PicoQuant has released its 485nm picosecond pulsed diode laser head. The availability of this new wavelength opens the door for entirely new applications in bioanalytics, biochemistry, genetics, semiconductor characterisation and quality control. The new laser head is ideal for exciting fluorescent proteins like GFP and widely used fluorescent dyes such as Fluorescein, Atto 488 or Alexa 488 and fills an urgent demand for alternatives to frequency doubled solid state lasers or argon-ion lasers in applications like fluorescence microscopy.
With pulse durations as short as 80 ps, the pulsed laser head perfectly matches the time resolution of mainstream detectors, yet at a price much lower than that of commonly used mode-locked lasers. The new laser head is also available in a dual mode version, that allows picosecond pulsed as well as continuous-wave operation.
The PicoQuant diode laser family (LDH Series) now covers the wavelength range from 375 to 485nm and from 635 to 1500nm. All laser heads come with collimator optics that can optionally be fitted with optical fibres. The new laser head is compatible with the PicoQuant PDL family of diode laser drivers (PDL Series).