English
femtoControl
Pulse Compression & Dispersion Compensation for Microscopy
Dispersion Control
APE’s femtoControl is a motorized dispersion compensation unit for the optimization of femtosecond laser pulse durations. Several femtoControl versions are available for the Ti:Sapphire lasers
as well as for OPA/OPO systems in the near-infrared and infrared range. For applications that require extreme GDD (Group Delay Dispersion) compensation or other wavelength ranges, customized solutions are available.
Furthermore, the femtoControl AOM combines the motorized dispersion compensation capabilities with an integrated AOM (acousto-optic modulator), enabling flexible power control of the laser — faster than any mechanical attenuator setup. Unlike common electro-optic systems (pockels cells) it can handle the full power of typical femtosecond multi-photon lasers. The combination
of AOM and pulse compressor in one device provides the perfect tool
to upgrade the customer laser for applications with highly dispersive
microscopes while preserving precious space on the optical table at the same time.
Dispersion Correction for Multi-photon Microscopy
femtoControl can help to achieve more crisp and clearer microscope images especially for multi-photon microscopy. Laser pulses with a pulse duration in the ultrafast range. i.e. < 10 picoseconds (ps) are stretched by the dispersion of the optical material when passing through optical components like windows or lenses. Elaborate dispersion management by the means of a pulse compressor can compensate this effect. APE developed femtoControl, a compact pulse compressor for efficient, easy-to-use and remote controlled optimization of the pulse duration. FemtoControl operates following the principle of a four-prism compressor. Without further adjustment and without changing the interval between the prisms femtoControl is able to continuously compensate negative as well as positive dispersion that Ti:Sapphire laser pulses in the wavelength range of 690 to 1100 nm with input lengths between 80 to 200 femtoseconds (fs) may suffer from.
At a Glance
- Ideal for multi-photon microscopy
- Large range of dispersion compensation
- Different versions covering VIS, NIR and IR range
- Combination with fast modulation of optical power
- Compact footprint, enabling easy integration in existing setups
3-Photon Microscopy Dispersion Compensation
Read about dispersion compensation in three-photon microscopy
Basics about Pulse Compression
Read about the basics of pulse compression, dispersion, prism & grating compressor, GVD
Specifications
| femtoControl NIR | femtoControl IR | femtoControl AOM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wavelength range (others on request) | 680 nm … 1300 nm | 1150 nm … 2500 nm | 680 nm … 1300 nm |
| GDD range - single pass | 810 nm: -16000 fs2 … -27500 fs2 920 nm: -9500 fs2 … -19000 fs2 1040 nm: -7000 fs2 … -14500 fs2 1200 nm: -7000 fs2 … -13000 fs2 | 1300 nm: -5500 fs2 … +10000 fs2 1700 nm: -1000 fs2 … +9000 fs2 | 810 nm: -5000 fs2 … -16000 fs2 920 nm: -250 fs2 … -9500 fs2 1040 nm: 0 fs2 … -6700 fs2 1200 nm: -700 fs2 … -6500 fs2 |
| GDD range - double pass | 810 nm: -32500 fs2 … -55000 fs2 920 nm: -19500 fs2 … -38000 fs2 1040 nm: -14500 fs2 … -29000 fs2 1200 nm: -14500 fs2 … -26500 fs2 | without double pass | 810 nm: -21500 fs2 … -44000 fs2 920 nm: -10000 fs2 … -28500 fs2 1040 nm: -6300 fs2 … -21500 fs2 1200 nm: -8000 fs2 … -19500 fs2 |
| Transmission | single pass: >80% at 800 nm double pass: >70%, typical 75% at 800 nm | >70% at 1300 nm >70% at 1700 nm | single pass: >65% at 800 nm double pass: >55%, typical 60% at 800 nm |
| Min. transform-limited pulse duration | >70 fs | >50 fs | >70 fs |
| Input polarization | Linear, horizontal | ||
| Input beam diameter (1/e2) | <4 mm | <4 mm | 0.9 mm … 1.1 mm |
| Input power | <5 W | <2.5 W | <5 W |
| Input laser repetition rate | >2 MHz | >1 MHz | >2 MHz |
| AOM Specifications | |||
| AOM contrast ratio | >5000 : 1 | ||
| Rise/Fall time 10/90% | <0.3 μs | ||
| Insertion delay | without AOM | without AOM | <1 μs |
| Modulation voltage | 0 - 2 V (0 - 1 V on request) | ||
| Input impedance | 1 kΩ (BNC connector) | ||
| General Specifications | |||
| Input beam height | 104 mm … 135 mm | ||
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 580 mm x 380 mm x 190 - 221 mm | ||
| Software | software control of compressor settings; remote control via TCP/IP interface | software control: compressor settings and AOM RF frequency; analog control: AOM power |
|
| Connection, Software requirements | USB, Windows 11 | ||
| Customization | |||
| Customized femtoControl devices are available on request. Customization is possible for wavelength range as well as for GDD ranges. Larger GDD range can be achieved with the femtoControl Kit. | |||
Datasheets & Brochures
femtoControl_rev-4.0.0 (pdf / english)
or
Email & Phone Contacts
APE has distributors around the world to give you the best support. Choose a country to find your local sales contact:
