RPMC Lasers Blog

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

For any laser to function, there must be more gain inside the laser cavity than loss, and the point at which the laser gain is just large enough to overcome the cavity loss enabling lasing is called gain threshold.  While simple, in theory, this concept of gain threshold can be particularly challenging to understand, particularly when it comes to diode lasers.  Therefore, as part of our ongoing blog series expanding on the topics covered in our Lasers 101 section, we are going to explore the concept of laser diode gain threshold in this … Read More

Once thought to be impossible, blue, green and UV laser diodes have now become commonplace.  These lasers are being used in a wide range of applications from blue-ray players to commercial lighting & displays to copper welding.  In this post, we are going to take a look at the underlying material properties of semiconductors, GaN in particular, and how it has led to the development of blue, green and UV las… 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

The single most commonly used laser procedure in dentistry is crown troughing, because of its ability to distend the tissue in much time as traditional retraction techniques. In this blog post we dive into what exactly crown troughing is and what the laser requirements are for such an ap… Read More

There are two critical parameters that all lasers diodes must meet to begin the lasing process.  The first one of these parameters is that there must be more gain than loss inside the laser cavity, the point at which this condition is satisfied is known as the gain threshold and was covered in the last installment in our Laser Diode Fundamentals series.   The second condition that must be met, is that there must be a longitudinal mode present inside the optical cavity which coincides with the laser’s g… Read More

For many years, space applications have steadily increased the utilization of laser diodes for various instruments (mainly pump sources for solid-state lasers). Because of this, organizations have developed qualification methodologies to ensure high levels of quality, performance, and lifetime. In recent years, increasingly complex scientific payloads have required more precise lasers for metrology, calibration, and environmenta… 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

In the realm of spectral imaging, tunable lasers, with their ability to meticulously adjust their output wavelengths, serve as the cornerstone for various spectral imaging applications. From the delicate tissues of a biological specimen to the robust components of industrial machinery, tunable lasers play a key role in identifying the composition of materials and imaging intricate features. This versatility not only enhances the precision of imaging but also expands the horizons of scientific discovery and technological i… 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

Tunable lasers have proven to be great assets for numerous applications. Various types of laser spectroscopy, and many other scientific applications benefit from the wavelength tunability, narrow linewidths and output power provided by tunable lasers. Tunable OPO lasers provide great benefits for many spectroscopy and other applications, with their small footprint and wide range of wavelength t… 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

Micro-welding is a high-precision welding method employed to fuse minuscule metal parts or features together. Traditionally, this requires a highly skilled specialist, utilizing a variety of skill sets and knowledge of various materials’ properties, taking into account all of the particular considerations involved in such a precise, delicate process. The Ford company first developed micro-welding to solve the problem of welding materials in a vacuum tube with a high melt… Read More

Single-frequency lasers have long been the cornerstone of standoff gas detection applications, particularly in traditional LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), DIAL (Differential Absorption LIDAR), and TDLAS (Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy) applications, where the sample needs to be accurately measured.  More recently, as single-frequency laser diodes have become more common and less expensive, with a larger measurement range and compact size, they are being utilized in more localized and industrial gas sensing app… Read More

Flow cytometry is a method for simultaneously analyzing multiple physical properties of an individual cell as it flows through a beam of light in a fluid stream, including the cells size and fluorescence.  In practice, flow cytometry is essentially a combination of particle counting and fluorescence spectroscopy. By combining these two techniques flow cytometry can be employed in cell counting, cell sorting, biomarker detection, and protein engineering analyzing thousands of cells per second as they pass through the liqu… Read More

A thin disk laser is a type of diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser technology in which the gain medium is comprised of a thin disk of typically Yb:YAG crystal. The invention of the thin disk laser came in 1991 through collaboration between the German Aerospace Center and a group at the University of … Read More

Driving a vehicle at night or during foggy conditions can be tricky and dangerous, where poor visibility can cause undue stress or even an accident. These conditions make it more difficult to see upcoming potential obstacles, especially if that obstacle is a deer in a field or a pedestrian in dark clothing at night. However, thanks to newer, more efficient, and cost-effective advancements, we could see more widespread deployment of LIDAR-based automotive detection and warning… Read More

Microchip laser technology is a perfect option for various LIDAR-based applications, as well as LIBS, spectroscopy, micromachining, and more. Microchip lasers are typically compact and lightweight, allowing for easier and more efficient integration in airborne and portable, handheld applications, and the laser characteristics are in line with LIDAR requirements for collecting … 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. This determination is particularly challenging when enemy assets are camouflaged or hidden amongst civili… Read More