UV LED OPTIC DESIGN LAB
UV LED
ARRAY
OPTICS
FIXTURE
UV LED OPTIC DESIGN LAB
UV LED
Get Started
Collaborate with us to build design your project scope
- Step One: Create your Design Lab Project
- Step Two: Choose an LED to fit your Application
- Step Three: Configure your array
- Step Four: Learn how molded optics can benefit you
- Step Five: Pairing an optic with an LED array
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UV-C
UV-B
UV-A
Provide your UV light source information to determine which optical material is formulated for your device.
UV LED Reference Guide
Need help selecting an LED? Download our free guide.
UVC LEDs are enabling new technologies and new applications because they are an environmentally friendly, reliable and energy efficient light source.
- Common wavelengths:265nm, 278nm
- Primary applications: Sterilization, disinfection, criminology, archaeology, and polymer curing
- UV Transmitting Material: 9530 (UVC)
UVB LEDs are used to improve global health by offering a safe alternative solution to traditional technologies and light sources.
- Common wavelengths: 280nm and 315nm
- Primary applications: Medical devices, phototherapy, forensic detection, mineralogy and UV curing
- UV Transmitting Material: 9531 (UVB)
UVA LEDs are the most energy efficient and produce the highest power output.
- Common wavelengths: 365nm, 385 nm and 405nm
- Primary applications: Industrial areas such as UV curing for printing and adhesives, criminology and automotive
- UV Transmitting Material: 9500 (UVA)
OPTICS
Make a selection to determine which optic type is best suited for your application.
ARRAY
Click on the images above to learn more about array design
How does it work? The linear TIR optic uses Total Internal Reflection (TIR) to refract UV rays to the surface at varied working distances either in quasi-collimated, focused, or narrow beam spreads to drastically increase both energy density and peak irradiance.
Benefits:
- Increased peak irradiance and energy density
- Faster cure speeds
- Enhanced quality of cure
Optic/Array matchmaking: A TIR optic is most effective when paired with a linear array consisting of 4 or fewer rows of LEDs.
TIR OPTIC
Custom Surface #1
The main bull’s eye of the TIR optic refracts the majority of the light toward the target surface.
Custom Surface #2
Surface #2 captures the light rays that simple rod or half rod optics would miss and refracts the light slightly towards the internal reflection surface (Surface #3).
Custom Surface #3
Surface #3 is responsible for creating the critical angle (the angle light is reflected off of the glass material instead of transmitted through the glass) which reflects the light towards Surface #4.
Custom Surface #4
Surface #4 focuses the light captured by Surface #1 to the final target distance.
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How does it work? The freeform optic's curvature refracts light to various locations on the target surface to create an even light distribution. The goal of the optic is to achieve a certain irradiance pattern, rather than increasing the peak irradiance.
Benefits:
- Design flexibility due to freeform surfaces
- Improved uniformity
- Enhanced cure quality in area cure applications
Optic/Array matchmaking: Multiple rows of closely spaced LEDs.
Freeform OPTIC
Custom Surface #1
The incident surface of the Freeform lens captures the emitted light from the LED and refracts the light towards the exiting surfaces (#2 and #3).
Custom Surface #2 & #3
Surface #2 and Surface #3 are both exiting surfaces that can be changed to various curvatures depending on the desired irradiance pattern.
Custom Surface #2 & #3
Surface #2 and Surface #3 are both exiting surfaces that can be changed to various curvatures depending on the desired irradiance pattern.
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How does it work? Multi-rod optics are used with several, well-spaced LED rows focusing each row to a central point or straight down below. This is ideal for mixing wavelengths, while increasing peak irradiance or when other collimating lenses cannot be utilized with unique, complex arrays.
Benefits:
- Increased peak irradiance for complex cures
- Mixing multiple wavelengths
- Control of light beam direction
Optic/Array matchmaking: Performs best with multiple rows of LEDs, but each LED row must be aligned above its own individual rod optic in order for the optic to work efficiently.
Multi-rod OPTIC
Custom Surface #1
The incident surface of the Multi-Rod optic captures the light rays from each individual LED row.
Custom Surface #2
Surface #2 refracts each LED row towards the target surface.
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How does it work? A Prismatic optic lessens the divergence of the main light beam, causing a slight increase of irradiance on the cure surface. The prismatic surface can be angular or curved depending on the needs of the application.
Benefits:
- Enhanced cure quality in line cure applications
- Increased peak irradiance
- Increased energy density
- Decreased divergent beam angles
Optic/Array matchmaking: The optic works best with three or less rows of LEDs.
prismatic OPTIC
Custom Surface #1
Surface #1 can be ground and polished to reduce the thickness of the flange area.
Custom Surface #2
Surface #2 refracts the light to slightly focus the UV energy towards the center of the target area for line cure applications.
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How does it work? Uniformity optics use prismatic patterning or several curved surfaces to increase the peak irradiance without losing cure area or energy density. A Uniformity optic directs light rays towards the target surface, rather than allowing the rays to diverge freely.
Benefits:
- Increased peak irradiance
- Increased cure quality in area cure applications
- Design flexibility due to a slim profile
Optic/Array matchmaking: Performs best with multiple rows of LEDs.
uniformity OPTIC
Custom Surface #1
Surface #1 can be ground and polished to reduce the thickness of the flange area.
Custom Surface #2
Surface #2 refracts the light to slightly focus the UV energy towards the center of the target area for area cure applications.
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LED Types
Common LED Types:
- Chip – standalone chip with no packaging
- SMD (Surface Mounted Device) – chip mounted onto a printed circuit board
- COB (Chip on Board) – multiple chips spaced very closely together and bonded to a substrate forming a single package
- T-Type – chip with the traditional long contact posts
For any of the above types, the chip can be protected by a flat or domed glass window, or encapsulated in resin.
LED Spacing & Quantity
The spacing and total quantity of UV LEDs determine the efficiency and total cost of the system, the level of thermal management needed and the quality of light emitted from the array.
LED Arrays:
- That are closely spaced help achieve high peak irradiance levels
- That are widely spaced can lead to inconsistent light patterns or uniformity issues
Optics:
- Can reduce the number of LEDs needed to reach peak irradiance levels
- Can refract light to areas of low irradiance to create more uniform light patterns
- Can capture more stray rays to increase energy density
LED Positioning
LEDs can be positioned in a number of ways, including:
- Circular
- Rectangle or Square
- Linear
- Honeycomb
Optics can be paired with each array to improve optical performance and reduce the number of LEDs.
Does a circular cure area necessarily need a circular array? No, the correct optic can simplify the array and produce the required irradiance pattern.
LED Direction
For unique applications, such as curing 3D surfaces, the emitting direction of LEDs provides an opportunity to be creative with the LED array positioning and optic design.
Omnidirectional arrays can be used to cure complex surfaces, such as:
- Canisters
- Bottles
- Contours
- Large Curved Sheets
UV optics can improve the performance of UV LEDs in a variety of applications including sterilization, disinfection, phototherapy, microscopy, horticultural lighting and UV curing.
FIXTURE
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Provide your fixture details to determine how an optic will fit into your UV LED device.
Dimension: Flange Width
The overall width of the optic including the flange and the exit window.
Dimension: Focal Length
The distance between the optic and the UV LED array or the length between the UV LED and the optic when producing a collimated beam.
Dimension: Optic Width
The exit window width of the optic, not including the flange.
Dimension: Working Distance
The critical distance between the exiting surface (or bottom of the fixture) to the target or cure surface.
Dimension: Flange Thickness
The thickness of the flange which provides mounting support for the optic.
Dimension: Optic Height
The overall height the optic can be.
Dimension: Optic Length
The length of the optic. In some fixtures, multiple optics are stacked together in order to accommodate larger printing widths.