Rapp OptoElectronic and Class 5 Photonics make the next step in commercial systems enabling
three-photon microscopy for deep brain imaging. Joint measurements have been
supported by the renowned University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and show
promising results in comparison to standard two-photon microscopy.

Another White Dwarf for 3-photon microscopy was installed in a bio-imaging lab in Germany. With > 5 W and 40 fs at 1300 nm the WD-1300 provides the highest average power and peak intensity on the market for advanced microscopy applications.

Additionally, our one-box solution and robust engineering achieves excellent power stability and pulse-to-pulse stability (typically < 0.5 %). The integrated, industrial Coherent Monaco 60 W pump laser provides additional reliability and user friendly operation of the White Dwarf system.
Hence, biologists can focus on their in-vivo experiments while keeping laser maintenance to a minimum and increasing up-time.

The installed system is upgradable with a second channel at 1700 nm (WD-1300-dual). An independent, second OPCPA channel is optimized at 1700 nm and hence multi-color experiments are possible when running the system in a parallel mode (1300 and 1700 nm simultaneously). Alternatively, the user can switch between 1300 and 1700 nm to double the average power at each wavelength for deep brain imaging.

Our CTO Michael presented at Photonics West 2021 our high-power OPCPA system for in vivo multi-photon microscopy: White Dwarf OPCPA.

The White Dwarf OPCPA is a compact and  robust laser system especially designed for multi-photon microscopy at high performance parameters.

• > 2 µJ at 1300 nm @ 2 MHz
  
  
• > 2 µJ at 960 or 1700 nm @ 2 MHz
  
  
• repetition rates up to 4 MHz available
  
  
• short pulse durations < 50 fs at sample
  
  
• pumped by Coherent Monaco industrial femtosecond laser

Publication: High power OPCPA system for in-vivo 2- and 3-photon brain imaging, Proc. SPIE 11648, Multiphoton Microscopy in the Biomedical Sciences XXI, 1164819 (5 March 2021); doi: 10.1117/12.2578713

Ultrafast dynamics experiments in physics, chemistry and biology, in condensed matter or gas phase require different types of ultrafast laser sources. Class 5 Photonics builds high-power optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers (OPCPA) which are a powerful toolbox to deliver femtosecond pulses from
the XUV to MIR spectral range.

Some good news and some bad news… Just before the coronavirus disease arrived to Europe Class 5 Photonics shipped its very first system to Asia - namely South Korea. We are proud to reach the Asian market and to serve scientists world-wide with our high-power OPCPA systems made in Germany.

The shipped White Dwarf OPCPA is a compact (80 cm x 80 cm) one-box laser system incorporating a 40 W Coherent Monaco industrial laser and the Class 5 Photonics' high-power optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA). This unique combination provides turnkey access to few-cycle pulse widths < 9 fs at 800 nm, with pulse energies > 4 μJ and 1 MHz repetition rate, featuring excellent long-term output stability. The White Dwarf system is ideal for applications ranging from attosecond science to ultrafast electron diffraction and multidimensional spectroscopy.

Our little package already arrived at Korea and now the system is waiting for its installation in the Customer's lab. Unfortunately, the current situation of world-wide Corona infections, quarantine and travel bans will postpone the installation.  We are patient until then and look forward to rock the customer’s new lab when the White Dwarf OPCPA gets finally installed (we keep you posted).

Additionally, the White Dwarf OPCPA can be configured for three-photon excitation of red fluorescent proteins at 1700 nm. Pulse energies of more than 2 µJ at 1 MHz repetition rate allow fast imaging of deep-tissue.

The White Dwarf OPCPA implements the Coherent Monaco industrial fiber laser as pump source for long-term stability, reliability and turn-key operation.