Laser filters are optical devices that can be used to selectively transmit or block certain wavelengths of light. They are commonly used in laser systems to isolate a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths, to prevent optical component damage, and to increase the overall stability and performance of the laser system.
There are several different types of laser filters, such as interference filters, dichroic filters, absorption filters, longpass and shortpass filters, polarising filters, waveplates, bandpass, notch and notch-edge filters. Each of these types works differently to selectively transmit or block light at specific wavelengths.
In terms of applications, laser filters are used in spectroscopy to isolate wavelengths or in order to ensure accurate measurement of various chemical and physical properties of samples. They are also leveraged in laser material processing applications, such as cutting, welding, and marking. In medical and life sciences laser filters can be used for laser-based surgical procedures, as well as for diagnostic and therapeutic uses.
Optical communications applications use laser filters to separate and combine different wavelengths, allowing for the efficient transfer of data over optical fibres. They are also used in imaging applications to enhance the contrast and resolution of images, and to isolate specific wavelengths of light for imaging certain materials or structures. In the defence industry, these filters can help to protect sensitive optical systems from damage, as well as selectively transmit or block specific wavelengths of light for stealth purposes. Laser filters have also found uses in astronomical telescopes to isolate specific wavelengths of light for studying stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects.
Laser filter products on the market now
Commercial products Alluxa’s thin-film, ultra-narrow bandpass filters can optimise the performance of laser based systems. The thin-film optical interference filters and dielectric mirrors are hard-coated using the company’s Sirrus plasma deposition process on in-house designed equipment to allow reliability and repeatability.
Artifex Engineering offers custom absorption filters and dielectric filters, including bandpass, longpass, shortpass or neutral density. Chroma Technology provides a wide range of laser filters including interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for spectroscopy, imaging, and laser material processing applications.
CeNing Optics has available a variety of optical filters, including coloured glass, narrowband interference and bandpass. Delta Optical Thin Film supplies specialised, custom designs, as well as volume manufacture of high[1]performance custom optical filters for OEM customers. Homogenous bandpass, edge and blocking filters and beam splitters are available.
Ecoptik produces glass filters of different types for selecting certain radiation bands. The company can also make many different types and custom optical filters, such as optical comb filters, high-/low-pass filters and linear variable filters.
Edmund Optics offers a wide range of laser filters, including interference, dichroic, and absorption filters for spectroscopy, imaging, and laser material processing applications.
Excelitas’ range of wavelength selective coatings are characterised by optimum transmittance and sharp spectral edge transitions. They include bandpass filters, long[1]wave and short-wave pass filters, notch filters, dichroics, trichroics, harmonic separators as well as spatially variable components.
Hoya Corporation provides a wide range of laser filters, including interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for applications in spectroscopy, microscopy, and laser material processing.
Incom manufactures glass and polymer-fused fibre optic faceplates and tapers, as well as polymer and glass microstructures. The firm has designed and developed large format tapers for X-ray crystallography, microwell arrays for genome sequencing, large format faceplates for medical X-ray, and microcapillary arrays for TOF and neutron detection.
Iridian Spectral Technologies’ filters cover the spectral range from UV 300nm to LWIR 10μm. Its product range includes narrow bandpass filters, steep-edge long- or short-pass filters, dichroic-edge filter, notch filter, multi-zone filter and other special coating filters.
Newport is a provider of a range of laser filters, including interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for applications in spectroscopy, imaging, and material processing.
Materion offers bespoke filter designs for applications such as space, science and astronomy, defence, process control, gas sensing and flame detection, thermal imaging, display, automotive sensing and medical instrumentation.
Ocean Insight’s filters absorb light energy in certain regions for applications including fluorescence and Raman experiments.
Omega Optical specialises in filters for OEM customers. The firm has more than 50 years of experience, and can provide feedback on applications ranging from PCR to high-tech farming, quantum computing, machine vision and satellite-communications.
Semrock offers a wide range of laser filters, including interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for spectroscopy, microscopy, and other applications.
Spectrogon designs and manufactures interference filters for several applications, such as medical, process industry, thermal imaging, power distribution and surveillance and defence.
Thorlabs’ laser filters include interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for a variety of applications including microscopy, spectroscopy, and laser material processing.
ZYGO can provide laser filters, including interference filters, dichroic beamsplitters, and longpass and shortpass filters for applications in spectroscopy, imaging, and laser material processing.
This is not an exhaustive list. If you want your company included, please email: editor.electro@europascience.com
Edmund Optics: Featured laser filter product
Edmund Optics, a leading manufacturer and supplier of optics and optical components, offers a wide range of laser filters suited for many laser system needs. Whether bandpass, longpass, shortpass, dichroic, or notch, Edmund Optics’ laser filters enable technologies in a variety of industries for applications from medical, to manufacturing, to scientific research and more. Alongside its extensive in-stock inventory of hard-coated laser filters, Edmund Optics stocks a wide variety of other laser optics and assemblies for fast shipping.
With more than 3,000 different laser optic products manufactured across its eight factories, Edmund Optics offers an extensive range of off-the-shelf products as well as customised parts, manufactured to meet requirements. All Edmund Optics-manufactured laser optics and assemblies are designed to perform consistently and reliably, ensuring the final product matches pre-specified criteria. For both low and high-volume manufacturing, Edmund Optics employs a wide range of in-house metrology, including LIDT Testing, White Light Interferometry, Atomic Force Microscopy, and many more. With extensive engineering expertise, and more than 150 engineers with application, design, and manufacturing knowledge, Edmund Optics can deliver the best solutions for its customers’ requirements. Find out more about Edmund Optics’ range of laser filters at the company’s website.
Spectrogon: Featured laser filter product
Spectrogon designs and manufactures optical interference filters for several applications such as medical, process industry, thermal imaging, power distribution and surveillance, and defence. Spectrogon offers optical filters and windows in the range 400-14,000nm and has production capability for wafer sizes Ø6 to Ø200mm.
The wafers can be diced to required size and delivered on tape frames. Bandpass, narrow bandpass, longwave-pass, shortwave-pass, broad[1]bandpass and neutral density filters can all be produced after customer’s required specifications. Each filter is designed with advanced state of the art technology with production in Sweden. Spectrogon also manufactures anti-reflection, high reflective coatings and holographic gratings. Spectrogon has several different coating machines for volume productions. Find out more about Spectrogon’s range of optical interference filters at the company website.
Knight Optical: Featured laser filter product
Knight Optical excels in providing custom and stock solutions to our global customer base, and this includes optical filters designed for use in laser systems. There are many filter types that Knight Optical can help with such as: laser line filters, notch filters, shortpass and longpass edge filters, dichroic filters.
We have a vast product catalogue of interference bandpass filters, available to order from our website, with centre wavelengths from 214nm to 2000nm. We also have an extensive range of short and longpass dichroic filters.
Knight Optical can provide custom laser filters where our stock does not meet our customer’s requirements, whether it is different dimensions, spectral properties such as centre wavelength and bandwidth, and laser damage threshold (LDT) specifications. We can support prototype orders to projects requiring higher volumes. All filters are tested within our metrology laboratory using our Cary Spectrophotometer, or FTIR for infrared filters, before delivery to our customers. Find out more about Knight Optical’s range of optical filters for laser systems at the company website.
