The new Cube 445 from Coherent is a compact, conduction-cooled laser that delivers 40mW of power at 445nm. Thanks to its all-semiconductor technology, the Cube 445 delivers higher reliability, lower noise and longer lifetime than HeCd gas lasers. The Cube 445 also offers superior beam characteristics compared to HeCd lasers, with an M2 of typically less than 1.2, a beam divergence of 0.6mrad, a pointing stability of under 6µrad/°C, and a typical rms noise level of 0.05 per cent (20Hz to 100MHz). The laser head measures only 100 x 40 x 40mm (3.9 x 1.6 x 1.6-inch), and dissipates typically 3W of heat.
The superior mechanical, optical and thermal characteristics of the Cube 445 make it particularly attractive to OEM system builders. It streamlines the process of system design, as it can be directly modulated (analogue or digital) at bandwidths of up to 125MHz. Interface to the laser is through standard USB and RS232 with full control and measurements. The Cube 445 shares the same form factor as Cube lasers at other wavelengths, thus simplifying design of multi-wavelength systems.
The Cube 445 laser can be used in industries such as biomedicine, microelectronics, and engineering prototyping. Applications include semiconductor inspection, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and stereolithography.