A new photonic effect in semiconducting helical particles with nanoscale dimensions has been discovered by an international team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Bath. The observed effect has the potential to accelerate the discovery and development of life-saving medicines and photonic technologies ..read more

Multiple Platform Low DoP Light Source The new Luxmux Integrated Spectral Bench (ISB) Low Degree of Polarization (DoP) builds upon the proven strengths of the ISB system while adding innovation where it matters most for our customers. Forward-looking compatible support for the installed communication protocols, combined with several new features, gives our customers the capabilities they need to achieve their goals. The Luxmux Low DoP platform will outshine the others with its size, selection modularity, reliability, and flexibility. We can't wait to see what you accomplish with the new Luxm ..read more

In the search for a more cost-effective, efficient, and agile defense against increasingly modernized threats, such as armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, the US Navy has turned to directed-energy weapons (DEWs). The USS Portland, equipped with a laser weapon system, is the latest example of modern, cost-effective threat mitigation, effectively demonstrating the ability to destroy both a floating target and a drone in field tests ..read more

A thin disk laser is a type of diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser technology in which the gain medium is comprised of a thin disk of typically Yb:YAG crystal. The thickness of one of these disks (typically 150µm to 200µm thick) is substantially smaller than the beam diameter. This feature allows not only the ability to easily scale up power via pump beam diameter, but also provides a large surface area for heat dissipation. One entire surface of the thin disk is mounted to an actively-cooled heatsink, which efficiently draws heat out axially or longitudinally, rather than transversely. The ..read more

RPMC Lasers Inc, the leading laser distributor in North America, is excited to announce an exclusive distribution agreement with Dausinger + Giesen (https://www.dausinger-giesen.de/), allowing us to now offer their Thin-Disk Lasers and Thin-Disk Components. D + G provides leading edge thin disk laser components, such as thin disk gain media, thin disk pump modules, Pockels cells, and high-power optomechanics ..read more

Flow cytometry is a method for simultaneously analyzing multiple physical properties of an individual cell as it flows through a beam of light in a fluid stream, including the cells size and fluorescence.   In practice, flow cytometry is essentially a combination of particle counting and fluorescence spectroscopy. For more on the fundamentals of these two technologies we recommend you check out our previous blog post on Optical Particle Counting and our white paper on Multi-Color Fluorescence.  By combining these two techniques flow cytometry can be employed in cell counting, c ..read more

Fluorescence Imaging Fluorescence imaging is a non-invasive imaging technique that utilizes the mechanism of fluorescence - matter emitting light of a particular wavelength after absorbing photons - which helps visualize biological processes taking place in a living organism. Tissues, cells, and their cellular structures are mostly water, making them transparent and difficult to view with traditional methods. Fluorescence allows for a much more helpful visualization of these various samples through the use of fluorophores - molecules that re-emit light upon absorption of light. While traditio ..read more

New experiments allow researchers to watch attosecond laser pulse pairs up close, allowing for a better understanding and control over these ultrashort pulse pairs. This interesting breakthrough could lead to some amazing advancements in spectroscopy, microelectronic manufacturing, medical equipment and surgeries, and who knows what else... This article explains this new development and discusses the potential future benefits ..read more

Single-frequency lasers have long been the cornerstone of standoff gas detection applications, particularly in traditional LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), DIAL (Differential Absorption LIDAR), and TDLAS (Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy).  More recently, as single-frequency laser diodes have become more common and less expensive, they are being utilized in more localized and industrial gas sensing applications ..read more

When operating a laser diode, proper thermal management is critical to avoid damage. A few key aspects to consider are the generation and dissipation of waste heat, laser diode operating temperature, and proper heatsinking. This article will focus on TO-Can packages, giving consideration to these key aspects and providing useful information for proper thermal management ..read more