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OptoFlash
Optogenetics - LED light Switch for neurons
The Cairn Optoflash is the latest member of the Cairn OptoLED family. It uses our established LED head, fibres and microscope coupling designs, but is optimised for short-term intense illumination. This makes it particularly suitable for the photoactivation of “caged” neurotransmitter or other compounds, and for the important emerging application of channel rhodopsin activation (see picture below).
As seen on the Deisseroth Lab website
and
http://www.openoptogenetics.org
The OptoFlash can output >6mW/mm2 from the end of a 200um fibre.
The maximum current through an LED is generally limited by thermal considerations. Efficient heat removal from the device is only a partial solution, as the thermal resistance between the LED chip and its packaging always constitutes a significant bottleneck. Even so, the chip temperature rise on application of current still takes some milliseconds, so for illumination periods on this timescale, currents substantially higher than the steady-state maximum can safely be passed.
All our LED heads contain protection networks to limit both the transient and steady-state current to safe levels for that particular device. The LED heads intended for this particular application have had their protection networks optimised for short-term illumination periods, so as to maximise the intensity during a flash.
Specification
| Switching Time (no Optical feedback) | less than 100 Nanoseconds |
|---|---|
| Switching time (with optical Feedback) | 10 microseconds |
| Maximum LED Current | 5A |
| LED current Setting | Internal or External |
| Flash Duration (Internal Timer) | 100 µs to 100ms in 2 ranges |
| Flash Duration (external Control) | fully variable |
| Overload Protection | Built in for each LED |
If a broader emission spectrum is required, our classic Photolysis system is still available
OptoFlash LED-optical fibre coupling
