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The short pulse durations of ultrafast lasers make them interact with optical components differently, impacting the optic’s laser damage threshold.

Master the fundamentals of ultrafast lasers and how to choose optics that can withstand their high powers and short pulse durations.

Lasers can be used for a variety of applications. Learn how lasers work, different elements, and the differences between laser types at Edmund Optics.

Metrology is critical for ensuring that optical components consistently meet their desired specifications, especially in laser applications.

Laser Optics for 2μm lasers require very specific types of materials such as fused silica and germanium. Learn more at Edmund Optics.

The LIDT of continuous wave (CW) lasers is dependent on laser power, beam diameter, and other use parameters.

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are IR lasers that utilize tens or hundreds of quantum wells to decouple the emission wavelength from the bandgap energy.

Advances in laser technology have made it possible to produce pulses ranging from a few femtoseconds to tens of attoseconds. Learn more at Edmund Optics.

Understanding the most common laser sources, modes of operation, and gain media provides the context for selecting the proper laser for your specific application.

Not all optical components are tested for laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) and testing methods differ, resulting in different types of LIDT specifications.

Large diameter aspheric lenses enable high-power optical systems, but several key considerations must be taken into account during their fabrication process.

The short pulse durations of ultrafast lasers lead to broad wavelength bandwidths, making ultrafast systems especially susceptible to dispersion and pulse broadening.

Superpolished optics with ultra-low surface roughness minimize scatter in optical systems, which is critical in sensitive laser applications.

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of optics is a statistical value influenced by defect density, the testing method, and fluctuations in the laser.

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) denotes the maximum laser fluence an optical component can withstand with an acceptable amount of risk.

Subsurface damage in optical components can lead to increased absorption and scatter, reducing system performance.

The diameter of a laser highly affects an optic’s laser induced damage (LIDT) as beam diameter directly impacts the probability of laser damage.

Multiphoton microscopy is ideal for capturing high-resolution 3D images with reduced photobleaching and phototoxicity compared to confocal microscopy.

Converting a Gaussian laser beam profile into a flat top beam profile can have numerous benefits including minimized wasted energy and increased feature accuracy.

Understanding the polarization of laser light is critical for many applications, as polarization impacts reflectance, focusing the beam, and other key behaviors.

Understanding group delay dispersion (GDD) is critical for knowing how ultrafast laser pulses will be stretched or compressed.

Laser Induced Damage Threshold describes the maximum quantity of laser radiation an optic can take before damaging. Learn more at Edmund Optics.

Aspheric lens drawings following the ISO 10110 standard are critical tools for communicating manufacturing and testing requirements for the lenses.

Testing laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) is not standardized, so understanding how your optics were tested is critical for predicting performance.

Do you want to know more about the importance of optical specifications? Learn the different types of specifications and their impact on your system at Edmund Optics.

Learn all about the benefits of aspheres, their unique anatomy, how they're manufactured, and how to choose the right one for your system.

Compare Coherent Laser specifications with the Edmund Optics selection guide.

Edmund Optics' Polarizer Selection Guide refines your search for a specific type of polarizer.

Power density, energy density, fluence, and irradiance are often incorrectly used in laser optics applications. Learn the correct definitions and usage.

Surface roughness describes how a shape deviates from its ideal form. This is critical for controlling light scatter in laser devices and other optical systems.