Andor Technology has announced that it has signed a global supply agreement with CoolLED to integrate the PrecisExcite LED light source for fluorescence microscopy into its own range of systems.
This will allow scientists to perform their research with an efficient, stable and bright light setting.
LEDs have many advantages over conventional light sources: they produce an immediate and consistent light source over a narrow bandwidth; brightness can be easily controlled; no warm-up period is required; they need no maintenance and use no consumables.
In addition, they avoid the health and environmental hazards associated with mercury lamps and, as they operate from a low-voltage supply, are inherently safe.
Cost of ownership is very low compared with mercury lamps.
The PrecisExcite excitation system has a 'light-on' lifetime of over 10,000 hours, whereas mercury lamps have a comparatively short life.
Dr Mark Browne, market development manager within Andor, said: 'The addition of PrecisExcite from CoolLED to our range of microscopy systems allows scientists to minimise specimen exposure, reduce cost of ownership and toxic waste from mercury lamps and never worry about aligning a lamp.'
