Patent ID: 7262909

Claim:
An illumination apparatus for an optical system comprising: a single light source that emits broad-band light into an illumination beam path of the illumination apparatus having a housing with a plurality of outcoupling ports; a filter system inside the housing for filtering out a first wavelengths or wavelength regions out of the broad-band light, separating the first wavelength or wavelength region from the light in the illumination beam path and guiding the first wavelength or wavelength region, the filter system comprising a plurality of reflecting filters for guiding the first wavelength or wavelength region such that it leaves the filter system parallel to the illumination beam through a first outcoupling port in the housing; and at least a further reflecting filter arranged after a first reflecting filter for filtering out a second wavelength or wavelength region of a different wavelength and guiding the second wavelength or wavelength region through a second outcoupling port in the housing, wherein the first and the second wavelengths or wavelength regions are guided into the optical system for subsequent simultaneous use in the optical system, wherein the plurality of reflecting filters comprise a first, a second, a third, and a fourth single-line notch filters which are arranged in such a way that the selected wavelength leaves the filter system collinearly with the illumination beam path.