Category: Custom Laser Solutions

Thulium Fiber Laser for LIDAR and Gas Sensing Systems

Introduction to Thulium Fiber Lasers

Ultra-short pulsed femto- and picosecond lasers are in high demand today. Thulium-doped lasers, definitely, stand out because of their capability to generate emissions in a wide range. Thulium Fiber Laser has unique qualities which make it perfect for a lot of different applications, namely, medicine, spectroscopy, laser ranging and micromachining of transparent materials, in particular, semiconductors and laser for LIDAR. Presently, they are the most effective sources of a single-mode emission with the wavelength in 2 µ range.

Medical and Biological Applications

Thulium Fiber Laser water absorption properties are outstanding. The main constituent of any biological tissues is water, which is why strong water absorption quality of thulium laser allows significant heating of small areas. In other words, cutting biological tissues becomes extra precise. All of the above make Thulium Fiber Laser irreplaceable when it comes to performing surgical procedures.

Advantages for Free-Space and Sensing Applications

Thulium lasers compared to traditional optimal cost-efficient laser systems that operate at shorter wavelengths have undeniable advantages when using for free space applications. It gives them a high commercial value, especially as laser for LIDAR and gas sensing systems, optical communication applications and pumping lasers for the mid infra-red spectrum.

Host Materials and Laser Types

Thulium doped lasers are released either in fiber or crystal host materials. Depending on the host material the wavelength range spreads from 1840 nm to 2100 nm. Thulium fiber can either be a q-switched laser or continuous wave laser, and both develop significantly a high average power. On the other hand, thulium doped crystals have a broad emission spectrum, which allows a large wavelength tuning range. Thulium doped crystals are of really good quality with a few imperfections and defects. YAG and YFL crystals reveal the best quality nowadays; however, they are not the best choices because of their thermal conductivity and emission cross section. There is definitely a room for improvement, and further research has to be done to enhance their performance.
Despite the fact that there are so many different applications in a lot of industries only few laser technology providers can deliver this type of laser at the moment. Currently, Optromix is developing its own thulium laser and will release it shortly for commercial use (e.g. laser for LIDAR).

Laser diode system in food production

Laser systems in the food industry

It is not a secret that laser systems are the most frequently used tool in different areas of human life, especially, in the industrial sphere. Today lasers make the process of food production easier and faster and help to control the quality of end products.

Detection of counterfeit olive oil

Thus, researchers from Spain have developed laser diode sensor that is able to reveal counterfeit olive oil that is often sold as “extra virgin”. It means that now it is possible to find out fake olive oil with the help of an optical sensor. This device differentiates similar olive oils by the difference in their quality.

Principle of laser diode system operation

The laser diode system includes laser diodes that allow detecting the fluorescence from spoiled oil that differs from that of real “extra virgin”. It should be mentioned that extra virgin oil is produced from pure, cold-pressed olives, while fake oil includes both cold-pressed and processed oil that has worse taste, appearance, and quality. The most popular example is the mixture of pure olive oil and cheaper oil.

Measurement process and data analysis

The principle of laser system operation includes the use of laser diode sensor that is the source of the light measuring the fluorescence emission level and twenty qualities of data. The measurement of these parameters allows the estimation of fake oil presence concentration.

Advantages of the laser diode sensor

The laser diode sensor has been produced with the help of a 3D printer and has numerous advantages such as:

low cost both to manufacture and to operate;
compact size;
on-site analysis;
result generation in real time;
a potential way for quality control.

Impact on olive oil quality control

The problem of olive oil quality is national and even international one. Previously, its solution faced to an obstacle such as expensiveness but now it became real to eliminate counterfeit olive oil very fast and with low costs. Moreover, the frequency of fake olive oil is reducing due to the laser diode system.

Further research and applications

Also, the researchers undertake the study with the aim of laser system operation control using the mixture of different olive oils, even those that were past their “best before” date and analyzed the results by chaotic algorithms.

Practical use in brand protection

Consequently, this method can be used at any time, to be precise, it is able to control the extra virgin olive oil quality until its packaging or after with the aim of fake brands or producer detection.