
Limo
What do flat screens, metrology and lithography products have in common? An increasing number of these products share an efficient blue single laser diode as a key feature. The electronics and other industries use these single emitter laser diodes for their higher output of up to 1 – 2 W each.
That’s where the world market leader in the field of refractive micro optics comes into play: The Dortmund-based LIMO Lissotschenko Mikrooptik GmbH, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is highly experienced in producing single emitter micro optics for so-called near infrared (NIR) emission.
LIMO uses this extensive experience and expertise to develop custom micro-optics that precisely focus the new blue and other powerful single laser diodes beam to a size of 40 x 40 µm². These optics can be used with flexibility because the laser diodes are available with or without a housing. Laser manufacturers can use the micro optics applications including pumping solid-state crystals and for fiber coupling.
When it comes to energy-efficient pumping of solid-state crystals, the blue laser diodes have been proved successful: As an example, they were successfully deployed in the “Integrated Green Efficient Laser” (IGEL) project – funded by the BMBF with 3.5 Mio. Euro – where a blue diode laser is used as the actual source of light. The wavelength is being converted upwards within the crystal to produce a green laser beam. Dr. Oliver Homburg, Director for Advanced Optical Solutions, mentions a strong economic benefit, “They are a cost-efficient solution because only one micro optic is needed to focus the blue laser beam.”
Learn more about the new precise and cost-efficient micro-optics for the blue lasers by visiting us at the Photonics West fair (SPIE), San Francisco, between February 5th to 7th in 2013 – South Hall, Stand 816.