Lasers and DNA Sequencing

How do DPSS Lasers Fill the ‘Yellow Gap?’

The wavelength range of a particular semiconductor material is far beyond the scope of this blog post.  Still, if you would like a deeper dive into the subject, you can learn more in a previous post titled “Laser Diode Fundamentals: Bandgap Energy and Wavelength.”  While there are some direct laser sources such as the yellow HeNe laser, the lack of efficient direct solid-state lasers in the region has primarily led to the lack of yellow lasers on the market today.  But, as we have shown in several previous posts on this subject, this dead zone lines up with several biologically relevant fluorophores used in fluorescence microscopy and DNA sequencing. Luckily, through the use of second-harmonic generation, DPSS lasers can be used to fill this gap.

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Multi-Wavelength Laser Sources for Multi-Color Fluorescence Microscopy

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a powerful technique for identifying the presence of particular molecular species of interest. This technique has allowed for many of the advances in biochemistry that we now take for granted today. For example, fluorescence spectroscopy is the cornerstone of DNA sequencing for the identification of the four basic DNA molecules, adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T) by tagging them with fluorescence reporter molecules. A detailed analysis of fluorescence tagging will be discussed later in the article, but for now, it’s important to understand that this allows for the rapid determination of the precise order of A, C, G, and T molecules, so the entire DNA strand to be coded [1]. Another typical application of fluorescence spectroscopy comes from the field of anti-counterfeiting where fluorescent tags are added to the ink of currency, which when illuminated by the proper excitation wavelength emit a unique fluorescence spectrum known only to the manufacturer [2]. In this particular article, we are going to mainly focus our attention on the application of fluorescence in the field of microscopy, where it can be used to generate multispectral images of cells and other small objects for identifying the spatial distribution of molecules of interest in complex heterogeneous samples.

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We are Here to Help

With over 25 years experience providing DNA sequencing lasers to researchers and OEM integrators working in various markets and applications, and 1000s of units fielded, we have the experience to ensure you get the right product for the application. Working with RPMC ensures you are getting trusted advice from our knowledgeable and technical staff on a wide range of laser products.  RPMC and our manufacturers are willing and able to provide custom solutions for your unique application.

If you have any questions, or if you would like some assistance please Contact Us here. Furthermore, you can email us at info@rpmclasers.com to talk to a knowledgeable Product Manager.

Alternatively, use the filters on this page to assist in narrowing down the selection of DNA sequencing lasers for sale. Finally, head to our Knowledge Center with our Lasers 101 page and Blogs, Whitepapers, and FAQ pages for further, in-depth reading.