Compact and Efficient Laser for Life science and other applications, emitting > 60 mW cw radiation at 355 nm

Purpose and goal

This project aims at developing a compact laser source capable of emitting >60 mW of continuous wave (CW) radiation at 355 nm. Such a compact UV source will be very attractive for use in a variety of photonics-based analytical instrumentations technologies e.g. fluorescence imaging, Raman spectroscopy, microlithography and optical inspection. The Project has demonstrated output power > 60 mW at 355 nm. The most powerful packaged laser in a prototype has generated 30 mW. The Project has been very successful for all four partners which have reached their respective goals in the project.

Results and expected effects

The expected result was a prototype of a cw laser at 355 nm with an output power of 60 mW or more. The most powerful prototype has reached 30 mW of output power. Simultaneously the cavity design has been able to generate up to 85 mW of power. The prototypes need additional refinement before this power level can be reached in a stable way.

Approach and implementation

The goals of the project were to be achieved by further development of one of the Cobolt´s laser platforms. This in a collaboration between Cobolt AB. A research institute in Germany with world-unique expertise in advanced dielectric optical coatings. A company in Taiwan world-leading supplier of tailored nonlinear optical crystals. A German Company that will provide equipment development for the improvement of optical coatings. The collaboration within the Project has worked very well, despite the large distances. The relations between the entities have become a lot stronger.