NKT Photonics Gives License To PCF Technology For Use In Supercontinuum Lasers

NKT Photonics, announces that it has licensed parts of its unique Photonic Crystal Fiber technology to PicoQuant GmbH for use in their new Solea supercontinuum lasers. The covered patents include NKTs fundamental methods for drawing and subsequently processing the fibers for use in systems. The license given covers using NKT Photonics fibers for making supercontinuum light sources comprising a gain switched laser diode.

NKT Photonics pioneered the field of photonic crystal fibers more than a decade ago and today the technology forms the backbone of several high performance product areas such as supercontinuum lasers and high power pulsed fiber lasers. Jakob Skov, CEO of NKT Photonics, explains:

”Supercontinuum generation has been around since the sixties but it was not until we commercialized the SuperK sources, based on our patented nonlinear photonic crystal fibers, that supercontinuum lasers became a viable alternative to existing light sources. Now, supercontinuum lasers are used in countless applications within e.g. bioimaging and optical characterization and we are happy to drive this change by giving companies around the World access to our technology needed to produce supercontinuum fiber lasers”.

For PicoQuant GmbH, who specializes in pulsed diode lasers, single photon counting and fluorescence instrumentation, choosing NKT Photonics fiber technology for its new supercontinuum lasers was a key decision in the product strategy. Rainer Erdmann, CEO of PicoQuant:

"We are extremely pleased to cooperate with NKT Photonics. We were looking for the perfect partner helping us to develop a freely triggerable supercontinuum laser, which extends the portfolio of our class leading products. As the pioneers of this technology and the company with the broadest portfolio, NKT was a perfect choice.”

The first products using NKT Photonics fibers will be on display at the PicoQuant booth at Photonics West in San Francisco February 4-6, 2014.

About NKT Photonics:
NKT Photonics is the leading supplier of Photonics crystal fibers and fiber lasers deployed in both commercial and scientific markets primarily within imaging, remote sensing and material processing. The products include pulsed lasers, such as supercontinuum sources, ultra low noise DFB fiber lasers and a wide range of specialty fibers. NKT Photonics has its headquarters in Denmark with sales and service worldwide. NKT Photonics is wholly owned by NKT Holding A/S.
Brand names CRYSTAL FIBRE, aeroGAIN, SuperK and KOHERAS - ISO 9001:2008 certified.

About PicoQuant:
PicoQuant GmbH is a research and development company in the field of optoelectronics. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in the science and technology park Berlin-Adlershof, Germany. The company is a worldwide leader in the field of single photon counting applications. The product line includes pulsed diode lasers and LEDs, photon counting instrumentation, fluorescence lifetime spectrometers and time-resolved confocal microscopes. PicoQuant employs currently around 50 people. Since April 2008 Sales and Support in North America is handled by PicoQuant Photonics North America Inc.