BFi OPTiLAS is very proud to announce the signature of a distribution agreement with Cascade Technologies. This agreement covers distribution of Cascade's scientific products in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK and Ireland. This agreement was reached after a complete review of sales options in Europe.

Cascade Technologies offers a wide range of Mid IR Quantum Cascade Laser sources as well as Mid IR tunable laser systems and data acquisition solutions. Available wavelengths cover the 2 - 12 microns range.

The main applications include:

• Gas Sensing
• Mid IR Laser Spectroscopy
• Laser, Detector
• Fibre optics Characterisation

Cascade products address both the R&D and industrial / OEM environments.

About Cascade Technologies
Cascade Technologies uses its revolutionary, patented core technology - based around the application of Quantum Cascade Lasers - to design, develop and supply innovative solutions for a wide range of global markets. These include the monitoring of greenhouse and general industrial emissions, hazardous gases, and explosives and drugs. Based at Stirling University Innovation Park, Cascade Technologies currently has world-class scientists and engineers working under development and supply agreements on several revolutionary products for key blue chip clients, whilst further bespoke product development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution agreements are being sought with customers worldwide. The company's technology provides highly specific and sensitive measurement, whilst its portable size offers cost savings compared to competitive offerings. It is also immune to many outside influences that typically affect sensors of this type.

BFi OPTiLAS, Pan-European distributor of Luminit, is introducing 2 new product ranges for the lighting industry:

• Seamless mini rolls of our symmetrical and elliptical angles specially are designed for linear lighting applications. Available angles are as follows: 20º, 50º, 45ºx75º, 10ºx50º, 3ºx40º, 1ºx30º.
• DTF® Directional Turning Films combine the high transmission, light source diffusion and angular distribution of the Light Shaping Diffuser with a prismatic structure. The DTF film is useful where the light energy distribution needs to be placed off normal or cannot be placed in the direct line of sight.

Contact your local BFi OPTiLAS sales office for more information or for test samples.

BFi OPTiLAS, collaborating with LDI in Benelux, France, Italy, Nordics region, Spain and UK, offers high power 635nm laser diode.

The CWR 635 LDI laser is a high performance, visible (635nm), single emitter (100 um) multi-mode laser chip that can be offered in several packages. The laser is designed for CW operation and it offers High Output Power levels at a lower price than what is available on the market today.

LDI’s 635 nm device is RoHS compliant with operating current of 300mW and voltage of 2.25V. The Spectral width is <3 nm, FWHM, and beam divergence is <40 degrees by <10 degrees, FWHM.

The CWR 635 laser is appropriate for applications in Medical, Imaging, Illumination, Display, Entertainment, Laser Projector and Process Control market.

It offers a more cost effective alternative to equipment used for Photodynamic Therapy and Therapeutic devices. LDI's chip design results in a highly reliable, long lifetime device.

BFi OPTiLAS, thanks to its collaboration with Photonic Products, is proud to launch Powerfully Precise Blue-Violet Laser Modules. These new laser diode modules are powerful 35mW and 60mW versions of their bestselling 405nm (blue-violet) laser diode modules with TTL modulation.

The extra output power offered by these laser modules also provides higher energy density and greater accuracy and sensitivity for biomedical and biochemical analysis applications such as flow cytometry and laser-induced fluorescence sensing. TTL modulation input accepts signals from DC up to 1 kHz and can be used to enable, inhibit or modulate the laser.

The glass AR coated aspherical lens may be adjusted to produce either a collimated beam or focused spot. The standard lens may be replaced by other optical systems such as line generators. The modules measure a compact 12 mm diameter x 43mm length.

Ideal for use in power hungry applications such as industrial and medical imaging and inspection, high resolution printing and emerging technologies where precision and sensitivity are vital, the laser modules are a complete laser solution for OEMs.

BFi OPTiLAS, thanks to its collaboration with Photonic Products, is proud to launch a range of new industrial laser diode modules.

The industrial laser modules are available in a variety of wavelengths from 635nm to 830nm with either a standard elliptical output beam or line or cross generating optics. With optical output powers from 0.95mW to 30mW, operating voltage of 5V DC regulated ± 10% and operating temperature from -10° C to +50° C, the modules are also static, surge and reverse polarity protected and RoHS compliant.

Constructed to withstand the harshest conditions and satisfy rigorous industrial demands, these laser modules are encapsulated in a hard-coat anodised case with a scratch-resistant sapphire window to protect the lens and offer rugged, durable performance at an extremely economical price. They are designed and built for ease of use in challenging industrial environments. Any time the laser needs to be changed, the connectors; either 2.5mm DC jack or industrial screw-on, make child’s play of installation and replacement. Their compact size allows for easy and efficient integration into existing production systems.

BFi OPTiLAS range of industrial laser diode modules is designed to be a complete OEM laser solution for heavy duty manufacturing processes such as micro-machining, marking, cutting, drilling, welding, forming, soldering and many other industrial laser uses where superior quality, durability and robust performance are critical.

BFi OPTiLAS, thanks to its collaboration with Ophir Inc. is proud to launch Quasar, a Wireless Bluetooth Interface for Laser Measurement.

Quasar is the industry's first wireless Bluetooth interface that broadcasts laser meter data to any PC or laptop within 10 meters. Quasar enables operators to separate the placement of the remote laser energy meter and the operator's PC or laptop to provide optimal flexibility for complex laser meter applications. An optional antenna provides extended range up to 60 meters.

BFi OPTiLAS is also launching Ophir Vega. Vega is an advanced handheld laser meter with brilliant color display for laser beam measurement. Available with digital or analog needle display, Vega offers an illuminated display screen with backlit navigation buttons that are easy to use under all lighting conditions. The 320x240 color display assists operators with identifying trends or warning signals; colors can be optimized for use with laser protection glasses.

BFi OPTiLAS is proud to announce availability of a brand new range of Nd:YAG rods. The exclusive BFi OPTiLAS source has proven industry records and high volume production capabilities at very attractive prices.

Control of the full process (growth, cutting, polishing, coating and quality control) ensures optimum quality, consistency and reduced delivery time. These are ideal for all OEM customers and customized test process can be implemented on request for specific requirements. On top of Nd:YAG rods, BFi OPTiLAS and its partner can also provide various other laser materials such as Nd:GGG (Disk lasers), Yb:YAG, Er:YAG, Tm:YAG, undoped YAG, Nd:Ce:YAG, Ho:Cr:Tm:YAG, Cr4+:YAG and bonding crystals.

BFi OPTiLAS, exclusive European partner of Bristol Instruments, Inc. is excited to introduce a new laser wavelength meter for scientists and engineers who need to know the exact wavelength of their mid-infrared lasers. Now, researchers using sources such as tunable quantum cascade lasers for high-resolution spectroscopy, photochemistry, or optical sensing applications can achieve more meaningful experimental results with accurate laser wavelength information.

The new model 621B-MIR is designed to operate over the entire wavelength range of 4 to 11 μm. Proven 621 series Michelson interferometer technology is used to measure absolute laser wavelength to an accuracy of ‡ 1 part per million. As with all Bristol Instruments laser wavelength meters, the measurement accuracy of the 621B-MIR system is guaranteed with continuous calibration using a built-in wavelength standard. BFi OPTiLAS also offers Quantum Cascade lasers, optical components and other photonic equipments in the MIR range.

Imagine Optic, Europe’s leading provider of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing technologies, presents their newest offering in adaptive optics technology, the AOKit™-bio, a powerful solution for improving microscopic imaging for biologists.

The AOKit-bio consists of three different patented technologies, packaged together to accommodate unique applications in microscopy:

• The HASO™3 wavefront sensor, an award-winning Shack-Hartmann sensor that ensures dependable beam measurement and analysis
• The mirao™52d electromagnetic deformable mirror, which enables precise correction for specimen-induced aberrations in microscopic images
• CASAO™, an intuitive and ergonomic software interface that gives users integrated command and control of the HASO3 and the mirao-52d

The AOKit-bio has been developed to provide unprecedented image precision to biologists using both multi-photon and confocal microscopes. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland have already begun to use Imagine Optic's AOKit-bio for improved microscopic imaging.

"We have developed a new microscope using the Imagine Optic mirao and HASO," said Peter Kner, Ph.D. and Optical Physicist at the Sedat Lab at UCSF. “We are very pleased with the performance and excited about the possibilities for adaptive optics in biological microscopy." Industry-wide adoption of the AOKit-bio could have a wide variety of applications, including the earlier detection of cancer as a result of the more precise deep tissue images.

The new laser barrier system introduced by BFi OPTiLAS, in collaboration with Laservision LASERVISION offers for the first time a modular system, which fits the changing needs and requirements of laser users.

The patent pending protection material combines very low weight with highest protection against laser radiation in the UV-/VIS- and IR-range. The barrier secure for example from CO2- (10600nm) and Nd:YAG- lasers (1064nm) up to a power density of 10MW/m². The obtained protection level equals AL6 at 1064nm and AL4 at 10600 nm respectively at 100s direct illumination according to DIN EN 12254.

The special designed surface structure (free of dust, disinfection possible) makes the new laser barrier ideally suitable for all applications in the industry and research (even in clean room environments) as well as for all medical applications.

The optionally available aluminium frame is capable to contain different full or segmented protection modules, like the no transparent special protection material, cabin windows, filters or a combination of these. The modular concept makes a realisation of application specific laser protection fast and easy. By coupling different modules together a very flexible and versatile separation of a laser working space is possible.

Standard dimensions are 2000mm x 1350mm and 1000x1350 mm.

In addition to the certified plastic window P2008 for CO2 lasers, BFi OPTiLAS, in collaboration with Laservision, is proud to launch a second plastic window P2009 certified with L protection levels according to EN 207 for Nd:YAG laser applications.

So this greenish window marked with L protection levels D L5 and IR L6 at 1064nm can be used particularly for laser marking and graving applications, but also for other Nd:YAG applications with lower output power.

The thickness of 3mm and the visible light transmission of approximately 65% match the values of our OD marked material P2001. This can be thus replaced in very most cases smoothly by our new certified material P2009.

The standard dimensions are: 100x200mm², DIN A4, 300x450mm², 450x600m², 610x915mm² and 915x1220mm². All smaller user-defined sizes as 915x1220mm² can be also realized on customer requirement. For the standard dimensions 100x200mm² and DIN A4 our practical mounting frames with changing function are available.

Photon announces a new beam profiling system to measure the M2 Beam Propagation Ratio and all associated ISO 11146 parameters in real time. This instrument, the Photon ModeScan Model 1780, uses a patented technique with 10 reflective surfaces to form 10 simultaneous images of the beam onto a CCD detector array. The M2 and other beam parameters are measured and updated at a rate over 20 Hz. The ModeScan Model 1780 analyzes continuous wave, pulsed, and single-shot lasers over the wavelength range of 250-1100 nm. This compact system measures 62 x 140 x 210 mm with an IEEE 1394 “FireWire” interface, and is designed to occupy a minimum of optical bench space and provide a high level of portability.

To demonstrate the speed of Photon’s new real time measurement system, Photon measured the M2 parameter of a single laser over 1 million times. This is believed to be the most times any laser M2 parameter has ever been measured. In addition to the HeNe laser used in this demonstration, Photon also measured Nd:YAG lasers, laser diodes, and other lasers and found the M2 results determined in real time to be in excellent agreement with known values.

Previously, the M2 parameter involved a process of measurements involving at least 30 seconds and as long as a few minutes to complete, even with automated systems. Real time M2 measurements now provide laser engineers and manufacturers the ability to make real time adjustments with lasers and determine the effects on M2 on the fly. In addition, M2 and beam propagation measurements can now be performed on single shot lasers without the need for multiple pulses, and thus, important pulse to pulse variations of these lasers can now be measured.

As with all Photon products, this instrument generates NIST traceable measurements, which is important for ISO and other quality programs, FDA regulations, and other applications where traceability to a national standards laboratory is essential.

These wavelengths are attracting increasing attention in imaging and remote sensing applications. New and novel lasers, such as quantum cascade lasers, also operate in this range.

The latest equipment from Photon for these applications is a collimation measurement system for 3-5 micron wavelengths. Collimation measurements can be particularly challenging and time consuming to execute. Photon collimation measurement system exploits a principal of optics to acquire the beam collimation in a single measurement beam size measurement for rapid and real-time collimation measurements.

This equipment is also available for ultra-violet, visible, near and far infrared applications.

San Jose, CA – Photon Inc., announces new data acquisition capabilities of multiple beam profilers in its FireWire BeamPro and USBeamPro product lines.

Up to 16 USBeamPro beam profilers, or an unlimited number of FireWire BeamPro systems can be controlled and analyzed with single version Photon’s BeamPro software. This greatly simplifies a common measurement application in optics, where a beam is analyzed at several locations along the optical path.

Photon’s FireWire BeamPro operates with FireWire (IEEE 1394) connectivity, while the USBeamPro operates with USB connectivity. Multiple beam profilers are easily controlled from a single computer since there is no need to install multiple frame-capture cards to acquire the data.

Multiple beam profile analysis is routinely performed in the research and manufacturing of optical components used for laser scanning and projection, laser assembly, beam conditioning, and other applications involving optical assemblies.

Photon provides a complete ActiveX command set for its BeamPro software package, so that customers can write their own application software to control and analyze several beam profilers at a time.

Photon is a leading manufacturer of beam profiling equipment for the laser, semiconductor, printing, and optics industries for over 20 years, and earned several patents and new product awards during its history.

The Application lab of SPI Lasers (distributed in Europe by BFi OPTiLAS) announced that work conducted at their US applications facility shows promising results in processing 0.2-0.8mm thick polycrystalline silicon as used in solar cell production. Using a 200W CW-M 1070nm fibre laser with a novel cutting technique, cutting speeds of up to 6m/min on 200µm silicon ribbon have been readily achieved. Analysis of the cuts shows very smooth surfaces with minimal debris or spatter, 40µm kerf with no appreciable taper. All this indicates a promising and somewhat surprising new application for these fundamental wavelength fibre lasers.

“The current laser cutting process requires expensive DPSS lasers which require higher levels of maintenance and are considerably slower. The early promise shown by the SPI Laser trials will prove of real benefit to a rapidly growing sector which aims to reduce cost, increase throughput and improve product energy conversion efficiency”.

In addition to the silicon cutting, SPI Lasers see a number of new exciting opportunities within the solar industry for fibre lasers including; thin film removal, edge deletion and silicon scribing and are looking forward to delivering these to the market.”

For a proof of concept and try before you buy programs, please contact your local BFi OPTiLAS sales office.

BFi OPTiLAS , thanks to its partnership with SPI Lasers, announces an extension to its pulsed laser product range for marking solutions. SPI Lasers' 10 & 20W − RM (restricted modulation) Pulsed Laser Modules are the newest members of their marking product family, providing a value-engineered solution that is ideally suited to high volume, single application operations.

The newly introduced 10 & 20W modules bring the total to four pulsed laser within the current range, providing the laser marking market with complete coverage. The flexible and feature rich 12W and 20W G3 models have successfully served the marking and micro machining markets respectively, securing volume orders in a wide variety of applications such as metal and plastics marking, paint on plastic removal , I.D.card marking, and thin film ablation. However, feedback from customers with marking systems dedicated to a single application on materials such as metal reported feature redundancy when using the 12W.

The new 10W and 20W lasers offer an equivalent performance to the best fibre lasers on the market today focussing on sub 100KHz marking applications. The 12W and 20W full feature lasers open up new marking and processing opportunities requiring over100KHz repetition rates competing across the entire spectrum of fibre and Vanadate lasers.

The new entry level 10 & 20W pulsed laser models are well suited to basic metallic and plastic marking applications which make up the bulk of consumer and industrial marking requirements.