultural lighting system comprising:
- a lighting assembly comprising:
- one or more optical components mounted on a substrate;
- at least one optical fiber coupled to each optical component;
- and
- a linear or elliptical holographic diffuser located to diffuse light emanating from said optical components;
- and
- one or more laser light modules optically coupled to said optical fibers, wherein each laser light module generates composite monochromatic optical radiation with the wavelengths, the wavelengths being within a range of 200 nm to 3000 nm;
- locating the lighting assembly to illuminate the plant;
- and
- driving lasers in the laser light modules to generate the composite monochromatic optical radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.