PicoQuant has introduced the picosecond pulsed laser platforms VisIR-765 “STED” and VisUV at the Laser World of PHOTONICS 2015 in Munich (June 22-25, 2015).
The VisIR-765 “STED” delivers an optical output power of up to 1.5 W at 766 nm with a laser pulse width of 500 ps. Short pulse width below 70 ps can be offered optionally. The VisUV laser can generate light at 266 nm, 355 nm, and 532 nm. Any wavelength can be chosen individually or in combination with one or two other lines. Average output powers between 2 mW and 500 mW can be offered, depending on the wavelength and on the amount of beam outputs chosen. Pulse widths of less than 70 ps are achieved.
While the VisUV is ideally suited for fluorescence lifetime applications, the VisIR 765 “STED” has been developed especially as a depletion laser in stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. Its pulse width and excellent circular beam shape allow for optimal sample illumination (reduced photobleaching) and accurate beam shaping, e.g., “STED-Donut”.
Both lasers can be operated at internally selectable repetition rates between 31.25 kHz and 80 MHz or externally triggered at any repetition rate between 1 Hz and 80 MHz. The lasers feature excellent beam quality with a nearly perfectly circular and Gaussian shaped profile with a typical M² value of 1.02.
Both platforms are based on a Master Oscillator Fiber Amplifier (MOFA) concept with frequency conversion. The master oscillator generates infrared picosecond pulses at either 1530 nm (VisIR-765 “STED”) or at 1064 nm (VisUV) with variable repetition rates using the proven gain-switching techniques from PicoQuant. The seed laser output is then converted using either second, third or fourth harmonic generation.
Technical Data
Center Wavelength:
765 nm ± 3 nm (VisIR-765 “STED”)
266 nm ± 3 nm, 355 nm ± 3 nm, 532 nm ± 2 nm (VisUV)
Maximum output power:
> 1.5 W at 765 nm (VisIR-765 “STED”);
> 2 mW at 266 nm, > 3 mW at 355 nm, > 300 mW at 532 nm (VisUV)
Repetition rate from single shot to 80 MHz
Pulse width < 70 ps (VisUV and VisIR-765 “STED”) to 500 ps (VisIR-765 “STED”)