Project: Compact and Efficient Laser for Life science and other applications, emitting > 60 mW continuous-wave radiation at 355 nm

This project aims at developing a compact laser source capable of emitting >60 mW of continuous-wave (CW) radiation at 355 nm and with a total power consumption less than 100W. _x000D_Compact CW laser sources with narrow spectral bandwidth in the UV, in particular around 350-360 nm, are very attractive for use in a variety of photonics-based analytical instrumentation technologies ranging from fluorescence imaging/analysis to Raman spectroscopy, microlithography and optical inspection. These instrumentation technologies serve a broad range of applications in the areas of biomedical research, drug development, clinical diagnosis, semiconductor fabrication, quality control and manufacturing process optimisation. _x000D_A number of UV laser technologies are available that are capable of meeting most of the technical requirements of these applications. However, their implementation is limited due to the lack of an alternative that can combine appropriate optical performance (right wavelength, sufficient power and narrow spectrum) with compact size and affordable price. Today, most CW UV lasers for analytical applications are used COly in high-end research-grade instruments where size and cost are less considered. The availability of a compact and cost-efficient UV laser that can be integrated into lower-cost bench-top instruments would improve the performance capability of such instruments and hence give access to better analytical tools to a larger number of users and communities. Increased access to the UV spectral range in smaller, more user-friendly and more wide-spread analytical instruments will in turn help to drive advancements in healthcare, life science and manufacturing industries._x000D_The estimated world-wide annual market for compact UV lasers in the 350-360 nm spectral range is €25-30M._x000D_In 2010, Cobolt introduced the Cobolt Zouk laser, as the world's first truly compact high performance CW UV laser. The Cobolt Zouk is a diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser providing up to 10 mW single-frequency CW emission at 355 nm. Since the market introduction of this laser, Cobolt has been able to prove its capability to replace much bulkier alternatives in existing instruments or allow integration of UV excitation in new bench-top instruments in most of the listed target applications and has successfully penetrated the lower power segments of the market. However, most applications areas are segmented into different power requirements and a large portion of applications require a power level of 30-60 mW. Hence, a capability to provide these power levels (or more) from a COtained small format, would not only give Cobolt access to a considerably larger share of the market, but also a significant competitive advantage. _x000D_The goals of the project will be achieved by further development of the Cobolt Zouk laser platform, in a collaboration between Cobolt AB; laser-manufacturer in Sweden, Laser Zentrum Hannover; research institute in Germany with world-unique expertise in advanced dielectric optical coatings and HCP; world-leading supplier of tailored nonlinear optical crystals. In addition the Cutting Edge Coatings Company (CEC) will provide substantial equipment development for the improvement of coating performance and coating stability in the UV spectral range._x000D_The laser source to be developed in the proposed project must be both compact and power efficient. Compactness is required for integration into smaller instruments. Power efficiency is required as both cost and size of the laser system scales with the power efficiency. Specifically, it is important to keep the heat dissipation from the laser system at a minimum. Hence, the CO challenge and objective of the project is to improve the power efficiency of the laser, while scaling the output power. A second challenge is to ensure long lifetime and durability of the laser at higher power levels in the UV. Three distinct parts of the laser design will be addressed, which will require significant contributions from all consortium members; _x000D_i) the efficiency of the nonlinear conversion process from IR to UV radiation (1064+532=>355nm) will be enhanced through the development of new periodically poled crystals for Quasi-PhaseMatched (QPM) nonlinear optical conversion _x000D_ii) the material composition of the dielectric high-reflective coatings of the IR laser cavity will be further developed to achieve lower losses and to increase damage thresholds in the UV _x000D_iii) the laser cavity design and pump configuration will be developed to enable power scaling and simultaneously divide the generated heat in an optimum way. _x000D_The goal of the project is to develop and characterize prototypes of CW lasers at 355 nm capable of emitting >60 mW output power. In a continuation of the project Cobolt intend to invest in the development and commercialization of a complete finished product._x000D__x000D__x000D__x000D__x000D_

Acronym	CELL-UV (Reference Number: 7721)
Duration	01/06/2013 - 31/08/2015
Project Topic	The goal of this project is to develop a compact laser source capable of emitting >60 mW of continuous-wave radiation at 355 nm and with a total power consumption of less than 100W. The laser source will be used in analytical instrumentation technologies in life science and advanced measurement.
Project Results (after finalisation)	An extraction grid design for RF-driven ion sources with collinear grid hole arrangement was elaborated for mitigate contamination in the thin film deposition process. An assistance ion source with optimized extraction was delivered to project P LZH. A simulation software based on physical model algorithms was developed to investigate in contamination effects of different grid hole geometries.
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 9

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
4	Cobolt AB	Coordinator	Sweden
4	Cutting Edge Coatings GmbH	Partner	Germany
4	HC Photonics Corp.	Partner	Taiwan
4	Laser Zentrum Hanover	Partner	Germany