Titanium-doped sapphire (Ti:Al2O3 or Ti:Sapphire) lasers and amplifiers have enabled countless applications in fundamental research in physics, biology, and chemistry since their invention in the early 1980s. Nowadays Ti:Sapphire lasers play an important role across a wide range of photonics applications, including multicolor ultrafast spectroscopy, multiphoton deep-tissue imaging, terawatt and petawatt physics, and “cold” micromachining. Speaking specifically, Ti:Sapphire lasers are tunable fiber lasers which emit red and near-infrared light in the range from 650 to 1100 nanometers. These lasers are mainly used in scientific research because of their tunability and their ability to generate ultrashort pulses. Ti:Sapphire lasers possesses high laser cross sections which in turn minimizes its Q-switching instabilities. Pumping of Ti:Sapphire lasers are carried out with other lasers having wavelengths of 514 to 532 nm: it includes Nd:YVO lasers, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers or argon-ion lasers.
The first reported Ti:Sapphire laser operation was performed in June 1982 by Peter Moulton at the 12th International Quantum Electronics Conference in Munich, Germany. In 1998, Spectra-Physics offered the first commercial Ti:Sapphire laser, a broadly tunable continuous-wave model and, in late 1990, the first ultrafast Ti:Sapphire laser, a picosecond mode-locked oscillator. Further developments in this field led to a sudden paradigm shift rarely seen in research. Ti:Sapphire laser systems unmatched in their characteristics for delivering a combination of broad spectral bandwidth, a range of repetition rates, wide tunability and high-average-power levels. Since most other broadband lasers gain media have relatively poor thermal properties, Ti:Sapphire lasers offer a unique performance for use in ultrafast laser systems.
The main applications of Ti:Sapphire lasers are in research laboratories, in particular in spectroscopy. The large tuning range makes these fiber lasers attractive for generating tunable sub-picosecond pulses at short wavelengths. Ti:Sapphire lasers are used in NASA (Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment) for measuring water vapor and aerosols, and their effects on atmospheric processes. Also, Ti:Sapphire laser systems are used to study chemical reactions on ultrafast time scales. Recently, devices to control and measure the spectral phase and amplitude of the ultrafast pulses have been developed in order to find applications in the field of coherent control which has grown increasingly sophisticated in these latter days. In biology, Ti:Sapphire lasers are instrumental in multiphoton microscopy (MPM), which has developed into the leading noninvasive laboratory tool for studying underlying biological phenomena. this tool offers high-resolution three-dimensional imaging in thick tissues, special including in vivo specimens.
In addition to this, Ti:Sapphire lasers have been instrumental in fields such as nonlinear physics and terahertz generation. Thus The ability of Ti:Sapphire lasers to generate ultrafast pulses and wide wavelength tunability enable unprecedented advances across a range of discipline is science, industry, and beyond.
Optromix is a fiber laser manufacturer that develops cutting-edge laser systems and new fiber optic technologies. We produce unique fiber laser scientific systems and specialize in single frequency fiber laser products. We manufacture lasers using our own technologies based on the advanced research work and patents of international R&D team. Laser processes are high quality, high precision, easily-automated manufacturing solutions that provide repeatability and flexibility. Our company is constantly developing new laser systems that can potentially be used for fiber laser powered solar sails.
If you are interested in Optromix fiber lasers and fiber optic technologies, please contact us at info@optromix.com
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