Cheap Laser Sources

[Neil Kad]

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Surprisingly I didn't find this topic on a search of the archives, so here it is:

Does anyone have experience of the cheaper solid-state and diode laser
sources?

Wavelength ranges from 450nm up to 560nm?

We need good stability and power control up to 50mW for TIRF applications...

I see a number for sale but I'm concerned that these lasers are not up to scratch.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers

Neil

[Craig Brideau]

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I went with Pavilion Integration Corp for a 638nm diode laser.  It works
well and the price was reasonable.  They have pretty good noise control on
their electronics so I think they would be stable enough for what you want.
 They also offer direct modulation, either digital or analog.

Craig


On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 8:00 AM, Neil Kad <[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Surprisingly I didn't find this topic on a search of the archives, so here
> it is:
>
> Does anyone have experience of the cheaper solid-state and diode laser
> sources?
>
> Wavelength ranges from 450nm up to 560nm?
>
> We need good stability and power control up to 50mW for TIRF
> applications...
>
> I see a number for sale but I'm concerned that these lasers are not up to
> scratch.
>
> What are your thoughts?
>
> Cheers
>
> Neil
>

[Andreas Bruckbauer]

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Hi Neil,
As fiber coupled lasers for TIRF i use a 640 nm iFlex2000 from point source, now qioptiq. It was cheap and is reliable. Our electronics department built an interface box to adjust intensity and trigger it with a TTL pulse.

One thing with these diode lasers is that, while the intensity can be easily regulated without the need for an AOM/AOTF, it jumps from a few microwatt to milliwatts when the laser reaches its threshold (a few percent of maximum power), this makes it difficult to adjust low laser powers especially if you go for a more powerful model. Furthermore they require a cleanup filter to suppress sidebands.

best wishes

Andreas

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Neil Kad <[hidden email]>
To: CONFOCALMICROSCOPY <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 15:00
Subject: Cheap Laser Sources


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Surprisingly I didn't find this topic on a search of the archives, so here it

is:



Does anyone have experience of the cheaper solid-state and diode laser

sources?



Wavelength ranges from 450nm up to 560nm?



We need good stability and power control up to 50mW for TIRF applications...



I see a number for sale but I'm concerned that these lasers are not up to

scratch.



What are your thoughts?



Cheers



Neil