Imaging & Analysis Lasers

microscopic artists impression of molecules lighting up with laser beams blues and greens

What are Imaging and Analysis Lasers?

Imaging & Analysis Lasers refer to advanced laser systems (typically pulsed) used in the research and biophotonics markets for various applications. These lasers are specifically designed for precise imaging and analysis techniques, enabling researchers to study and understand complex biological processes. They offer capabilities for fluorescence lifetime imaging, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry, and particle image velocimetry (PIV), among others. By providing tailored laser sources and specific parameters suitable for each application, imaging & analysis lasers facilitate high-resolution imaging, biomolecular analysis, and fluid flow measurements. These lasers play a crucial role in advancing research in areas such as biology, medicine, and fluid dynamics, contributing to scientific discoveries and advancements in various fields.

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Imaging & Analysis Applications

microscopic artists impression of molecules lighting up with laser beams blues and greensFluorescence Lifetime Lasers: Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a method used for measuring the time a molecule spends in the excited state. Typical lifetimes are on the order of a few picoseconds to hundreds of nanoseconds depending on the molecule, therefore ultra-short pulses in the picosecond or femtosecond range are required from fluorescence lifetime lasers.

microscopic artists impression of laser deposition and ionization of moleculesMaldi-ToF Lasers: Maldi ToF is a method used in mass spectrometry for measuring the time it takes for ionized particles of different masses to drift to the detector.  For this process to work, there must be a mechanism in place to ionize the particles (e.g., photoionization).  This technique traditionally uses high pulse energy q-switched ultraviolet lasers (typically ns or ps pulsed, UV, green, or IR microchip lasers), because the photon energy must be greater than the ionization energy of the particle.

microscopic artists impression of flowing particles being illuminated and measured by laser beamsParticle Image Velocimetry Lasers: Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is an experimental method used for determining the velocity of a flowing fluid by monitoring the particles in the stream which are illuminated by a laser.  For this application to work, particle image velocimetry lasers and cameras must be time-gated and triggered at the same time so that each image can be precisely mapped to a point in time. Typically, 532nm pulsed DPSS lasers are utilized, but any pulsed visible laser should work.

Recommended Laser Series

We recommend the following laser series options for Imaging & Analysis applications. There can often be a ton of options and many variables. Contact us today for help finding the perfect laser for your specific application!

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Matchbox Series

R1Z4-Matchbox Laser

The Matchbox series offers excellent performance and reliability in the “World’s Smallest” ultra-compact, all-in-one, integrated laser head. They can operate on a 5V power supply while maintaining low noise operation. The monolithic design of the Matchbox Series laser includes thermally stabilized optics in a hermetically sealed housing, ensuring reliable and maintenance-free operation. This series is available in wavelengths from 405 nm thru 1064nm, with options for collimated beam or fiber-coupled output, and single-mode and multimode versions.

LaserBoxx Low Noise Series

The LaserBoxx Low Noise series of CW diode laser modules & DPSS lasers offer wavelengths from 375 to 1064nm, output powers up to 500 mW, and OEM & plug-&-play modules. These rugged, compact & highly customizable lasers also offer excellent beam quality & stability, modulation capabilities, ultra-low noise output & options for SM, MM, and PM fiber coupling. Our dedicated control software, USB and RS232 interfaces, and external controller with power display make integration, operation, and remote diagnostics a breeze.

LaserBoxx HPE Series

LBX-488

The LaserBoxx HPE Series is a highly versatile and customizable laser diode module series that offers superior performance and reliability in a compact, driver-integrated laser head. With a wide range of wavelengths from the UV to the NIR, this series provides high-power output, removable MM fiber coupling options & dedicated control software with USB and RS232 interfaces, as well as an external controller with power display, ensuring easy integration and precise power and modulation control.

LaserBoxx SLM Series

The LaserBoxx-SLM series of SLM CW DPSS & diode laser modules are available in wavelengths from 532-1064 nm, delivering ultra-narrow line widths with excellent temperature stability and low noise current. Embedded firmware locks the laser on the same mode at each startup. This customizable, compact laser module is available in turn-key or OEM versions, with GUI for remote operation & diagnostics via USB, RS232, or direct I/O interface, with modulation capabilities and adjustable power options.

LXCc Series

R2Z3-L4Cc Combiner

The LXCc series is a range of compact, highly customizable, and flexible all-in-one laser combiners that provide the widest variety of wavelength options, up to 7 different laser lines (up to 500 mW output power per line), direct modulation on every source, SLM capabilities, proven long-term stability, and many other advanced features. The turnkey or OEM versions allow a large choice of lasers from 375nm up to 1064nm. The extension module provides the ultimate level of flexibility with options for up to 4 optical fiber outputs, AOTF modulator, motorized ND filter, integrated fast switching output ports for FRAP, or adjustable split power for light-sheet microscopy. 

MicroMake Series

The MicroMake Series is a fully-integrated, compact, sub-ns DPSS laser micromachining system for high precision and resolution applications. A flexible platform at 532 & 266 nm, with >40 kW of peak power and processing speeds up to 100mm/second, the system includes all the needed devices for direct laser micro-processing in a single, monolithic, air-cooled configuration. Equipped with a live microscope, alignments and in-process quality checks are a breeze. All these features perfectly suit various materials utilized in microelectronic circuits, displays fabrication and correction, biomedical device machining and optical substrates microprocessing.

Q-DOUBLE Series

sleek, modern, light grey colored DPSS laser housingThe Q-DOUBLE series is a DPSS, air-cooled, q-switched laser at 1064 or 1053 nm, designed to produce two pulses with variable temporal separation for PIV, LIBS, and other applications. The Q-DOUBLE can be configured for up to 160 mJ pulse energy @ 10 Hz or up to 40 mJ @ 100 Hz. The innovative laser design integrates all electronics (except power adapter) into the housing, resulting in a compact, user-friendly, turnkey, and air-cooled (water-free) system requiring little maintenance. User-friendly web-based GUI allows remote monitoring, control, and support from any computer or even a smartphone. Optional add-ons include built-in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th harmonic generator, built-in attenuator, energy monitor, and optional short cavity version.

Q-SHIFT Series

Q-Shift SeriesThe Q-SHIFT series of Q-switched DPSS lasers is designed for researchers and application specialists working in micromachining, dermatology, LIDAR, time-resolved laser spectroscopy, and LIBS applications. With its built-in nonlinear wavelength conversion stage, this series can produce unconventional DPSS wavelengths: 1163, 1177, 1300, 1317, 1551 & 1571 nm. The optional harmonics generator can generate up to the 4th harmonic for each fundamental wavelength, providing even more versatility. This series can produce up to 40mJ/1W @ 1163nm with up to 100Hz repetition rate.

Q-Spark

Quantas-Q-SPARK-266: High energy, compact, nanosecond, DPSS laser

The Q-SPARK series is an air-cooled, diode-pumped, Q-switched laser designed for researchers and application specialists working with ablation, LIDAR, remote sensing, and LIBS applications. The laser produces sub-nanosecond or nanosecond pulses with peak power up to 20 MW and pulse energies up to 20 mJ, making it ideal for a wide range of applications. With a short pulse (<800 ps to <2 ns), compact air-cooled package, and innovative water-free laser crystal end-pumping technology, the Q-SPARK series delivers high-quality, low divergence, Gaussian-like laser beams.

Q-TUNE-HR Series

sleek, modern, light grey colored OPO & DPSS laser housingThe Q-TUNE-HR series is a high repetition rate OPO producing a tunable wavelength range from ≈ 750 – 1800 nm and up to 100 kHz pulse repetition rate, the perfect coherent light source for micromachining, Raman spectroscopy, microscopy, and remote sensing applications. Q-TUNE-HR requires an external pump source with > 350 μJ pulse energy and 5 – 7 ns FWHM pulse duration @ 532 nm for operation: pulse repetition rate can be in 10 – 100 kHz range and acceptable pump power in the 3.5 – 30 W range. By default OPO is optimized to produce maximum output in 1200 – 1800 nm range (optional: 750 – 950 nm). In addition to the tunable range, the pump laser wavelength is accessible through a convenient bypass port.

Q-TUNE-IR Series

Q-TUNE-IRThe Q-TUNE-IR series is the perfect high peak power, coherent DPSS light source for researchers with infrared spectroscopy applications. This series uses an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) to produce a tunable wavelength of 1380–4500nm (<10 cm-1 linewidth), achieving > 15mJ of pulse energy at the peak of the tuning curve. The Q-TUNE-IR requires little maintenance, with all laser electronics integrated into the housing, including an air-cooling system, eliminating the need for chillers or large power supplies while providing a guaranteed > 2 G shot pump diode lifetime.

Q-TUNE Series

Q-TUNE-IR

The Q-TUNE series is a highly efficient, air-cooled, tunable wavelength laser, providing up to 8mJ, shorter than 5ns pulses at up to 100Hz, designed for temporally resolved spectroscopy, metrology, photo-acoustic imaging, and remote sensing applications. This laser uses an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to produce a tunable wavelength range of 410-2300 nm with a linewidth narrower than 6 cm-1, which can extend to 210-410 nm with an optional second harmonic generator. Options for air purging for UV optics, spectrometer, and fiber-coupled OPO output are also available.

Q1 Series

Quantas-Q1-211: High energy, compact, nanosecond, DPSS laser

The Q1 series is a compact, energy-efficient, diode pumped, air-cooled, Q-switched laser available with up to 32 mJ at 1064 or 40 mJ at 1053nm @ 10 Hz, and rep rates up to 50Hz. The high peak powers and low divergence of the Q1 series enable efficient harmonic conversion through the 5th harmonic (213 or 211nm). The innovative design results in a user-friendly, turnkey system that requires little maintenance, and the laser’s variable pulse repetition rate and built-in sync pulse generator provide flexibility for triggering user equipment.

Q2 Series

Quantas-Q2-1064: High Energy, Compact, Nanosecond, DPSS Laser

The Q2 series is a diode-pumped, air-cooled, Q-switched laser emitting at 1064 or 1053nm, designed for a wide range of applications that require high peak power pulses. The water-free end-pumping technology produces high peak powers and low divergence, enabling efficient harmonics conversion through the 5th harmonic (213 or 211nm). This versatile platform can be configured in many ways, including up to 80mJ pulse energy at 10 Hz pulse repetition rate or up to 20mJ at 100 Hz. In the short cavity configuration, pulse duration can be reduced by 50% compared to the standard configuration.

Q2HE Series

Quantas-Q2HE: High energy, compact, nanosecond, DPSS laser

The Q2HE series is a highenergy, q-switched, DPSS laser series, available in either 1053nm or 1064nm fundamental wavelengths, with optional 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th harmonic generation. This air-cooled series of lasers is designed for a wide range of applications that require high peak power pulses. Due to a short laser cavity, excellent thermal properties of the crystal, and an innovative water-free crystal cooling technology, the Q2HE series can deliver up to 120mJ of pulse energy and/or up to 5W average output power. This advanced laser design results in a compact, user-friendly turnkey system that requires little maintenance.  

SL-Pico Series

sleek modern dpss laser housing, simple cubic design, black and red with optical fiber & connectorThe SL-Pico series of picosecond supercontinuum lasers is designed to meet the diverse and dynamic needs of cutting-edge research and industrial applications. These supercontinuum white lasers are highly regarded for their wide wavelength range and cost-effectiveness. The SL-Pico offers a spectral range from 410 to 2400 nm, has high power, is very stable, and is capable of delivering power up to 8 W. The SLM versions are mode-locked fiber lasers with a fixed rep. rate, and the SLMV versions have a tunable repetition rate (up to 40 or 200 MHz), ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and various applications like fluorescence microscopy, TCSP, hyperspectral imaging, semiconductor inspection, and much more!

TLS Series

sleek modern dpss laser housing, simple cubic design, black and redThe TLS series is the broadest continuously optically tunable broadband picosecond laser combining a supercontinuum laser & tunable bandpass filter. Users can tune output power, wavelengths from 410-1700nm by choosing the VIS, IR, SWIR, or a custom configuration, and real-time bandwidth control for TLS-Red (10 or 20nm fixed for TLS-Blue). These picosecond tunable lasers are suitable for various fields that require precision scanning and high output from fluorescence microscopy to time-resolved spectroscopy, such as TCSPC, Hyperspectral imaging, Machine vision, Semiconductors, Sensors, and other applications.

Wedge Series

metal pulsed laser housing, gray metal, cooling fins, output port

The Wedge series of DPSS lasers is a rugged industrial solution, designed for seamless integration into OEM micromachining, LIDAR, and LIBS end-user systems. Based on proprietary fast Q-switching technology, this series is compact, sealed, and monolithic, making them insensitive to vibrations & harsh environments. High peak powers, relatively low energy, and low heat generation allow efficient ablation and non-linear interaction. Available from 266 nm to ≈ 3 µm, up to 4 mJ pulse energy @ 1064, and up to 4 MW peak power, the lightweight, air-cooled package benefits LIDAR and aerospace applications, while short pulses provide exact time-of-flight measurements. Many optional add-ons and customization options.