Digital light source
Digital light source RS-5-93K characterizes the performance of image sensors and image-sensor systems. Suited for focal-plane-array testing, the light level setting to one part in 65,525 is provided in absolute, NIST-traceable, radiometric and/or photometric units. Spectral distribution is from the UV into the near-IR, RGB and broadband white, with a linearity of better than 0.25 rms.
Gamma Scientific, San Diego, CA
[email protected]
Molded-glass optical components
Molded optical components with diameters greater than 1 in. are manufactured using proprietary molding techniques. The industrial-scale production allows the company to eliminate expensive components of ground and polished material. Free-form lenses and components of three-dimensional shapes, which cannot be achieved using conventional processes, are being made.
Docter Optics, Germany
[email protected]
Camera for low-light conditions
The VC4467 EXview camera for low-light conditions features an EXview HAD CCD sensor, which allows the camera to analyze long-wavelength light near the IR spectrum. The 2/3 in. CCD sensor has a 1280 × 1024-pixel resolution and a maximum frame rate of 14 frames/s. An integrated 1 GHZ processor has a computing power of 8000 MIPS.
Vision Components, Berlin, Germany
www.vision-components.com
Focal-spot analyzer
The YAG focal-spot analyzer is a compact, laser-beam sampler/attenuator for camera-based laser-beam profiling systems. Designed for materials-processing applications, it attenuates 1064 nm YAG lasers with compact path lengths, from 50 to 200 mm and supports power levels from less than 1 to 400 W, and focal-spot sizes as small as 25 µm. Adjustable attenuation is up to 1 × 10-10.
Ophir-Spiricon, Logan, UT
[email protected]
Positioning system
The Nano-SP30 positioning system is designed for nanoindentation and nanomanipulation applications. The single-axis integrated system provides 25 mm of travel with a step size of 95 nm. The piezo-driven stage achieves resolution of better than 0.1 nm over 30 µm. It can be mounted vertically or horizontally and is compatible with vibration-isolation tables and optical fixturing.
Mad City Labs, Madison, WI
www.madcitylabs.com
Laser warranty extended
All fiber-array packages in the company’s Series LEP laser systems now come with a two-year warranty, up from one year.
Lee Laser, Orlando, FL
[email protected]
‘Z’-polarization device
ZPol converts any linearly polarized laser beam into a radially polarized beam. With the addition of a high-NA lens, the radially polarized beam converts to “z” polarization or polarization in the direction of beam propagation at the geometrical focus. “Z” polarization provides increased sensitivity to crystal or molecular orientation in 3-D.
Micro Laser Systems, Garden Grove, CA
[email protected]
Terahertz spectrometer
The TScan-1500C-EX terahertz spectrometer can be configured for spectroscopic or imaging experiments in the 100 to 1500 GHz range. A Schottky diode-frequency doubler fills a previous gap from 500 to 600 GHz, and a Golay cell provides more than 10 times the dynamic range of the previous model.
Microtech Instruments, Eugene, OR
[email protected]
High-power laser platform
The SparkLight turnkey laser platform is designed to support the company’s high-power laser arrays for research and industrial uses. Arrays are available at 635, 940, and 1550 nm. Output is fiber-coupled, though alternate configurations are available. It comes in three versions: OEM system, rack-mounted, or as a desktop case with touchscreen interface.
Modulight, Tampere, Finland
[email protected]
Noncontact profiler
The noncontact Profiler series includes a system with measurement speeds more than 180 times faster than previous systems. It can acquire 180 measureable points simultaneously, decreasing the time required to make a 3-D map of a surface. It can scan up to 1800 lines/s, for a total scan rate of 342,000 points/s.
Nanovea, Irvine, CA
www.nanovea.com
Inverted materials microscope
The Eclipse MA200 inverted materials microscope automatically combines captured images with data on their observation settings. A 1× objective lens allows macro observation with actual field view of 25 mm. The device offers a wide range of contrast methods including episcopic bright field, episcopic dark field, DIC, simple polarizing, and episcopic fluorescence.
Nikon Instruments, Melville, NY
www.nikoninstruments.com
Calibration design kit
The OCB100 automatic-calibration design kit has a driver board with three different optoelectronic circuits to allow design engineers to calibrate optoelectronic devices, provide a consistent output signal, and shorter design cycles. It works with reflective or interruptive devices. It also includes a fluid sensor, medium-distance reflective object sensor, and slotted switch.
Optek, Carrollton, TX
www.optekinc.com
Optical-design software
Version 10.0 of Code V optical-design software uses parallel processing on multicore CPUs to speed up optimization of complex optical systems. It also includes a new Beam Synthesis Propagation algorithm that includes diffraction effects through an entire optical system. And it introduces French and German versions of its user interface.
Optical Research Associates, Pasadena, CA
[email protected]
Mid-IR interferometer
An infrared-laser unequal-path interferometer operates at 3.29 µm, based on an internal HeNe laser and an integral collinear visible alignment laser. It is designed for testing mid-wave infrared imaging systems of any size or complexity. The 25 mm collimated beam can be used as is or converted to a diverging beam with optional lenses.
Optikos, Wakefield, MA
[email protected]
Preamplifier modules
Ultra-low-noise avalanche photodiode preamplifier modules from PerkinElmer are made from silicon and InGaAs. The Low Level Analogue Module range offers high-QE spectral response from 400 to 1700 nm, noise-equivalent power levels of 25 fM/vHz, bandwidth optimization between 1 and 300 MHz, and constant repeatability over an ambient temperature range of 5°C to 40°C.
Pacer International, Newbury, Berkshire, England
[email protected]
Optical multimeter
The o-TOOL optical multimeter can locate an invisible beam or help optimize lasers, optics, and other light sources. Attachments include a polarizer to display shape and angle of beam polarity, as well as profiler, attenuator, aperture, and centerizer attachments. A laser pointer turns it on or off and adjusts display gain on the hands-free device.
Paradigm Lasers, Spokane Valley, WA
[email protected]
Red VCSEL
The eVCSEL is a 635 nm laser with peak output power up to 10 W. The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is pumped by a scanning electron beam and can be modulated for user-configurable applications. The emitted light is highly polarized, with a 6° half-cone angle for efficient optical coupling.
Principia Lightworks, Woodland Hills, CA
[email protected]
CCD cameras
The compact GS-Series periscope-type CCD camera with Gigabit Ethernet interface are designed for machine vision applications. The GSA 650, 660, 1380, and 2450 range from VGA to 5-megapixel resolution, with full-resolution frame rates up to 120 frames/s. They are available in color or monochrome and come in a rugged aluminum housing of 55 × 90 × 25 mm.
Prosilica, Burnaby, BC, Canada
[email protected]
Smart CCD camera
The Condor-MS-5 is a multispectral acquisition system with five pixel-to-pixel-aligned sensors. It performs on-board processing and parallel software operations on each image band, all customizable by the user. Triggering and integration can be fine tuned by the user with integrated PLC controls. Camera Link, Gigabit Ethernet, and fiberoptic interfaces are available.
Quest Innovations, Wieringerwerf, the Netherlands
www.quest-innovations.com
HUD camera lens
A rugged, miniature, varifocal zoom lens allows development of a multiplatform head-up display. It provides a variable field of view and can focus from infinity to 35 mm from the lens. A motorized iris allows for wide light level changes. The lens can withstand the high levels of vibration, shock, and electromagnetic interference typical in aircraft.
Resolve Optics, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England
[email protected]
Beamsplitters
The LaserMUX line of optical filters are designed to combine or separate multiple beams. The dichroic beam combiners can multiplex or demultiplex 16 popular laser lines, including 405, 440, 488, 514, 561, and 635 nm, and the filters can be combined for other wavelengths.
Semrock, Rochester, NY
www.semrock.com
RGB light sensors
The TCS3404 and 3414 digital color light sensors with integrated red, green, and blue filters can derive color chromaticity and illuminance of ambient light with 16-bit resolution, for managing LED and cold cathode fluorescent lamp display backlighting. They come in a six-lead chipscale package measuring 2.095 × 1.875 × 0.685 mm.
Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Plano, TX
[email protected]
Laser-diode system
The iBeam/iPulse diode-laser system provides more than 20 mW at 488 nm for applications such as flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and high-throughput/high-content screening. It has wavefront error less than 0.05λ, M2 better than 1.2, typical coupling efficiency of better than 75%, and provides asynchronous pulse modulation up to 250 MHz.
Toptica Photonics, Munich, Germany
[email protected]
Fiber-coupled laser
TruDisk lasers provide up to 16 kW of power delivered through fiber. They have a beam parameter product of 2 to 8 mm/mrad, with integrated power sensors and real-time power feedback control to maining continuous power at the work piece. A modular design allows on-site servicing and power upgrades through additional diodes.
Trumpf, Farmington, CT
www.us.trumpf.com
IR detector
The UL 03162 infrared detector measures 384 × 288 × 25 µm and works without a thermoelectric cooler. An analog-to-digital converter is embedded on the chip, allowing the use of simplified driving electronic boards. It is aimed at applications such as night-vision enhancements for vehicles, building inspection, predictive maintenance, surveillance, and firefighting.
ULIS, Veurey-Voroize, France
www.ulis-ir.com
Optics and coatings catalog
An optics and coatings catalog includes high-laser-damage-threshold excimer and UV laser optics, new hybrid coatings, broadband mirrors and coatings, optical filters, as well as the company’s other standard coatings. Coatings are presented with reflectance and transmission specifications both numerically and graphically. VUV/UV optical metrology services are also included.
Acton Optics & Coatings, Acton, MA
www.actonoptics.com
3-LFW-1
DPSS Q-switched microlaser
AltLAS is a compact Yb:YAG microlaser. This nanosecond diode-pumped solid-state laser operates at 1030 nm, has repetition rates of up to 100 kHz, and output power up to 1200 mW. It has two operation modes: an internal trigger with several fixed pulse-repetition rates and an external trigger mode, which generates single pulses as well as any periodic or nonperiodic pulse train.
Altechna, Vilnius, Lithuania
[email protected]
Diode-pumped ultrafast fiber laser
The Satsuma series of compact ultrafast fiber amplifiers offers more than 5 W average output power with a 500 fs pulse width and 1 MHz repetition rate. Housed in a rugged package, the turnkey system contains flexible electronics and is suited for ultrafast micro- and nanomachining, medical research, nanophotonics, and life-science applications.
Amplitude Systèmes, Bordeaux, France
[email protected]
Fiber-coupled acousto-optics module
The Fibre Q is a new fiber-coupled AOM (acousto-optics module), designed for pulsed fiber-laser amplifier systems. Housed in a compact, hermetically sealed package, the device is optimized for low insertion loss with a high extinction ratio and optical power handling.
AMS Technologies Martinsreid/Munich, Germany
[email protected]
Solid-state laser combiner
The ALC-500 solid-state laser combiner offers up to five solid-state laser lines. Consuming only a few hundred watts, it covers the visible spectrum from 400 to 650 nm for applications such as photo activation and confocal and TIRF microscopy. A multiport switch allows the laser combiners to be used as core components or multimodal microscopy systems.
Andor Technology Belfast, Northern Ireland
www.andor.com
Cameras for IR interferometry
A 3-to-5-µm-sensitive system has been added to the company’s product portfolio, for use with 3.39 µm (HeNe) laser sources as well as a 3-to-12-µm- sensitive system, for dual-band applications. Cameras for near-IR testing applications are also available on demand. All of the cameras can be retrofitted into existing infrared interferometry systems.
Armstrong Optical Northampton, England
[email protected]
Optical-bench miniature spectrometer
The AvaSpec-2048-ULS Ultra Low Straylight Miniature Spectrometer has added a new optical-bench design, Avabench 75-ULS. The optical bench has a dual internal mode-stripper along with multiple compound parabolic concentrators to further reduce stray light levels to less than 0.04%. The system covers the 200 to 1100 nm range and features a 2048-pixel detector array.
Avantes, Eerbeek, The Netherlands
[email protected]
Fiber for the Deep UV
Optran UVNS (UV nonsolarizing) silica/silica fiber and PowerLightGuide bundles provide 40,000 continuous, unfiltered hours of level transmission at 95% of the original output. Manufactured in-house of all-silica, they are available at wavelengths from 190 to 1200 nm, without solarization, with NAs of 0.12, 0.22, 0.28 or 0.30, and core diameters up to 2000 mm.
CeramOptec, Longmeadow, MA
www.ceramoptec.com
Laser-power meter
The LabMax-TOP with GPIB is a laser-power and energy meter. It has interfacing capabilities to support GPIB/IEEE-488, in addition to USB, RS-232 and onboard flash memory. GPIB provides a simple, robust way to control multiple instruments using a single computer. It is compatible with position-sensing (quadrant) laser-power detectors and provides data acquisition, storage, and analysis.
Coherent. Santa Clara, CA
[email protected]