Hamamatsu Photonics has developed a photonic crystal laser, a next-generation laser light source that provides high output and high beam quality at a single wavelength while simultaneously controlling beam spread.
The laser can potentially be used as a light source for applications such as direct laser microfabrication, various types of laser excitation, wavelength conversion in projectors, sensing and measurement, position detection, distance measuring image sensors, profile measurement systems, and motion sensing.
Hamamatsu plans to begin offering samples of the new laser to instrument manufacturers by spring 2014.