Diode Laser

PicoQuant announced the release of a 470 nm picosecond pulsed diode laser. The availability of this new wavelength opens the door for new applications in bioanalysis, biochemistry, genetics, optical storage, semiconductor characterization and quality control. The laser is also suited for exciting fluorescent proteins and widely used fluorescent dyes such as rhodamine, fluorescein, acridine orange, and their derivatives. With pulse durations as short as 90 ps, the pulsed laser perfectly matches the time resolution of mainstream detectors, yet at a prize ten times lower than that of commonly used mode-locked lasers. The new light source also fills an urgent demand for solid-state alternatives to argon-ion lasers in some applications.