Temperature control for light-emitting diode stabilization

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a light-emitting diode (LED); a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the LED and capable of measuring an operating temperature and generating an operating temperature signal; and a temperature regulating system capable of receiving the operating temperature signal and regulating the operating temperature based on the operating temperature signal. A method for stabilizing the temperature of an LED is provided. A method is provided that includes providing a system comprising an LED, a reaction region, and a sample in the reaction region; generating excitation beams with the LED; directing excitation beams to the sample; detecting an optical property of the sample to obtain detection data; measuring the- operating temperature of the light emitting diode; and adjusting the detection data of an excitation beam characteristic shift related to the operating temperature, when the LED is operated at the operating temperature to generate the excitation beams.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a reaction region;   a light-emitting diode (LED) capable of generating and directing excitation beams toward the reaction region;   a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the LED and capable of measuring an operating temperature of the LED and generating an operating temperature signal;   a detector adapted to detect emission signals from the reaction region and capable of generating detection data; and   a data adjustment unit capable of receiving the operating temperature signal and the detection data, and adapted to adjust the detection data for an excitation beam characteristic shift related to the operating temperature, to form shifted detection data.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the data adjustment unit comprises a memory adapted to store at least two operating temperatures and at least one respective excitation beam characteristic shift for each operating temperature. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises at least one of a thermistor, a thermocouple, a bandgap semiconductor resistive temperature detector, a platinum resistive temperature detector, or a bi-metallic temperature detector. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the LED comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are capable of emitting different respective wavelength ranges. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the data adjustment unit comprises a memory adapted to store at least two operating temperatures, and at least one respective excitation beam characteristic shift for each operating temperature, and wherein the at least one respective excitation beam characteristic shift comprises at least one respective excitation beam characteristic shift for each different wavelength range. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises at least one blue LED and at least one green LED. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one separation region, and wherein the LED is capable of generating and directing excitation beams toward the at least one separation region. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the LED comprises a plurality of LEDs disposed adjacent one another and each LED has a respective operating temperature and a respective excitation beam characteristic shift. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the LED comprises a plurality of LEDs stacked along a path for directing excitation beams towards the reaction region, and each LED has a respective operating temperature and a respective excitation beam characteristic shift. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a temperature regulating system capable of receiving the operating temperature signal and regulating the operating temperature based on the operating temperature signal. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the excitation beam characteristic comprises a spectrum of the generated excitation beams. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the excitation beam characteristic comprises an intensity of the generated excitation beams.