First Application Of Optical Supercontinuum Fiber Lasers For Optical Trapping Demonstrated

Eugene, OR - Optical trapping of water droplets using a supercontinuum fiber laser source was reported by UK researchers in the latest issue of Optics Express. A 6W supercontinuum laser SC450-6 manufactured by Fianium was employed in this study. This unique laser system offers 3 mW/nm spectral power density across the 450-2500 nm spectrum.

"One of the most exciting developments in nonlinear optics in recent years has been the production of supercontinuum light sources, which have a large bandwidth (and low temporal coherence) whilst retaining a high spatial coherence," write authors of the journal publication. "The large spectrum of these sources is very useful in optical trapping experiments as they allow direct elastic scattering spectroscopic measurements on a trapped particle."

"This publication is another example of cutting edge research enabled by supercontinuum fiber lasers," commented Vincent Cowan, applications engineer at Fianium. "Wide spectral range and high power, combined with compact footprint and ease of operation make these lasers attractive for research and industrial applications. Apart from enabling new and improving existing research techniques, many of our customers find the SC450 to be a very convenient tool for a variety of optical experiments. We expect that fiber laser based supercontinuum systems will be a 'must have' tool in all optics labs."

SOURCE: Fianium, Inc.