LIDAR Lasers are used in a wide range of applications, including airborne topographic mapping, bathymetry (high-resolution mapping of the sea bottom and coastal areas), and lidar for Autonomous vehicles. The wavelength and specifications needed for these applications vary… Read More
SPIE Photonics West 2025 is just around the corner, and RPMC is excited to highlight an SPIE Q&A with Fluence Technology, one of our trusted partners, providing environmentally-stable, maintenance-free femtosecond fiber lasers. The Q&A features Bogusz Stepak, Ultrafast Laser Application Laboratory Director at Fluence, highlighting the company’s amazing products and ach… Read More
The field of neuromodulation is rapidly evolving, offering unprecedented tools to study neural mechanisms and develop therapies for neurological disorders. A recent breakthrough study explores the comparative benefits of photoacoustic (PA) and photothermal (PT) stimulation in non-genetic, high-precision neuromodulation. This research, enabled by innovative fiber emitter (FE) technology and advanced laser systems, including Bright Solutions’ ‘One’ nanosecond laser, highlights the transformative potential of PA stimulation for various Research and Medical Market app… Read More
As Germany phases out nuclear power plants, the focus has shifted to alternative energy carriers, mainly hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3), which can store energy generated by wind and solar power. While hydrogen shows promise, it is challenging to produce an… Read More
Accurate OH measurements are a growing need in combustion research, but existing sensor architectures are challenging to make economic, compact, and robust. The need for robust OH sensors is amplified in the global effort to decarbonize combustion. Many species, such as CO and CO2, have robust, high-speed laser absorption sensors targeting their fundamental vibrational bands in the mid-infrared; however, certain species like OH do not have a favorable vibrational spectrum, complicating sensing in the mid… Read More
Combat zones can be extremely chaotic. With a massive influx of sensory input, implementing clear communication, rugged tools, and reliable instrumentation is key to a successful mission. One of the most challenging tasks in any aerial combat situation is determining which assets on the ground to target and which ones to avoid. Because of this challenge, a practice, commonly referred to as “painting the target,” was developed and has been successfully deployed for many years, allowing ground forces to identify and designate targets for successful engagement by aeria… Read More
Spectroscopy is a class of analysis methods meant for chemical species identification and concentration measurement, based on emission spectra detection, if irradiated by an adequate light source. Fluorescence-based spectroscopy is one of the oldest spectroscopic techniques. This technique utilizes electron-photon interactions and relies on the absorption of high-energy photons and the subsequent emission of lower-energy, longer-wavelength fluorescence photons, with the energy difference associated with vibrationa… Read More
Industrial laser induced breakdown spectroscopy typically involves the elemental analysis of various metals. In our previous application note titled “Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in Biomedical Applications,” we discussed the fundamentals of the technique, emphasizing the use of q-switched diode-pumped solid-state lasers as the excitation source. In this blog post, we are going to explore the possibility of utilizing nanosecond pulsed fiber lasers as the excitation source. We will also discuss the pros and cons of that approach, specifically for the characterization of metals and metal… Read More
The popularity of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been rapidly growing since its introduction in the 1960s, and is now used in industrial, military, scientific, and medical applications. Nowadays LIBS is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool for elemental analysis and is generally viewed as a complementary technique to other elemental methods such as mass spectrometry. Within the medical field, LIBS can be used for analyzing hard/calcified tissues, soft tissues, biomedical specimens; as well as disease detection and even during laser-guided surgery. In this a… Read More
Injection molding is a widely used process for rapidly mass-producing low cost highly uniform mechanical parts. On a cursory level, it is a relatively straight forward process by which molten material (metal, glass, polymer, etc.) is injected into a hollowed-out cavity, cooled down to solidify, and then ejected. This results in the material being permanently shaped to the internal cavity of the mold. This process has been around for hundreds if not thousands of years with the original molds being made out of clay and then broken apart to reveal the fini… Read More
Historically, Helium-Neon (HeNe) lasers were often the first choice for precision instrumentation, measurement setups and some spectroscopy applications. It was invented in 1960 and technologically it was one of the first lasers with extraordinary good parameters. The mechanical and optical design is quite simple (apart from sophisticated glasswork to make the tube itself) but the gas lasing medium and overall construction provide some intrinsic advantages. But also a number of disadv… Read More
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 tools and proper techniques. Multiple tried-and-true methods have been developed over the years, utilized by technicians and engineers to simplify the alignment process. With the development of these methods, along with some tips and tricks, you don’t need to be a laser expert to perform your alignments with relative ease, ensuring your laser path is right where you want it to be and your beam is on target e… Read More
Laser amplifiers are an invaluable tool because they allow for a laser’s power to be increased while maintaining its basic spectral properties. In principle laser amplifier noise is no different than the amplifier noise induced in an audio system, and just as in a home stereo system the quality of the amplifier will have a tremendous effect on the quality of output signal. Therefore, in this post we will attempt to answer the question what is laser amplifier noise, and perhaps more importantly how amplifier noise can affect the overall performance of yo… Read More
Mid-IR molecular spectroscopy is a rapidly developing and promising technique, enabling high-performance chemical detection and analysis for industrial or environmental purposes, with new wavelength ranges becoming commercially available. The essential component for such applications is the laser source, adapted to the specific spectral lines (the fingerprint) of the target molecule. Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) are a perfectly suited solution to build such analysis… Read More
Laser diodes must meet two critical requirements to facilitate the lasing process. The first requires that, at a minimum, the laser cavity’s gain increases to the point that it reaches unity with the level of losses. This unity state is known as the gain threshold. The second requirement is that there must be a longitudinal mode present inside the optical cavity, coinciding with the laser’s gain curve. This article explores precisely what longitudinal modes are and how they affect the laser diode’s pe… Read More
When operating a laser diode, proper thermal management is critical to avoid damage. A few key aspects to consider are the generation and dissipation of waste heat, laser diode operating temperature, and proper heatsinking. This article will focus on TO-Can packages, giving consideration to these key aspects and providing useful information for proper thermal m… Read More
Whether a diode laser is a traditional monolithic design or utilizes an external cavity configuration, the laser light must still propagate through the diode’s PN-junction via a ridge waveguide. As a result, the beam profile of edge emitting diodes is unique when compared to all laser sources because of the asymmetric geometry of this optical cavity. This issue often leads to confusion about how to properly integrate open beam laser diodes into yo… Read More
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 longitud… Read More
In October of 2017 RPMC Lasers, published a white paper titled “How to Improve Laser Diode Lifetime! Advice and Precautions on Mounting,” where we went on to describe in great detail the various package types and the best practices for ensuring the laser diode are appropriately heat sunk. In light of extreme interest in this topic, we have decided to expand on this topic with this application note by discussing how electrical, electro-mechanical, environmental, and optical properties also affect the diode … Read More
RPMC Lasers is proud to announce that two of our esteemed partners, Seminex Corporation and Spectrolight, Inc., have been honored with the 2024 Innovators Awards from Laser Focus World. This prestigious recognition highlights their exceptional contributions to the photonics industry and underscores their commitment to innovation and exc… Read More
RPMC Lasers is proud to announce that one of our esteemed partners, SPECTROLIGHT, Inc., has been honored with the 2024 Optical & Photonics EDGE Award from Laser Focus World. Receiving this distinguished honor emphasizes their remarkable contributions to the field of photonics and highlights their unwavering commitment to innovation and superio… Read More
We provide a huge range of configurations for the ‘World’s Smallest’ DPSS & Diode Lasers and Multi-Wavelength Combiners. The low cost, lightweight & ultra-compact footprint, USB power, and other features, make these lasers and multi-wavelength combiners perfect for any kind of portable, handheld applications, whether out in the field, or for efficient and convenient use in the lab, receiving center, incoming inspection, or anywhere you nee… Read More
Raman Spectroscopy has become increasingly popular in recent years. With more demand for this application, some companies have strived to make advancements to the associated technology and hardware, in an effort to provide better results, more throughput, increased flexibility, and a reduction in total footprint of these devices. This Raman Probe provides great flexibility with configurable optics and advanced features like dual-wavelength capability using only one spe… Read More
In business for over 20 years, with nearly 10,000 units fielded to date, the experts at Bright Solutions provide a world-class level of quality, customer care, and service. Their wealth of knowledge in laser engineering and applications experience has led to the development and continuous improvement of multiple series of high-quality custom DP… Read More
We have written several articles about various forms of LIDAR and the laser requirements needed to ensure a successful application. In this article, we are going to compile and briefly review some of this previously covered material. Then we will cover some benefits of choosing compact fiber lasers over some of the other options for your LIDAR ap… Read More
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