Ultrafast Laser: US$9,800  (US$8,800 without LD)

With this Mode Locked Yb Fiber Laser Kit for US$9,800, you can easily built up an ultrafast laser (femtosecond laser・picosecond lase) costing from several tens of thousand US dollars to one hundred thousand US dollar in the market. Because this kit can be assembled thanks to the manual just like a plastic bricks construction game, you will easily be able to obtain laser source developing know-how.

*Please ask us too if you need finished products which we can negotiate at low cost

::What is an “ultrafast laser” ?
::What is a “fiber laser” ?

Contents

Structure and Specifications

Structure

The Mode Locked Yb Fiber Laser Kit includes the followings.

  • a set of optical parts
  • a semiconductor laser (LD) (※ available also without LD)
  • an easy assembly manual

products_modelock

This kit works on NPR (Nonlinear Polarization Rotation) as a principle of mode locking.
This kit is made with optical elements selected so that every optical parts are aligned (optical axis) with the laser beam going there through. The mode locking will work as early as few hours after you have received it.

::Explanation of nonlinear polarization rotation

スクリーンショット 2016-01-08 15.57.00

Structure of the Mode Locked Yb Fiber Laser Kit

Movie of “Mode Locked Yb Fiber Laser Kit”

モードロックの縦モード

State of vertical mode at mode locking (Repetition frequency: 40 MHz)

Example 1 of Specifications

Shown at the bottom in the case of Soliton pulse mode locking)
Pulse width:670 fs
Center wavelength:1040 nm
Spectral width:8.0 nm
Average output:10 mW
Repetition frequency:40 MHz
Energy : 0.25 nJ
Peak power: 370 W


One example of auto-correlation waveform and spectrum at the time of soliton pulse mode locking



Example 2 of Specifications

(Shown at the bottom) in the case of stretch pulse Mode Locked
Pulse width : 1 ps (※ 62 fs, with an external 1.0 um band transmission type pulse compressor
Center wavelength: 1035 nm
Spectral width: 55 nm
Average output: 100 mW
Repetition frequency : 45 MHz
Energy:2.2 nJ
Peak intensity:2.2 kW(32 kW, after pulse compression)


One example of auto-correlation waveform and spectrum at the time of stretch pulse mode



Example 3 of specifications

Pulse width: Sub ps
Center wavelength : 1055 nm(1030 ~ 1060 nm, variable)
Spectral width: 25 nm
Average output : 50 mW
Repetition frequency : 40 MHz
Energy:1.2 nJ
Peak intensity:several kW


State of wavelength –tuning (Slit set for wavelength tuning is required)


Examples of applications

Listed below are the research papers reporting detailed studies with mode locked fiber laser having a structure similar to this kit. Some users customize this experimental kit to adapt the laser source for use in laser microscope, OCT, laser processing, or THz.The research paper using this kit is published in “Nature Photonics” which is a world’s top level scientific journal.

  1. “High-speed molecular spectral imaging of tissue with stimulated Raman scattering “, Nature Photonics 6, 845–851 (2012).This kit is used.
  2. “Stimulated Raman hyperspectral imaging based on spectral filtering of broadband fiber laser pulses”, Optics Letters, Vol. 37, Issue 3, pp. 431-433 (2012).
  3. “Subharmonic Synchronization of Picosecond Yb Fiber Laser to Picosecond Ti:Sapphire Laser for Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 51 022702 (2012).
  4. “Stimulated Raman scattering microscope with shot noise limited sensitivity using subharmonically synchronized laser pulses”, Optics Express, Vol. 18, Issue 13, pp. 13708-13719 (2010).
  5. “Quasi-supercontinuum generation using 1.06μm ultrashort-pulse laser system for ultrahigh-resolution optical-coherence tomography”, Optics Letters, Vol. 35, Issue 21, pp. 3631-3633 (2010). The state of Soliton Self Frequency Shift

Price and Shipment

Product Name: Mode Locked Yb Fiber Laser Kit
Product Number: FL-MLYb-kit
Price:US$9,800(tax-excluded)(※ US$8,800 without LD(tax-excluded)
Shipment: one week after receipt of order at shortest
two months after receipt of order at longest

*A power source for the semiconductor laser is not included.
**Inform us if you do not have a fusion splicer.
** Please understand that we don’t sell partial sets, only full kits.
*“Small-sized Mode Locked” is recommended if you do hope a kit closer to a finished product.
*For getting a higher intensity, you can use this kit together with a fiber
amplifier kit
or a high pulse energy type femtosecond regeneration amplifying kit
*Mode Locked Fiber Laser Kits with center wavelength of 1.5 μm
or 0.9 μm are also available.
*We offer finished products of Mode Locked Fiber Laser.

Options (sold separately)

Required items

LD (semiconductor laser) power supply
It is used to drive a semiconductor laser (LD).
If you do not have an LD power supply, please choose from three models.
::Precautions when handling semiconductor lasers
LD (semiconductor laser) power supply
PS-LDD-BOX
14-pin butterfly LD power supply for large current
This is an all-in-one type LD power supply that combines a current controller, temperature controller, and LD holder into one.

Model
PS-LDD-BOX
Price
US$ 2,450(Tax excluded)

LD (semiconductor laser) power supply
PS-LDD-LCD-K
14-pin butterfly LD power supply kit for large current (with liquid crystal display)
A compact LD power supply kit with a liquid crystal display.

Price
US$ 1,595 (Tax excluded)

LD (semiconductor laser) power supply
ソーラボ製LD電源
Thorlabs LD power supply
Current controller, temperature controller, LD holder included

Model
CLD1015
Price
approx. US$ 2,900(Tax excluded)

LD power supply fixing pedestal clamp
LDドライバ用ペデスタル・クランプ
Pedestal clamp for fixing the D power supply to the breadboard
Set of 4 each

Price
approx. US$ 240(Tax excluded)

Bread board
ブレッドボード
It is used to place and fix optical products. Required if you do not have an optical surface plate.
Material: Aluminum (black alumite) Size: 450 x 600 x 12.7 mm

Model
OTSB456-1
Price
approx. US$ 400(Tax excluded)

IR sensor card

The excitation laser and the laser output from the kit are invisible. A special viewer card is required to check the laser light.
::IR sensor (viewer) card description

Price
Please contact us

Fusion splicer
It is used to connect optical fibers together. If you do not have a fusion splicer, please choose from two models.
::Explanation of fusion splicer
Fusion splicer
融着機70S
Compatible with single-core optical fibers (cladding diameter 80 μm to 150 μm)

Model
70S
Price
approx. US$ 10,000(Tax excluded)

Fusion splicer
12Si
Compatible with single-core optical fiber (clad diameter 125 μm),
inexpensive

Model
12Si-NDセット

Price
US$ 253,000(Tax excluded)

Fusion splicer

Compatible with single-core optical fiber (clad diameter 125 μm),
inexpensive

Price
US$ 1,980(Tax excluded)

Recommended items

Detailed assembly manual (blueprint)
スクリーンショット 2016-03-09 18.04.58
It is a more detailed manual than the attached simple assembly manual. With this manual, mode synchronization is easy.
The following contents are described.

  • Detailed explanation of the assembly method
  • How to apply nonlinear polarization rotation mode locking
  • Troubleshoot mode sync loss
Model
YbManual
Price
US$ 1,000 (Tax excluded)

Spectrometer or spectrum analyzer

It is used to check the mode lock and measure the spectrum of laser light. You can also use a photodetector oscilloscope to check the mode lock.
::Optical spectrum measurement method
::Explanation of spectrometer

Price
approx. US$ 1,900(Tax excluded)

Power meter

You can measure the power of laser light. When assembling the kit, you can check that the laser light is being guided efficiently.
::Power meter description

Price
approx. US$ 700(Tax excluded)

Optional item

Photo detector
ET-3000A
You can measure the intensity of laser light by connecting it to an oscilloscope. By observing the pulse train, you can see how the mode lock is applied.
::Photo detector description

Model
ET-3000A
Price
Please contact us

Oscilloscope
picoscope6404写真
It is used with the photo detector.

Price
Please contact us

FROG
8-50-ECO
In addition to the pulse width of ultrashort pulsed laser light, the phase can be measured simultaneously.
::FROG commentary

Model
8-50-ECO
Price
Please contact us

Case
XE25C10D・M
It is used to protect optical products from dust.
Size: 525 x 375 x 300 mm

Model
XE25C10D/M
Price
approx. US$ 450(Tax excluded)

Other items

Book “Commentary Fiber Laser Basic Edition”
ファイバーレーザーの本
You can systematically learn about fiber lasers.

Model
ISBN-10: 4902312476
Price

Wavelength variable slit set
波長可変用スリットセット
You can manually change the wavelength from 1020 nm to 1090 nm.

Model
WT-SL-k
Price
US$ 1,000(Tax excluded)

Dispersion adjusting glass set

The pulse width can be finely adjusted by inserting and removing the high dispersion glass. 25 mm prism and each thickness 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 100, 150 mm are available.

2nd harmonic SHG generation set
NCPM-SHG_Module_for_fs_Yb-fiber_Lasers
Wavelength 1045 nm can be changed to 522.5 nm or wavelength 1030 nm can be changed to 515 nm.
::Explanation of wavelength conversion

Pulse stretcher kit
PSTR-IR
You can pulse stretch femtosecond pulses to picosecond or nanosecond pulses.
::Explanation of pulse stretcher

Price
Please contact us
(For custom made)

Fiber amplifier kit
FA_schematics-1030x283
A fiber amplifier can be used with a pulse energy of several nJ to around 100 nJ.
::Explanation of optical fiber amplifier

Price
Please contact us
(For custom made)

Regenerative amplifier kit
rga-fs-yb-0-1mj-kit
The pulse energy number nJ can be amplified to 100 μJ or more.
::Regenerative amplifier description

Price
US$ 98,000(Tax excluded)

Pulse compressor kit
system
Picosecond and nanosecond pulses can be pulse-compressed into femtosecond pulses.
::Explanation of pulse compressor

Price
US$ 4,600(Tax excluded)

Supercontinuum SC generation kit
FC-SC-PCF-kit
Bandwidths of 10 nm can be extended to hundreds of nm or more.
::Explanation of Super Continuum

Price
Please contact us

Simulation software
rp_fiber_power_small
Very useful modeling software for fiber device design and optimization.

Price
Please contact us

Chirp mirror
チャープミラー
You can give the pulse a small negative variance.

Model
Layertec
Price
Please contact us

Chirp FBG
Chirped fiber bragg grating
You can give the pulse a large positive or negative dispersion.

Model
OE land
Price
Please contact us

The expendables

WDM coupler
unnamed
If the alignment work is performed when the LD power is strong, the Q switch operation is likely to occur and may be damaged.

Model
Price
Please contact us

Other services

Assembly service
You can leave the assembly to the point where the mode-locked fiber laser oscillates.

Model
Price
US$ 3,000(Tax excluded)

Transportation expenses will be charged separately.

Development story

It was developed by new students from university laboratories and companies because they thought it would be interesting to have a toy that could learn “fiber laser”, “mode synchronization”, and “femtosecond laser” as if they were plastic models.「Analog electronic circuit production kit that makes learning the basics of electricity fun: Gakken Electronic Block」It is a “laser oscillator manufacturing kit” that you can learn the basics of laser in a fun way. We hope that this experimental kit can contribute to “development of ultra-short pulse laser field”, “development of laser industry” and “development of optical industry”.

History

  • 2004 Since fiber lasers were mainly in the 1.5um wavelength band, which is an optical communication band, there were few commercially available optical elements for fiber lasers in the 1.0um wavelength band. It was very difficult to prepare Yb-doped fibers, isolators, and fiber collimators, and I was groping for what to use and what to use.Although it was announced at the American academic conference,but not yet announced at the Japanese academic conference, it took about one year to succeed in mode-locked fiber laser oscillation in the wavelength 1.0 um band. I remember being very happy when mode synchronization was first applied.
  • 2011 In collaboration with a trading company, we succeeded in developing the “mode-locked Yb fiber laser experiment kit”. At that time, mode-locked Yb fiber products were very expensive, at the 10 million yen class. In order to expand the market, we set the price of the experimental kit to approx. 1 million yen.
  • End of March 2014 We delivered not only to RIKEN, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, and other independent administrative agencies, to universities such as the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, but also to large number of customers from large companies to venture companies. As far as we know, the purchaser’s mode synchronization achievement rate is 100%.
  • End of January 2016 So far, 30 femtosecond lasers (mode-locked fiber laser kits) have been introduced to the market, recently one per month. We have a wide variety of applications, and we feel that we are contributing to the expansion of the femtosecond laser market.

Product sales record

  • University of Tokyo
  • Kyoto University
  • Osaka University
  • Nagoya University
  • Chiba University
  • Hokkaido University
  • Kanagawa University
  • Institute of Molecular Science
  • Saitama Medical University
  • Gakushuin University
  • High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
  • Nagoya Institute of Technology
  • Japan Atomic Energy Agency
  • University of Yamanashi
  • Waseda University
  • RIKEN
  • Ritsumeikan University
  • Tohoku University
  • The University of Electro-Communications
  • The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries
  • Keio University
  • Other domestic and foreign private companies

What is mode synchronization

01モード同期とは モード同期法

Yb-doped silica glass optical fiber

The absorption cross section and stimulated emission cross section of Yb fiber are shown.
Details on the following web page.
Spectral characteristics of Yb fiber

Ybファイバーのスペクトル

Soliton pulse mode synchronization / Stretch pulse mode synchronization

Soliton pulse mode locking occurs when the total dispersion in the resonator is negative (abnormal dispersion).Optical soliton effect(pulse spread due to dispersion effect and pulse compression due to self-phase modulation (SPM) balance each other) creates a waveform of the sech2 function.Therefore, the pulse quality is good, but the pulse energy is limited.
Stretch pulse mode locking occurs when the total dispersion in the resonator is positive (normal dispersion). The pulse energy is not limited and high output is possible, but the feature is that the pedestal component is likely to remain after pulse compression.