Focus on lasers and imaging

Asylum Research has announced a new electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) imaging technique for its Cypher and MFP-3D atomic force microscopes. The technique, which is the first to measure ionic currents directly, provides a new tool for mapping electrochemical phenomena on the nanoscale. The capability to probe electrochemical processes and ionic transport in solids is useful for applications for energy generation and storage ranging from batteries to fuel cells. ESM has the potential to contribute to advances in those areas, since it has the resolution to probe nanometer-scale volumes and the inherent ability to decouple ionic from electronic currents. Imaging capabilities are extended to a broad range of spectroscopic techniques reminiscent of conventional electrochemical tools. Asylum Research, 6310 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93117,  http://www.asylumresearch.com

Stripline microchannel plates allow the capture of sequential images of charged-particle events at very high speeds, making the MCPs a useful diagnostic component for documenting nuclear events during energy research and process development. The plates are commonly used in analytical instrumentation in the detection and amplification of charged particles and electromagnetic radiation. They yield a high-speed sequence of events that can be recorded and analyzed. A key component of the Photonis stripline MCP line is the patented, image-grade MountingPad rimless microchannel plate, which has several very fine layers of specialized metallization materials applied to the front and back surfaces. Photonis USA, 660 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA 01566,  http://www.photonis.com

A new 5-W, Q-switched diode-pumped solid-state laser from Spectra-Physics, part of Newport Corp, combines the laser head and electronics into a single, compact package with an air-cooled design. The Explorer XP 532-5 laser delivers a short pulse width for minimally heat-affected zone and high peak power for marking or selective ablation tasks. That produces a beam with improved spatial resolution and depth of focus. The laser operates across a wide repetition-rate range from single shot up to 300 kHz for high throughput micromachining. Other applications include LED chip marking, resistor trimming, memory repair, light detection and ranging, and thin-film photovoltaics manufacturing. The optical components are soldered in place, which eliminates unwanted solder flux and minimizes organic contaminants that can degrade laser operation. The company claims that the Explorer XP 532-5 is rugged and durable and operates reliably even in the harshest environments. Newport Corporation, 1791 Deere Avenue, Irvine, CA 92606,  http://www.newport.com

The iBeam smart PT is a compact, permanently fiber-coupled—“pigtailed”—diode laser with reliable long-term power stability that can be used for fiber-based applications in biophotonics such as microscopy and cytometry. The standard wavelengths are 405 nm (60 mW), 445 nm (50 mW), 488 nm (50 mW), 515 nm (20 mW), 640 nm (80 mW), 660 nm (75 mW), and 785 nm (70 mW). Toptica’s patent-pending constant optical output level technology for high-power, single-mode, permanently fiber-coupled lasers does not use adjustable micromechanical parts, normally the first to shift due to variations in ambient conditions such as temperature or vibration. All major optical components are solidly mounted, so optical alignment is immune to mechanical and thermal distortions or translations. The iBeam smart PT is suitable for flexible OEM integration because of the incorporated microprocessor control and optional features such as high-speed digital modulation and noise suppression by feedback-induced noise-eraser technology. Toptica Photonics Inc, 1286 Blossom Drive, Victor, NY 14564,  http://www.toptica.com

McPherson now offers reflective correction optics for spectroscopy imaging with two-dimensional CCD- or CMOS-type sensors to enhance the company’s high-resolution, 1-m focal-length spectrometer model 2061. Equipped with selected accessories, the McPherson spectrometer can monitor spectra from 100 input fibers simultaneously on one commercial 1024 × 1024 pixel, ~13-mm-square CCD. The 1-m spectrometer accepts various McPherson Snap-In diffraction gratings optimized for spectral resolution or wavelength-range coverage. Unknown input light from multiple samples or different regions of one sample result in distinct high resolution and spatially distinct spectra at the focal plane. Light transmitted through the spectrometer entrance slit by free-space optics or fiber optics facilitates difficult measurements of ion temperatures, plasma formation, thermal properties, and boundary layer interactions. McPherson Inc, 7A Stuart Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824,  http://www.mcphersoninc.com

Mad City Labs has introduced the Nano-F3D lens nanopositioning system designed to position an objective lens in three dimensions with subnanometer accuracy and repeatability. With a travel range of 100 µm in each axis, the Nano-F3D is suitable for 4Pi microscopy—the interception of photons over a 4π solid angle covering the full 3D emission volume—and other imaging and inspection applications. The Nano-F3D features integrated PicoQ sensors with closed loop control. According to Mad City Labs, that gives the system picometer precision and ultrahigh stability. The Nano-F3D is designed to be mounted on microscopes and optical fixtures. Mad City Labs Inc, 2524 Todd Drive, Madison, WI 53713,  http://www.madcitylabs.com

Hamamatsu’s ImagEM-1K camera performs imaging applications from bright high dynamic range phenomena to single photon imaging over long integration times. That versatility, which offers special modes of operation for fast, low-noise performance and patent-pending synchronization with spinning-disk and multipoint confocal microscopes, is a result of the company’s innovative engineering of the well-known E2V CCD97 camera. The camera includes a choice of readout speeds with both on-chip multiplication and normal CCD readout amplifiers in order to match the signal-to-noise requirements of the application. New onboard signal processing features offer a selection of real-time frame averaging, background subtraction with offset, and shading correction. Cooling stability provides excellent quantitative data collection at high frame rates. The ImagEM-1K offers a high-resolution format of 1024 × 1024 pixels and 13-µm pixels for high numerical aperture imaging. Hamamatsu Corporation, 360 Foothill Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807,  http://www.hamamatsu.com

Coherent has introduced the Verdi G8, a high-power, 532-nm, scientific-grade laser based on the company’s optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL) technology. With 8 W of output, the laser can provide pumping for Ti:Sapphire-based ultrafast laser oscillators in applications such as spectroscopy, pump-probe dynamics, and materials research. The G8 delivers lower noise (<0.03% rms) than competitive lasers based on diode-pumped solid-state technology. While the multimode operation of DPSS lasers generates chaotic sum frequency noise, the short upper laser lifetime of OPSL devices eliminates so-called green noise. In addition, the thin OPSL chip (a few micrometers) prevents thermal lensing effects present in DPSS lasers. Therefore, the output power of the Verdi G8 can be adjusted over the entire dynamic range without affecting beam parameters. Coherent Inc, 5100 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054,  http://www.coherent.com

A new series of cube beamsplitters from Research Electro-Optics (REO) are intended for dense wavelength division multiplexing applications in telecommunications. Optimized for use in Gires–Tournois interferometer-based interleavers and dispersion compensators, REO nonpolarizing beamsplitters deliver broadband, polarization-insensitive operation, and path-length matching for reflected and transmitted beams. Traditional nonpolarizing beamsplitters are limited by either a narrow operating band or high internal absorption; REO avoids these drawbacks by using all-dielectric, ion-beam-sputtered coatings on material sets with high index of refraction. As a result, the beamsplitters deliver a transmission and reflection ratio of 50% ± 1.5% over their entire operating range, with the s and p polarization components matched to within 2%. Fabricated from fused silica substrates, the new beamsplitters are available in a 3- to 12.5-mm size range. Research Electro-Optics Inc, 5505 Airport Boulevard, Boulder, CO 80301,  http://www.reoinc.com

AdValue Photonics has introduced a Q-switched fiber laser that provides a single-mode output in the 2-µm spectral region with an adjustable pulse repetition rate of 1 Hz–30 kHz and a pulse width of 20–50 ns. The operating wavelength is 1950 ± 2 nm with an option for customized wavelengths between 1920 and 2000 nm. The average output power of 100 mW can be used directly or as a seed source to be amplified for research and industrial applications in light detection and ranging, gas sensing, mid-IR wavelength generation, component testing, micromachining, material processing, and laser medicine. Other features include high peak power, diffraction-limited beam quality, single-mode fiber delivery, and low maintenance. AdValue Photonics Inc, 4585 South Palo Verde Road, Suite 405, Tucson, AZ 85714,  http://www.advaluephotonics.com

Andor Technology has launched the TuCam, with simultaneous two-camera imaging technology. Suitable for fast, concurrent detection of two different fluorophores in experiments such as co-localization Förster resonance energy transfer and ratiometric ion signaling, the TuCam has a bypass mode and a first surface mirror that serves as a high-performance camera switch. The company claims that the design of the TuCam ensures superior optical and mechanical stability and ease of alignment. It is available in C- or CSUX-mount versions and uses a wide range of high-quality wavelength or polarization filter sets. The TuCam also features high-quality achromatic lenses, reliable transmission, very low distortion, and stable registration between camera channels. A 22-mm aperture ensures compatibility with large-format sensors for wide field of view imaging, as offered by the Neo scientific CMOS camera technology. Andor Technology plc, 425 Sullivan Avenue, Suite 3, South Windsor, CT 06074,  http://www.andor.com

Available through RPMC Lasers, Bright Solutions’ new BLM series of diode-pumped solid-state Q-switched lasers emit at 532 nm with 15-ns pulse widths and factory-adjustable output pulse energy from 10 to 50 µJ and repetition rates from single shot to 4 kHz. The linear polarization ratio is 100:1, and the beam quality has an M² value of 1.1. The compact dual-box design makes the lasers suitable for integration into end-user systems for which small dimensions are vital. The pump unit measures 7.8 × 3.5 × 2 in, while the resonator measures 4.5 × 2.75 × 1.18 in. The lasers may be used in light detection and ranging spectroscopy, biomedical applications, fluorescence measurement, and marking and scribing applications and as seed sources for amplified laser systems. Bright Solutions Srl, Via degli Artigiani, 27, 27010 Cura Carpignano, Pavia, Italy,  http://www.brightsolutions.it

The compact TRIO is the newest edition to Caliper Life Sciences’ multispectral imaging systems. TRIO enables image capture of any three chromogens or any three fluorophores within its spectral range. Autofluorescence is removed, improving signal-to-noise ratios by up to 100× and resulting in better quantitation. Compatible with any microscope with a camera mount, TRIO can take high-resolution color and multispectral images. TRIO’s interface, described as easy to use, does not require advanced knowledge of multispectral imaging; setup and operation can be accomplished in minutes, according to the company. The imager features quick image capture, automatic export of standard image file formats, easy imaging of chromogenically stained slides, and simple three-channel fluorescence imaging. Caliper Life Sciences, 68 Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748,  http://www.caliperls.com

Dalsa has introduced the Piranha3 16k CMOS line scan camera. With a compact form factor of 150 × 80 × 77 mm, the new high-speed model features 16k pixel resolution with a 3.5-µm pixel size and a 70-kHz line rate for ultrafast 1146 Mpixels/s throughput. With Dalsa’s CMOS technology providing on-chip analog-to-digital conversion and correlated double sampling, the Piranha3 camera delivers high speed with low noise and high dynamic range. It is suitable for the inspection of large-area flat-panel displays and printed circuit boards and for high-performance document scanning and other high throughput applications. To attain its full bandwidth, the Piranha3 uses the new Dalsa HSLink machine-vision connectivity interface. HSLink delivers scalable bandwidth from 300 to 6000 Mbytes/s in 300 Mbyte/s steps while using globally available, off-the-shelf components. Teledyne Dalsa, 700 Technology Park Drive, Billerica, MA 01821,  http://www.dalsa.com

The E-Series range of low-cost cameras now available from FLIR Systems provides users with enhanced imaging quality and more analysis functions than usual in an entry-level thermal-imaging device, according to FLIR. The new series has four versions, with the FLIR E60 providing 76 800 pixels from its 320 × 240 uncooled detector. That enables users to see more detail and take more accurate temperature readings so that the smallest of thermal anomalies—down to 0.05 °C—can be detected. Three of the FLIR E-Series models allow real-time thermal imaging at 60 Hz for the efficient capture of moving components and dynamic events and reveal details that a 9-Hz camera is likely to miss. A built-in 3-Mpixel digital camera produces clear, visible light reference pictures for complete and detailed documentation. FLIR Systems Inc, 25 Esquire Road, North Billerica, MA 01862,  http://www.flir.com

The Femtolite FX-100i, a compact femtosecond fiber laser introduced by IMRA America, offers more than 100 mW at 805 nm. Measuring only 14 × 10 × 8 cm—the same footprint as the company’s Femtolite Ultra series of miniature femtosecond fiber lasers—the FX-100i laser head is suitable for integration into an optical system. With sub-120-fs pulses at a repetition rate of 75 MHz, the new laser is a suitable replacement for the ubiquitous Ti:sapphire laser. The performance and size of the FX-100i offer new possibilities for the use of femtosecond lasers in industrial and scientific devices. Target applications include terahertz wave generation and detection, multiphoton fluorescence microscopy, and second harmonic imaging. The FX-100i may be operated directly from the front panel controls or remotely via an RS-232 interface. The fiber-based design ensures that no adjustment, alignment, or optical tweaking is required. IMRA America Inc, 1044 Woodridge Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48105,  http://www.imra.com