Laser Systems

Firefly-IR

A New, Compact, Widely Tunable, Pulsed Mid-Infrared Laser Source
The novel Firefly-IR provides a unique blend of broad mid-IR and near-IR wavelength coverage, class-leading output power, high brightness, hands-free operation, room-temperature operation and shoebox size. These features offer new, unique capabilities for a host of remote sensing, imaging and molecular spectroscopy applications.

Firefly-IR is based on optical parametric oscillator (OPO) technology, integrated with a pulsed, diode-pumped pump laser. The wide tunability inherent to OPOs means a single Firefly-IR, with its mid-IR wavelength range covering ~2.4 to 4.7 microns, can access the absorption features of many different molecular species. This represents significant cost and space savings for the user. Further, a novel intracavity OPO design — in which the OPO gain medium is placed inside the pump laser cavity — provides significant performance benefits. This design not only enables an extremely rugged and compact optical head design, ideal for portable and space-constrained OEM applications, but also provides highly efficient conversion of the nanosecond pump pulses to the mid-IR. This high efficiency translates directly into high average power (typically >475mW at 350kHz) and high peak power (typically >100W), all of which are advantageous in spectroscopy, sensing and detection applications. Firefly's high power and low beam divergence allows it to ‘see’ further in these applications; its high pulse repetition rate enables rapid data acquisition, and the combination of both allow users to recover signals more easily from any background noise. This combination also lends the Firefly-IR to video-rate imaging — highly desirable as an alternative to basic ‘yes/no’ detection of hazardous substances in safety and security applications.

Firefly-IR’s unique characteristics make it ideally suited to a variety of scientific and industrial applications, supplying capabilities to push the boundaries of each. Applications include: spectroscopy and detection of greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons (including methane and ethane); homeland security (including spectral characterization and detection of explosives, drugs and bio-agents); medical diagnostics (such as p.p.m. breath monitoring); jet and combustion engine emissions reduction; oil exploration; molecular spectroscopy; LIDAR; eye-safe illumination and infrared countermeasures (missile ‘spoofing’).

The Firefly-IR complies with all regulatory design standards, including safety, CE, and the new RoHS/WEEE requirements. Specifications should be confirmed with the factory at the time of ordering. Customized Firefly-IR performance is available - please inquire.

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