Carl Zeiss MicroImaging has introduced the Colibri, a patented high-performance, Light Emitting Diode (LED) light source for fluorescence microscopy
The company holds the exclusive North American licence to distribute the technology.
The narrow band LEDs replace conventional white light sources to produce extremely high contrast images with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio, enabling the detection of weak signals and fine details in applications ranging from routine biomedical research to complex live cell imaging.
The intensity of the narrow-band LEDs can be quickly and accurately set for any wavelength and exactly adapted to the specimen, therefore ensuring maximum protection.
As the switching procedure is purely opto-electronic, there is no motion or vibration that could impair image quality in high speed time series experiments.
With Colibri it is possible to switch excitation wavelengths in micro seconds.
Minimised heat build-up also results in more stable conditions during experiments.
This makes Colibri ideal for working with sensitive living cells, but also offers numerous enhancements for fluorescence microscopy with fixed specimen.
A selection of four LEDs can be used individually, sequentially or simultaneously with any intensity setting, which is particularly helpful in balancing intensities of the various fluorescence channels.
Due to its innovative design, Colibri offers high flexibility: ten different wavelengths from UV to dark red are currently available.
Further advances of the rapidly developing LED technology, like new wavelengths or higher emissions, can therefore be implemented quickly and without complication by the customer.
The LED modules are equipped with automatic component recognition (ACR) and automatically recognised by the system, ruling out the possibility of incorrect operation.
A motorised switching capability to a fibre-optically coupled white metal halide light source is integrated to add flexibility.
Colibri can be operated as a stand-alone unit or upright and inverted with manual or motorised microscopes, but can also be controlled with the basic version of Zeiss AxioVision software without additional cost.
