[hairygorillaz]

Hi guys,

Not sure if this is in the right forum. So sorry if its not.

I'm looking for a UV light source. In the past, I have seen one which is kinda like a gun, allowing for a focused UV beam onto a small area (presumably a quartz cell of sorts). That "gun" is linked to a central unit where wavelength and power is input. Does anyone have any idea of the brand/model?

Alternatively, does anyone have any suggestions of a UV source to get?

Thanks in advance!

[Borek]

Makes me think about dental curing lamps.

[hairygorillaz]

Makes me think about dental curing lamps.

Certainly looks like that. Except linked to a central control unit.

[Arkcon]

Whenever anyone needs advanced optics, whether for a home project or obscure research project or for a small scale industrial use, I always send them to Edmund Scientific: http://www.edmundoptics.com/

Your application however, confuses me.  Why is it a gun?  What task, outside of playing, need you to "shoot" the sample?  Its just weird, is all.

Talk to me about wavelength.  A whole spectrum of wavelength corresponds to UV wavelengths, we can use any of them, in any bandpass for spectroscopy ... inside a spectrophotometer.  For outside use, for example the UV curing lamp, we just use a bunch of wavelengths.  Also, power, a handheld, not shielded device, why would we vary the power?

[hairygorillaz]

Whenever anyone needs advanced optics, whether for a home project or obscure research project or for a small scale industrial use, I always send them to Edmund Scientific: http://www.edmundoptics.com/

Your application however, confuses me.  Why is it a gun?  What task, outside of playing, need you to "shoot" the sample?  Its just weird, is all.

Talk to me about wavelength.  A whole spectrum of wavelength corresponds to UV wavelengths, we can use any of them, in any bandpass for spectroscopy ... inside a spectrophotometer.  For outside use, for example the UV curing lamp, we just use a bunch of wavelengths.  Also, power, a handheld, not shielded device, why would we vary the power?

Nono. I think you misunderstand. I'm trying to use UV to displace CO on a group 6 metal carbonyl. But I'm running the reaction on a small scale and want to concentrate the beam. The last time I saw something like that, it was on a small-ish system where the wavelength could be chosen, and (if I remember correctly) the power varied. Also, the system was shaped like a small handgun such that it could be held or rested on a provided bracket. But I cannot remember where I saw the system and was wondering if any of you have an idea.

At the end of the day, I'm looking for a UV lamp. Preferably a small one where the beam of light can be concentrated in a small, 5 mL quartz schlenk.

And now, I'm pretty sure this is in the wrong forum. Could a moderator move it please?

[Corribus]

Probably a fiber optic illuminator without cutoff filters would be suitable. Something like this:

http://www.edmundoptics.com/illumination/fiber-optic-illumination/fiber-optic-illuminators/dolan-jenner-mh-100-metal-halide-fiber-optic-illuminator-model/2365/

[Arkcon]

Interesting application.  But I don't see wavelengths or power, of a UV source meant to drive a reaction, as a possibility.  A UV lamp will send a bunch of wavelengths, but why bother to tune them, the ones you don't need shouldn't hurt anything else, and any sort of filter will rob you of some energy from the wavelengths you do want. 

For analytical purposes, we use diffraction gratings or a prism, but you can't fit something like that in the space you describe. 

Lokewise power, I suppose you could put the UV lamp on a rheostat, and dim or intensify it, but why?  Avoid excess heat?  I can't think of anything else. 

Why do you need a quartz cuvette?  Any old glass can hold your sample, if the sleeve that surrounds your UV source is quartz that is immersed in your sample.  Or hey, just leave it open and aim the light inside.  Now you're protected from short wavelengths by the regular glass and your sample gets the light, and heat can escape up.

So, building on what Borek: and Corribus: said.  Did you check into the usefulness of any of those options for your application?  Why specifically are they not good for your application?

[Enthalpy]

Maybe the OP could tell which wavelength he wants? For 1mW to 1W+ a Led is best: rugged, small, tiny emission area hence a lens can concentrate the light. But up to now, you have 405nm (for DVD burners) and more recently, 395nm, 385nm and 365nm to mimick medium-pressure Hg lamps. Leds are not completely mature for shorter waves.

http://www.nichia.co.jp/en/product/uvled.html

Semiconductor lasers are essentially Leds but more difficult to build. To my knowledge, not available at the grocer's up to now. But they permit to focus the light strongly.

Tuning the wavelength... This means (necessarily?) a horrible efficiency, like filtering out all unwanted wavelengths from a wideband source like a deuterium lamp.

Strong focussing would imply lasers, which use to be expensive and inefficient at UV, with or without frequency multiplication. Relaxing much that constraint would help.

[hairygorillaz]

Interesting. Shall look at using a LED for things like that. I guess the wavelength selection isn't a huge priority? I've not ventured into using UV for reactions so I was kinda at a loss where to start looking.

Thanks guys!

[Arkcon]

Do try a search on this forum, I did it with my phone, got good results, then couldn't replicate the search results.  Some of our forum regulars are well versed in metal carbonyl reations with a UV lamp.  They may B better able to fond their own posting.  IIRC, there was very specific lamp information in that thread.

[ErikaDeanda]

The UV black light tattoo light is very similar to what you describe, and the area where you are working is illuminated when the gun is powered. So you can use it on the quartz cell. It is your very good UV light source.