Laser Illuminator Sources:

Advanced Illumination Sources for Tactical & Defense Applications

          • Versatile Illumination Options for Tactical Applications
          • Effective Dazzling & Disruption Capabilities
          • Ruggedized, Customizable Solutions for Military Use

We’re experts at helping select the right configuration for you!

Why Choose a Laser Illuminator Source?

Versatile Illumination Options for Tactical Applications
    • Wide range of IR and SWIR laser diodes for night vision & low-light illumination
    • High-power CW & pulsed lasers for effective illumination over extended ranges
    • Low SWaP configurations ensure portability & seamless integration w/ night vision devices

simple line art of dashes and circles around a center star illustrating laser dazzlers

Effective Dazzling & Disruption Capabilities
    • CW green lasers for human target disorientation, minimizing engagement risks
    • Pulsed IR lasers: effective anti-sensor measures, disrupting or damaging optics & cameras
    • Precise, adjustable intensity settings for tailored non-lethal defense

helping hand holding a shield representing reliability

Ruggedized, Customizable Solutions for Military Use
    • Built for durability with ruggedized options for challenging environments
    • Customizable beam patterns, power levels & fiber-coupling for specific mission needs
    • Portable, turnkey systems available for immediate field deployment

Over the last 30 years, RPMC has fielded thousands of laser illuminator sources, built to endure the toughest conditions, delivering reliable performance from the shop floor to outdoor environments. Designed to withstand humidity, heat, dust, and vibration, these lasers provide consistent output with low maintenance, ensuring your operations run smoothly. With a versatile range of power, energy, and wavelength options, our lasers can be tailored to meet the specific demands of your application, from precision tasks to high-power throughput. We’re not just providing a product—we’re partnering with you to find the perfect solution and support you through every stage of your project, dedicated to helping you achieve long-term success.

Let us help define the right solution for you!

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Picture Part Number Wavelength (nm) Type Description
sleek, modern, silver colored pulsed DPSS laser housing with red, green, and blue beam output ports Aero 266, 355, 532, 1064 Pulsed DPSS Lasers, Airborne Laser, Multi Wavelength, Low SWaP, Ruggedized, High Pulse Energy, High Peak Power, Customizable DPSS Laser, ns pulsed, 266-1064nm, up to 200mJ, up to 500Hz
Pulsed Fiber Laser BK-FL-Pulsed 1030-1100, 1540-1560 Pulsed Fiber Lasers, "Eye Safe", Low SWaP, Ruggedized, High Peak Power, Customizable Fiber Laser, ns/ps pulsed, 1030-1053nm, up to 500uJ, up to 5W, 400ps to 10ns
various configurations of an OEM green DPSS laser housing JenLas D2 532, 1064 CW DPSS Lasers, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled, Customizable DPSS Laser, Multimode, Thin-disk, 532nm or 1064nm, up to 8W
various brass or gold colored laser diode bar/array housings JOLD-Open Heatsinks 760-1070 Array (Bar) Laser Diode, Multimode, Bar package, Infrared, 760-1070nm, up to 300W
LDX LDX-IR-FC 750, 780, 797, 808, 830, 860, 915, 980, 1064, 1120, 1210, 1280, 1370 Single Emitter, Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, Fiber-coupled, Infrared, 750-1400nm, up to 12.8W
LDX-IR-FS 750, 780, 797, 808, 830, 860, 915, 980, 1064, 1120, 1210, 1280, 1370 Single Emitter, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, Infrared, 750-1400nm, up to 16W
LDX LDX-SWIR-FC 1470, 1550, 1620, 1640, 1675, 1850 Single Emitter, "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, Fiber-coupled, SWIR, 1400-3000nm, up to 5.6W
LDX-SWIR-FS 1470, 1550, 1620, 1675, 1850 Single Emitter, "Eye Safe", Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, SWIR, 1400-3000nm, up to 7W
LDX LDX-VIS-FC 445, 520, 622, 630, 660, 685, 735, 750 Single Emitter, Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, Fiber-coupled, Visible, 400-750nm, up to 4W
LDX-VIS-FS 445, 520, 622, 630, 660, 685, 735, 750 Single Emitter, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, Visible, 400-750nm, up to 5W
LGR-XXX 543, 594, 633 HeNe Lasers, Narrow Linewidth, Long Coherence Length, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled He-Ne Laser Replacement Tube, Single mode, 543-633nm, up to 20mW
a silver colored matchbox shaped & sized multi-wavelength laser beam combiner box MB-Combiner Multiple Wavelength Options LD Module, CW DPSS Lasers, Narrow Linewidth, Long Coherence Length, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), Multi Wavelength, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled, Customizable Laser Combiner, Multimode/Single mode, up to 4 Wavelengths, 405-850nm, up to 150mW
830L-1XA: 830nm Laser (Diode; MATCHBOX 2) MB-IR-MM 785, 808, 830 LD Module, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled Laser Module, Multimode, Infrared, 785-1064nm, up to 3W
ultra-compact matchbox sized dpss laser module MB-IR-SLM 785, 830, 1030, 1064 LD Module, CW DPSS Lasers, Narrow Linewidth, Long Coherence Length, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled Laser Module, Stabilized, Infrared, 783-1064nm, up to 1000mW
ultra-compact, matchbook sized/shaped laser diode module MB-IR-SM 785, 808, 830, 850, 915, 975, 1064, 1123, 1310 LD Module, CW DPSS Lasers, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled Laser Module, Single mode, Infrared, 785-1310nm, up to 300mW
450L-3XA: 450nm Laser (HP MM Diode; MATCHBOX 2) MB-VIS-MM 450, 638 LD Module, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled, Customizable Laser Module, Multimode, Visible, 450-638nm, up to 600mW
520L-2XA: 520nm SLM Laser (VBG Diode; MATCHBOX 2) MB-VIS-SLM 405, 488, 520, 633 LD Module, CW DPSS Lasers, Narrow Linewidth, Long Coherence Length, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled Laser Module, Stabilized, Visible, 405-633nm, up to 170mW
MB-VIS-SM 405, 488, 505, 520, 633, 660 LD Module, Collimated Beam, Fiber-Coupled Laser Module, Single mode, Visible, 405-660nm, up to 200mW
Quantum Cascade Lasers - mirSense Product Family PowerMir 4000, 4600, 4800, 9400 LD Module, Single Emitter, QCL, Turn-Key System Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL), Spectrally Multimode, QCW, 4-9µm, up to 1.5W
REPXXXX-DM 759-764, 1260-1310, 1500-1560, 1560-1600, 1635-1670, 1720-1770, 2300-2333 LD Module, Single Emitter, DFB, Narrow Linewidth, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), Fiber-Coupled Laser Diode, Stabilized, 1278-2327nm, up to 20mW
REPXXXX-FP 759-764, 1260-1310, 1500-1560, 1560-1600, 1635-1670, 1720-1770, 2300-2333 LD Module, Single Emitter, "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled Laser Diode, Single mode, 1280-2300nm, up to 20mW
brass colored laser diode housing with 14 pins and a fiber attached SMX-DFB 1310, 1550 Single Emitter, DFB, Narrow Linewidth, Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM), "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Wavelength Stabilized, 1310nm or 1550nm, up to 100mW
SMX-MM 1310, 1350, 1450, 1470, 1550, 1650, 1940 Single Emitter, Triple-Junction, "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Multimode, 1310-1940nm, up to 75W
SMX-SM 1310, 1470, 1550, 1625, 1640, 1650, 1660 Single Emitter, "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA Laser Diode, Single mode, 1310-1670nm, up to 800mW
chip on carrier, straight, tilted, and curved waveguide chips, and a 14-pin butterfly package for semiconductor optical amplifiers SOAs SMX-SOA 1310, 1550 "Eye Safe", Fiber-Coupled, Made in the USA, Customizable Semiconductor Optical Amplifier, SOA/RSOA, Fiber-coupled or Free Space, 1310nm or 1550nm, Up to 450mW

Laser illuminator systems are essential tools in modern defense, enhancing night vision, disorienting targets, and protecting against hostile sensors. Our range includes versatile IR and SWIR laser diodes ideal for night vision illumination, ensuring superior visibility in low-light settings. With green CW lasers designed for temporary human disorientation and high-power pulsed IR options for anti-sensor operations, these illuminators support diverse non-lethal and tactical strategies. Featuring rugged, customizable designs, they meet the demands of military applications, ensuring resilience, precision, and reliability in complex environments.

Laser Illuminator Applications

Night Vision Illumination: Laser illumination can enhance night vision capabilities for military personnel. Laser diodes emitting infrared light are used as illuminators in night vision goggles, scopes, and other night vision devices, providing additional illumination for improved visibility in low-light or nighttime conditions. Typical laser specifications include IR, laser diodes and low SWaP pulsed lasers.

Laser Dazzling: Laser dazzlers are non-lethal devices that use laser illumination to temporarily disorient or distract potential threats. For human targets, CW green lasers can temporarily blind or disorient them, affecting their ability to perceive their surroundings or effectively aim their weapons. In the case of sensors or optical devices, pulsed infrared lasers can saturate or overload their detectors, rendering them temporarily ineffective.

Anti-Sensor Applications: In defense scenarios, laser illumination can be used to disrupt or disable optical sensors, such as cameras or imaging systems. By directing a high-power laser (typically high-power, pulsed, IR lasers) towards the sensor, the intense light can overwhelm the sensor’s sensitivity or cause temporary or permanent damage, impairing the enemy’s surveillance or targeting capabilities.

Let Us Help

With 1000s of fielded units, and over 25 years of experience, providing OEMs, contract manufacturers, and researchers with the best laser solution for their application, our expert team is ready to help! 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. Furthermore, you can email us at [email protected] to talk to a knowledgeable Product Manager.

Check out our Online Store: This page contains In-Stock products and an ever-changing assortment of various types of new lasers at marked-down/discount prices.

We’re experts at helping select the right configuration for you!

Component FAQs
Can I operate multiple laser diodes from the same power supply?

Can I operate multiple laser diodes from the same power supply?

The same power supply can drive multiple laser diodes if they are connected in series, but they must never be connected in parallel. When two diodes are connected in series, they will function properly as long as the compliance voltage is large enough to cover the voltage drop across each diode. For example, suppose you are trying to power two diode lasers, each with an operating voltage of 1.9 V, and connect the two in series. In that case, the pulsed or CW laser driver must have a total voltage capacity greater than 3.8 V. This configuration works because diodes share the same current when connected in series. In contrast, when two diodes are connected in parallel, the current is no longer shared between the two diodes. Get more details on the topic in this article: “Can I Operate Multiple Laser Diodes From the Same Power Supply?” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

Can laser diodes emit green, blue, or UV light?

Can laser diodes emit green, blue, or UV light?

The output wavelength of a semiconductor laser is based on the difference in energy between the valance and conduction bands of the material (bandgap energy). Since the energy of a photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength, this means that a larger bandgap energy will result in a shorter emission wavelength. Due to the relatively wide bandgap energy of 3.4 eV, gallium nitride (GaN) is ideal for the production of semiconductor optoelectronic devices, producing blue wavelength light without the need for nonlinear crystal harmonic generation. Since the mid-’90s, GaN substrates have been the common material utilized for blue LEDs. In recent years, GaN based laser technology has provided blue, green and UV laser diodes, now available in wavelengths from 375 nm to 521 nm, with output powers exceeding 100 watts. Read our article, titled “Gallium Nitride (GaN) Laser Diodes: Green, Blue, and UV Wavelengths” to learn more about GaN Based Laser Diodes, available through RPMC. Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, and FAQs pages in our Knowledge Center!

How long will a laser diode last?
How long will a laser diode last?

Honestly, it depends on several factors, and there is no simple chart to cover everything. Typical diode lifetimes are in the range of 25,000 to 50,000 hours. Though, there are lifetime ratings outside this range, depending on the configuration. Furthermore, there are a wide range of degradation sources that contribute to a shorter lifespan of laser diodes. These degradation sources include dislocations that affect the inner region, metal diffusion and alloy reactions that affect the electrode, solder instability (reaction and migration) that affect the bonding parts, separation of metals in the heatsink bond, and defects in buried heterostructure devices. Read more about diode lifetime and contributing factors in this article: “Understanding Laser Diode Lifetime.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What factors affect the lifetime of laser diodes?
What factors affect the lifetime of laser diodes?

There are a great many factors that can increase or decrease the lifetime of a laser diode. One of the main considerations is thermal management. Mounting or heatsinking of the package is of tremendous importance because operating temperature strongly influences lifetime and performance. Other factors to consider include electrostatic discharge (ESD), voltage and current spikes, back reflections, flammable materials, noxious substances, outgassing materials (even thermal compounds), electrical connections, soldering method and fumes, and environmental considerations including ambient temperature, and contamination from humidity and dust. Read more about these critical considerations and contributing factors in this article: “How to Improve Laser Diode Lifetime: Advice and Precautions on Mounting.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What is a laser diode?
What is a laser diode?

A Laser Diode or semiconductor laser is the simplest form of Solid-State Laser. Laser diodes are commonly referred to as edge emitting laser diodes because the laser light is emitted from the edge of the substrate. The light emitting region of the laser diode is commonly called the emitter. The emitter size and the number of emitters determine output power and beam quality of a laser diode. Electrically speaking, a laser diode is a PIN diode. The intrinsic (I) region is the active region of the laser diode. The N and P regions provide the active region with the carriers (electrons and holes). Initially, research on laser diodes was carried out using P-N diodes. However, all modern laser diodes utilize the double-hetero-structure implementation. This design confines the carriers and photons, allowing a maximization of recombination and light generation. If you want to start reading more about laser diodes, try this whitepaper “How to Improve Laser Diode Lifetime.” If you want to read more about the Laser Diode Types we offer, check out the Overview of Laser Diodes section on our Lasers 101 Page!

What is the difference between laser diodes and VCSELs?
What is the difference between laser diodes and VCSELs?

Laser Diodes and VCSELs are semiconductor lasers,  the simplest form of Solid State Lasers.  Laser diodes are commonly referred to as edge emitting laser diodes because the laser light is emitted from the edge of the substrate. The light emitting region of the laser diode is commonly called the emitter.  The emitter size and the quantity of emitters determine output power and beam quality of a laser diode. These Fabry Perot Diode Lasers with a single emission region (Emitter) are typically called laser diode chips, while a linear array of emitters is called laser diode bars. Laser diode bars typically use multimode emitters, the number of emitters per substrate can vary from 5 emitters to 100 emitters. VCSELs (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) emit light perpendicular to the mounting surface as opposed to parallel like edge emitting laser diodes.  VCSELs offer a uniform spatial illumination in a circular illumination pattern with low speckle. If you want to read more about lasers in general, and help narrowing down the selection to find the right laser for you, check out our Knowledge Center for our Blogs, Whitepapers, and FAQ pages, as well as our Lasers 101 Page!VCSEL

What’s the difference between single transverse mode & single longitudinal mode?

What’s the difference between single transverse mode & single longitudinal mode?

Within the laser community, one of the most overused and often miscommunicated terms is the phrase “single mode.”  This is because a laser beam when traveling through air takes up a three-dimensional volume in space similar to that of a cylinder; and just as with a cylinder, a laser beam can be divided into independent coordinates each with their own mode structure.  For a cylinder we would call these the length and the cross-section, but as shown in the figure below for a laser beam, we define these as the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) plane and the longitudinal axis.   Both sets of modes are fundamental to the laser beam’s properties, since the TEM modes determine the spatial distribution of the laser beams intensity, and the longitudinal modes determine the spectral properties of the laser.  As a result, when a laser is described as being “single-mode” first you need to make sure that you truly understand which mode is being referred to.  Meaning that you must know if the laser is single transverse mode, single longitudinal mode, or both. Get all the information you need in this article: “What is Single Longitudinal Mode?” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

CW Lasers FAQs
How do I align my optical system?

How do I align my optical system?

Laser alignment can be a challenging task, but aligning a laser beam doesn’t have to be as complicated as it might seem with the right optical alignment tools and proper laser alignment techniques. Multiple optical alignment techniques have been developed over the years, utilized by technicians and engineers to simplify the alignment process. With the development of these universal laser beam alignment methods, along with some laser alignment tips and tricks, you don’t need to be a laser expert to perform your alignments with relative ease, ensuring your laser beam path is right where you want it to be and your beam is on target every time. Read our article, titled “Laser Alignment: HeNe Lasers, Methods, and Helpful Tips” to get the knowledge and advice you need for proper optical beam path alignment utilizing HeNe Lasers. Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

Should I choose multimode or single-mode for Raman spectroscopy?
Should I choose multimode or single-mode for Raman spectroscopy?

On the surface, this seems like a simple question since Raman is a nonlinear optical effect and therefore the tighter the beam can be focused the higher the conversion efficiency.  Seemingly a single-mode laser would be preferable, but in practice there are other factors that can complicate the situation. The first question you should ask yourself when considering which type of laser to choose is whether you are doing microscopy or bulk sampling.  If the answer to that question is microscopy, then you immediately should go with a single mode laser.  Since the goal of any microscopy system is to produce the highest resolution image possible, the number one consideration should be how tightly can the laser beam be focused down. However, there are several other considerations when choosing between multimode and single-mode. Learn which is best for you in this article: “Multimode vs Single-Mode Lasers for Raman Spectroscopy.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What is a CW Laser?
What is a CW Laser?

A CW or continuous-wave laser is any laser with a continuous flow of pump energy. It emits a constant stream of radiation, as opposed to a q-switched or mode-locked pulsed laser with a pulsed output beam. A laser is typically defined as having a pulse width greater than 250 ms. The first CW laser was a helium-neon (HeNe) gas laser, developed in 1960, which you can read more about in this blog “HeNe Lasers: Bright Past, Brighter Future.” If you want to read more about the types of CW Lasers we offer, check out the Overview of CW Lasers section on our Lasers 101 Page!

What is the best laser for optical surface flatness testing?
What is the best laser for optical surface flatness testing?

It is essential that the laser exhibit a high level of spectral stability, ensuring that any changes in the interference pattern are caused by features in the sample and not originating from the laser beam. In addition to spectral stability, high beam pointing stability ensures consistent measurements by mitigating any beam position drift concerning the position of the sample. Lasers with longer coherence lengths, and subsequently narrower linewidths, play an important role in determining the resolution of the measurement, as well as consideration of the wavelength used. Exhibiting both single longitudinal mode and single spatial mode has excellent benefits. To get more details on preferred laser sources for interferometry in this article: “Stable, Narrow Linewidth, CW DPSS Lasers for Precision Interferometry.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What type of laser do I need for confocal microscopy?
What type of laser do I need for confocal microscopy?

The short answer is: You have some flexibility, but the laser source should be PM fiber-coupled and have a low noise, TEM00 beam mode. The excitation bandwidth of the fluorophores used must overlap with the laser wavelength, as various fluorophores need different wavelengths. So, you may require multiple lasers, which means you’ve got a beam combining alignment challenge to tackle. One way to avoid this is through the convenience of Multi-Wavelength Beam Combiners.

If you want to learn more on the subject of confocal fluorescence microscopy, ideal laser sources, and the benefits of beam combiners, check out this white paper: “Multi-Wavelength Laser Sources for Multi-Color Fluorescence Microscopy.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What type of laser is best for Doppler LIDAR?

What type of laser is best for Doppler LIDAR?

Various LIDAR signal methods for measuring velocity have one critical requirement in common, the need for precise control over laser frequency. While a wide variety of single-frequency lasers have been used in Doppler LIDAR research, the industry as a whole has adopted single-frequency fiber lasers as the ideal light source. Fiber lasers have several advantages over traditional DPSS lasers, all of which derive from the geometry of the fiber optic itself, namely the innate ability to have an extremely long single-mode optical cavity. This geometry allows for the production of either extremely high-power, single-mode lasers producing unprecedented brightness, or extremely narrow band lasers, with near perfect single-frequency output. If you want to learn more about Doppler LIDAR, the critical considerations involved, and ideal laser sources, check out this whitepaper: “Single-Frequency Fiber Lasers for Doppler LIDAR.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What’s the difference between single transverse mode & single longitudinal mode?

What’s the difference between single transverse mode & single longitudinal mode?

Within the laser community, one of the most overused and often miscommunicated terms is the phrase “single mode.”  This is because a laser beam when traveling through air takes up a three-dimensional volume in space similar to that of a cylinder; and just as with a cylinder, a laser beam can be divided into independent coordinates each with their own mode structure.  For a cylinder we would call these the length and the cross-section, but as shown in the figure below for a laser beam, we define these as the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) plane and the longitudinal axis.   Both sets of modes are fundamental to the laser beam’s properties, since the TEM modes determine the spatial distribution of the laser beams intensity, and the longitudinal modes determine the spectral properties of the laser.  As a result, when a laser is described as being “single-mode” first you need to make sure that you truly understand which mode is being referred to.  Meaning that you must know if the laser is single transverse mode, single longitudinal mode, or both. Get all the information you need in this article: “What is Single Longitudinal Mode?” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

Pulsed Lasers FAQs
What is a Pulsed Laser?
What is a Pulsed Laser?

A pulsed laser is any laser that does not emit a continuous-wave (CW) laser beam. Instead, they emit light pulses at some duration with some period of ‘off’ time between pulses and a frequency measured in cycles per second (Hz). There are several different methods for pulse generation, including passive and active q-switching and mode-locking. Pulsed lasers store energy and release it in these pulses or energy packets. This pulsing can be very beneficial, for example, when machining certain materials or features. The pulse can rapidly deliver the stored energy, with downtime in between, preventing too much heat from building up in the material. If you would like to read more about q-switches and the pros and cons of passive vs active q-switches, check out this blog “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Passive vs Active Q-Switching,” or check out our Overview of Pulsed Lasers section on our Lasers 101 Page!

What is the best laser for LIDAR?

What is the best laser for LIDAR?

There are actually numerous laser types that work well for various LIDAR and 3D Scanning applications. The answer comes down to what you want to measure or map. If your target is stationary, and distance is the only necessary measurement, short-pulsed lasers, with pulse durations of a few nanoseconds (even <1ns) and high pulse energy are what you’re looking for. This is also accurate for 3D scanning applications (given a stationary, albeit a much closer target), but select applications can also benefit from frequency-modulated, single-frequency (narrow-linewidth) fiber lasers. If your target is moving, and speed is the critical measurement, you need a single-frequency laser to ensure accurate measurement of the Doppler shift. If you want to learn more about the various forms of LIDAR and the critical laser source requirements, check out our LIDAR page for a list of detailed articles, as well as all the LIDAR laser source products we offer. Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What is the best laser for tattoo removal?

What is the best laser for tattoo removal?

Similar to laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal utilizes a process known as selective photothermolysis to target the embedded ink in the epidermis and dermis.  Photothermolysis is the use of laser microsurgery to selectively target tissue utilizing specific wavelengths of light to heat and destroy the tissue without affecting its surroundings.  In laser tattoo removal this is accomplished by using a focused q-switched laser with a fluence of approximately 10 J/cm2, to heat the ink molecules locally.  Since the q-switched laser’s pulse duration (100 ps to 10 ns) is shorter than the thermal relaxation time of the ink molecules it prevents heat diffusion from taking place.  In addition to minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue, this rapid localized heating results in a large thermal differential, resulting in a shock wave which breaks apart the ink molecules. If you would like more details on pulsed lasers for tattoo removal applications, see our Aesthetics Lasers page here! Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, and FAQ pages in our Knowledge Center!

What is the difference between active and passive q-switching?
What is the difference between active and passive q-switching?

There are a wide variety of q-switch technologies, but the technique as a whole can be broken down into two primary categories of q-switches, passive and active. Active q-switches could be a mechanical shutter device, an optical chopper wheel, or spinning mirror / prism inside the optical cavity, relying on a controllable, user set on/off ability. Passive q-switches use a saturable absorber, which can be a crystal (typically Cr:YAG), a passive semiconductor, or a special dye, and automatically produce pulses based on it’s design. Both passive and active q-switching techniques produce short pulses and high peak powers, but they each have their pros and cons. When choosing between actively q-switched and passively q-switched lasers, the key is to understand the tradeoffs between cost/size and triggering/energy and decide which is best for your particular application. Read more about these tradeoffs in this article: “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Passive vs Active Q-Switching.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

What type of laser is used for LIBS?
What type of laser is used for LIBS?

A laser source used for LIBS must have a sufficiently large energy density to ablate the sample in as short a time possible. Typically, pulsed DPSS lasers take center stage here. However, it’s been shown that pulsed fiber lasers can also be a great option. For example, you could utilize fiber lasers to measure detection limits as low as micrograms per gram (µg/g) for many common metals and alloys, including aluminum, lithium, magnesium, and beryllium. Analytical performances showed to be, in some cases, close to those obtainable with a traditional high-energy Nd:YAG laser. The beam quality of fiber lasers, in conjunction with longer pulse widths, resulted in significantly deeper and cleaner ablation craters. If you want to learn more about LIBS and ideal laser sources, check out either this blog: “OEM Fiber Lasers for Industrial Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy,” or this blog: “Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in Biomedical Applications.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!

Which IR laser is best for laser target designation?
Which IR laser is best for laser target designation?

There are many different types of laser designation systems used by the military today. Still, they all share the same basic functionality and outcome. At a glance, the laser requirements seem relatively straightforward. The laser needs to be invisible to the human eye, and it needs to have a programmable pulse rate. Still, when you look in more detail, many small factors add up to big problems if not appropriately addressed. Excellent divergence and beam pointing stability, low timing jitter, and rugged, low SWaP design are all critical features of a good laser designation source. Read more on these critical features in this article: “What are the Critical Laser Source Requirements for Laser Designation?” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!