picoEMERALD: Compact All-In-One Ultrafast CARS Light Source

The picoEMERALD is especially designed for the needs in CARS and coherent Raman microscopy. It comprises a high power (10W) picosecond oscillator, a frequency doubling to 532 nm and a synchronously pumped OPO in a single housing. The optical modules were optimized by finite element analyses and mechanical stability algorithms (misalignment stability optimization) to exhibit maximum passive stability. In addition an active cavity control is maximizing continuously the efficiency of the high power picosecond oscillator and the OPO.

Features

• Fully remote controlled
• Two-Color Output
• Constant power control
• Perfect Pulse Synchronization
• Picosecond pulses for best resolution

The picoEMERALD supplies three fully automated temporally and spatially overlapping ultrafast pulse trains:

• 1064 nm out of the laser oscillator
• OPO Signal and
• OPO Idler.

As CARS microscopy has migrated from physics labs into life-science labs, the demand for an easy-to-use, turnkey light source has increased. In response, High Q Laser and APE joined forces to develop a remote-controlled, truly hands-free single-box CARS light source—" picoEMERALD"—which provides two tunable ultrafast-laser pulse trains from a single beam exit.