CW DPSS ruby laser
“The world’s first” continuous-wave (CW) diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser that outputs at the significant “ruby” wavelength of 694.3 nm is expected to facilitate new work in biophysics and DNA sequencing. The Crescendo laser provides noise of less than 0.05% rms and a “near perfect” Gaussian beam with pointing stability of better than 10 µrad/°C. It targets applications not served by typical diode-based lasers, including biofluorescence, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, holography, interferometry, hematologyspectroscopy, and retinal imaging. Initially available with powers up to 150 mW, future designs promise up to 500 mW.
Klastech, Dortmund, Germany,
bioopticsworld.com/articles/362853
High-resolution coronary OCT imager
The C7XR FD-OCT Imaging System with the C7 Dragonfly Imaging Catheter is the first approved frequency-domain OCT system for in vivo intracoronary imaging for heart disease investigation. It enables micron-level resolution image acquisition of the coronary artery and can scan a 40 mm artery segment in less than three seconds with a single nonocclusive catheter. While not available in the U.S., it received a CE Mark in March.
LightLab Imaging, Westford, MA, USA,
bioopticsworld.com/articles/362302
MRI-guided laser surgery tool
The AutoLITT system has received 501(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in neurosurgery. It uses an MRI-guided laser probe, passed through a small bur hole in the skull, to deliver laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) to heat and coagulate otherwise inoperable brain tumors from the inside. The probe delivers high-intensity laser energy directly to the tumor, rather than passing through normal tissue, while the MRI measures the temperature inside the brain, showing thermal damage as it happens and facilitating precise control of the treatment. Once coagulated, the treated tumor mass is dead.
Monteris Medical, Kalamazoo, MI,
bioopticsworld.com/articles/362542.
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Cost-efficient green fiber lasers
Pulsed and continuous-wave (CW) green fiber lasers at output wavelengths of 532 nm promise high-quality single-mode beam, ease of use, and high reliability in a compact design. The pulsed lasers provide a high peak power with scalable average output power up to 10 W, pulse duration of just 1 ns, and frequency of 50 to 600 kHz–and claim greater efficiency and compactness than other lasers. Featuring M2 of less than 1.2, each includes a collimator and provides a narrow linewidth at 532 nm. The single-frequency, low-noise CW lasers feature output power greater than 15 W, M2 of less than 1.1, and a linewidth near 2 MHz at 532 nm.
IPG Photonics, Oxford, MA, USA,
bioopticsworld.com/articles/361872
Psoriasis/vitiligo treatment laser
The XTRAC Velocity delivers up to 7.2 W laser power to the patient and can treat lesions of 3500 cm2 (600 mj/cm2) in less than five minutes–and in that time period can cover up to 20% of the body surface versus only 2% to 4% for alternative lasers. It is the first practical alternative to potent pharmaceuticals or full-body UV irradiation for severe psoriasis. The Velocity features a maximum repetition rate of 400 Hz and delivers laser energy of 12 to 18 mj/pulse.
PhotoMedex, Montgomeryville, PA,
bioopticsworld.com/articles/363910