Diffused fiber-optic horticultural lighting

Abstract

Laser light emanates from optical components that are mounted on a substrate, each optical component being coupled to an optical fiber that delivers laser radiation combined from multiple lasers. A linear or elliptical holographic diffuser is located to diffuse the light emanating from the optical components. The laser wavelengths excite plant photopigments for predetermined physiological responses, and the light source intensities may be temporally modulated to maximize photosynthesis and control photomorphogenesis responses. Each laser is independently controlled.

Claims

1. A horticultural lighting system comprising: a laser that produces a laser beam; a diffractive optic beam splitter that splits the laser beam into multiple beams; a substrate; multiple optical components mounted on the substrate; multiple optical fibers, each one of which is coupled to a different one of the optical components and a different one of the multiple beams; and a linear or elliptical holographic diffuser located to diffuse light emanating from said optical components.

2. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, comprising a further linear or elliptical holographic diffuser that diffuses light in a direction that is orthogonal to a direction in which the linear or elliptical holographic diffuser diffuses light.

3. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, wherein each optical component includes a further linear or elliptical holographic diffuser that diffuses light in a direction that is orthogonal to a direction in which the linear or elliptical holographic diffuser diffuses light.

4. The holographic lighting system of claim 3, wherein each further linear or elliptical holographic diffuser has a narrow beam, cosine, or batwing distribution.

5. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, wherein each optical component includes an organic or inorganic luminophore.

6. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, wherein the linear or elliptical holographic diffuser has a narrow beam, cosine, or batwing distribution.

7. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, comprising a beam collimator located to collimate each of the multiple beams.

8. The horticultural lighting system of claim 7, comprising a dual-band dichroic mirror located to combine each of the multiple beams with one of further multiple beams provided by a further laser, further diffractive optic beam splitter and further beam collimator, to result in multiple combined beams; wherein each one of the multiple beams is coupled to its respective optic fiber as part of one of the multiple combined beams.

9. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, comprising: a laser driver that temporally modulates a radiant flux emitted by the laser; and a controller that determines said temporal modulation in response to signals received from a timer and one or more sensors.

10. The horticultural lighting system of claim 1, comprising: one or more further lasers each producing a further laser beam; and one or more further diffractive optic beam splitters each splitting one of the further laser beams into further multiple beams; wherein each optic fiber is coupled to one of the further beams from each of the one or more further lasers.

11. The horticultural lighting system of claim 10, wherein laser radiation delivered to each optical component from the laser and further lasers has a composite monochromatic spectrum with multiple different monochromatic wavelengths within the range of 280 nm to 3000 nm.

12. The horticultural lighting system of claim 10, comprising: a plurality of beam collimators each located to collimate the multiple beams from the beam splitter or the further multiple beams from one of the further diffractive optic beam splitters; a plurality of dual-band dichroic mirrors located to combine each of the multiple beams with one of the further multiple beams from each of the further lasers, to result in multiple combined beams; wherein each one of the multiple beams is coupled to its respective optic fiber as part of one of the multiple combined beams.

13. The horticultural lighting system of claim 12, comprising a fiber optic assembly into which the multiple combined beams are coupled, wherein said optical fibers in part form a portion of the fiber optic assembly.

14. The horticultural lighting system of claim 10, wherein the laser and further lasers include: an InGaN blue-violet laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 400 nm to 410 nm; an InGaN blue laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 445 nm to 465 nm; an InGaN green laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 510 nm to 540 nm; an AlInGaP red laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 650 nm to 670 nm; and an AlGaAs far-red laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 720 nm to 750 nm.

15. The horticultural lighting system of claim 10, wherein a modulation phase and modulation frequency of light emitted from each of the laser and further lasers is independently controlled.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the spectral absorptances of chlorophyll photopigments.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the spectral absorptances of phytochrome photopigments.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the spectral absorptances of beta-carotene and UVR8 photopigments.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the spectral power distributions of various semiconductor LEDs.

(5) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a laser light module, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the horticultural lighting assembly with a linear array of fiber optics optically coupled to one or more laser light sources, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows different angular diffusion distributions from linear or elliptical holographic diffusers.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a control system for the horticultural lighting system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a flowchart for use of the horticultural lighting system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 10 is a flowchart of operation of the control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(11) FIG. 11 shows a horticultural lighting assembly mounted vertically as inter-row lighting.

(12) FIG. 12 shows a horticultural lighting assembly mounted horizontally as inter-row lighting.

(13) FIG. 13 shows a horticultural lighting assembly mounted horizontally as overhead lighting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) Glossary

(15) Composite monochromatic radiation—Polychromatic radiation made up of multiple monochromatic or narrow-band spectra, such as, for example, the combined light produced by two different types of laser.

(16) LED—Light-emitting diode

(17) PPFD—Photosynthetic photon flux density

(18) SPD—Spectral power distribution

(19) System

(20) FIG. 5 shows a laser module 500 that has one or more laser light sources 505a-e, each of which emits monochromatic radiation with a different wavelength. This radiation is received by a diffractive optic beam splitter 510a-e (e.g., Golub, M. A. “Laser Beam Splitting by Diffractive Optics,” Optics & Photonics News, February 2004, pp. 36-41), that splits the incident beam into two or more diffraction orders. These divergent beams are then collimated by a refractive or diffractive optical element 515a-e and incident upon a mirror 520a or dual-band dichroic mirror 520b-e that reflects the monochromatic radiation while passing other wavelengths. The result is that individual divergent beams from each of the diffractive optic beam splitters 510a-e are combined to form a combined beam 522. Each combined beam 522 includes radiation from each of the laser light sources 505a-e. Each combined beam 522 is then received by an optical fiber 524 in fiber optic assembly 525. The optic fibers 524 form a bundle 528 for delivering the composite monochromatic radiation.

(21) It is currently assumed that the wavelength range of photobiologically active radiation for plants is 280 nm to 800 nm. However, medical studies such as, for example, Karu, T. I. 2008, “Mitochondrial Signaling in Mammalian Cells Activated by Red and Near-IR,”, Photochemistry and Photobiology 84(5):1091-1099, indicate that cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), a protein complex present in the mitochondria of mammalian cells that have a spectral absorption peak at approximately 820 nm, increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production when irradiated by near-infrared radiation. These studies have been used to explain the benefits of photobiomodulation using near-infrared lasers or LEDs, an alternative medicine for humans and animals. However, CCO is an essential component of the respiration of all eukaryotic cells, including plants, as shown for example by Dahan, J. et al. 2014. “Disruption of the CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE DEFICIENT1 Gene Leads to Cytochrome c Oxidase Depletion and Reorchestrated Respiratory Metabolism in Arabidopsis,” Plant Physiology 166:1788-1802. (Other mechanisms have also been proposed, as reviewed in, for example, de Freitas, L. F. et al. 2016, “Proposed Mechanisms of Photobiomodulation of Low-Light Level Therapy,” IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics 22(3):7000417.) Plants in general may therefore benefit from, and indeed require, near-infrared radiation for optimum growth and health. Such radiation may be generated, for example, by gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), gallium antimonide (GaSb), or gallium indium arsenide antimonide (GaInAsSb) semiconductor LEDs or laser diodes. The wavelengths of the laser light sources 505a-e may therefore include any wavelength in the range of 280 nm to 3000 nm.

(22) FIG. 6 shows a horticultural lighting assembly 600 (or luminaire). The lighting assembly 600 is optically coupled to one or more laser modules 500 via optical fiber bundle 528, which includes one or more optical fibers 524, wherein the laser modules 500 are located either within the luminaire housing or at a remote location. If at a remote location, it is easier to dissipate the heat generated by the lasers and reduce its influence on the plants. One or more optical components 630 are mounted on a substrate 640 and optically coupled to the optical fibers 524. The optical components 630 distribute the composite monochromatic radiation transmitted by the optical fibers 524 in a desired angular distribution.

(23) In one embodiment, optical components 630 include diffusers that optionally include an inorganic or organic luminophore, such as for example an yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) phosphor or a fluorescent dye, to absorb a portion of the composite monochromatic radiation coupled from optical fibers 524 and emit a broadband optical wavelength range.

(24) As used herein, “phosphor” refers to any material that shifts the wavelengths of light irradiating it and/or that is fluorescent and/or phosphorescent, and is utilized interchangeably with the term “light-conversion material.” As used herein, a “phosphor” may refer to only the powder or particles or to the powder or particles with the binder. The specific components and/or formulation of the phosphor and/or binder material are not limitations of the present invention. The binder may also be referred to as an encapsulant or a matrix material. A “luminophore” is an atom or functional group in a chemical compound that is responsible for its luminescent properties.

(25) In another embodiment, optical components 630 include a holographic diffuser or are located below a holographic diffuser 645 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,458, System and Method for the Diffusion of Illumination Produced by Discrete Light Sources) with a linear or elliptical diffusion pattern that is oriented in direction 650. The angular diffusion in direction 650 may exhibit different patterns. As shown in FIG. 7, these patterns may include a narrow beam distribution 710, a broad cosine distribution 720, or a batwing distribution 730.

(26) Referring again to FIG. 6, the optical radiation emitted from optical components 630 is incident upon another holographic diffuser 660, which has a linear or elliptical diffusion pattern that is oriented in direction 670, orthogonal to direction 650. In one embodiment, the holographic diffuser 660 is formed into a hemicylinder that is mechanically connected to substrate 640. Similar to optical components 630 that include holographic diffusers or are located below a holographic diffuser 645, holographic diffuser 660 may exhibit, as shown in FIG. 7 a narrow beam distribution 710, a broad cosine distribution 720, or a batwing distribution 730.

(27) The holographic diffuser 660 serves an entirely different function to the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,458. The purpose of the prior art invention is to generate the visual appearance of the discrete LEDs as a linear line source, whereas the present invention uses the diffusion of optical radiation from holographic diffuser 660 (and optionally in combination with optical components 630 when including holographic diffusers, or in combination with holographic diffuser 645) to produce a constant PPFD at a reasonably close distance from the luminaire along its length, rather than “hot spots” created by the optical components 630 that act as discrete emitters.

(28) A specific, non-limiting example of the lasers and phosphors in a laser module 500 for a horticultural lighting assembly 600 includes an InGaN blue-violet laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 400 nm to 410 nm, an InGaN blue laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 445 nm to 465 nm, an InGaN green laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 510 nm to 540 nm, an AlInGaP red laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 650 nm to 670 nm, an AlGaAs far-red laser diode with a wavelength selected from the range of 720 nm to 750 nm, and one or more phosphors such as, for example, cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Cr:YAG) or europium/dysprosium-doped strontium aluminate (Eu,Dy:SrAl.sub.2O.sub.4).

(29) The radiant flux emitted by laser light sources 505a-e of FIG. 5 may be individually modulated to achieve a composite monochromatic spectral power distribution as delivered to fiber optic assembly 525. In an embodiment of the control system 800 of the horticultural lighting system, shown in FIG. 8, one or more laser light sources 845a-e are electrically connected to laser drivers 840a-e, which may temporally modulate the radiant flux of each of the laser light sources by means of, for example, digital pulse width modulation or analog current control. Each driver 840a-e is electrically connected to controller 810, which may receive input signals from one of more sensors 820, including for example optical radiation sensors, daylight photosensors or pyranometers, temperature sensors, and relative humidity sensors, and also from timer 830.

(30) As reported by Kanechi, M. et al. 2016. “Effects of Pulsed Lighting Bases Light-emitting Diodes on the Growth and Photosynthesis of Lettuce Leaves,” Acta Horticulturae 1134, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) modulated at a rate of microseconds to milliseconds improves the photosynthesis efficiency. Also, as reported by Shimada, A. et al. 2011. “Red and Blue Pulse Timing Control for Pulse Width Modulation Light Dimming of Light Emitting Diodes for Plant Cultivation,” Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiolology B-Biology, 104:399-404, the phase difference between pulses of different colors may either increase or decrease the rate of plant growth.

(31) The radiant flux emitted by laser light sources 845a-e (and 505a-e of FIG. 5) is therefore modulated in some embodiments at a rate of microseconds to milliseconds, wherein the modulation phase and frequency of each wavelength may be independently varied.

(32) As reported by Harun, A. et al. 2013. “Red and Blue LED with Pulse Lighting Control Treatment for Brassica Chinensis in Indoor Farming,” Proc. 2013 IEEE Conference on Open Systems, pp. 231-236, pulses of one hour of light followed by 15 minutes of darkness more than tripled the rate of photosynthesis. The radiant flux emitted by laser light sources 845a-e (and 505a-e of FIG. 5) is therefore modulated in some embodiments at a rate of seconds to minutes to simulate “sun flecks,” brief occurrences in solar irradiance that occur in forest understories when sunlight is able to directly reach the ground.

(33) Method

(34) Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary method is shown for use of a horticultural lighting system incorporating the laser module 500 and the horticultural lighting assembly 600. In step 900, the wavelengths desired for the particular plant are determined. In step 905, the system is provided with a laser module that can provide the determined wavelengths. In step 910, the horticultural luminaire assembly 600 is located to illuminate the plants from a desired position and direction. In step 915, the desired output powers of each of the lasers in the laser module 500 is determined. In step 920, the laser module is switched on to drive the lasers, illuminating the plants with the desired spectrum and power density. Optionally, the lasers are collectively modulated in step 925 by dimming them temporarily by 10-100% for periods ranging from a timescale of microseconds to minutes.

(35) FIG. 10 shows control steps taken by the control system 800. In step 950, the controller 810 receives a signal from one of the sensors 820 or from the timer 830. In step 955, the controller 810 interprets the signal by comparing it, for example, to a threshold, or by otherwise analyzing it. In step 960, the controller 810 adjusts the power to at least one of the laser drivers 840a-e in order to modify the output of the corresponding laser light sources 845a-e.

(36) In an embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the horticultural lighting assembly 600 is oriented vertically and located in proximity to and beside one or more plants 970. In this configuration, the lighting system serves as, for example, inter-row lighting.

(37) In an embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the horticultural lighting assembly 600 is oriented horizontally and located in proximity to and beside one or more plants, 975, 980. In this configuration, the lighting system serves as, for example, inter-row lighting.

(38) In an embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the horticultural lighting assembly 600 is oriented horizontally and located in proximity to and above one or more plants, 985, 990. In this configuration, the lighting system serves as, for example, overhead lighting.

(39) Throughout the description, specific details have been set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail and repetitions of steps and features have been omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification is to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

(40) It will be clear to one having skill in the art that further variations to the specific details disclosed herein can be made, resulting in other embodiments that are within the scope of the invention disclosed. Two or more steps in the flowcharts may be performed in a different order, other steps may be added, or one or more may be removed without altering the main function of the invention. All parameters, and configurations described herein are examples only and actual choices of such depend on the specific embodiment. For example, different numbers of components may be used; diffusers may be spaced differently relative to each other and to the optical elements; or each combined beam may be fed into multiple optic fibers. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.