Thorlabs Picosecond Microchip Laser

Thorlabs' QSL103A Q-Switched Picosecond Microchip Laser is a compact laser system designed to provide a turnkey, alignment-free solution for picosecond pulses at 1030 nm. Featuring a compact microchip laser cavity with a fiber-coupled pump laser, this source produces a high-quality beam (M2 < 1.2) with high pulse energies at a kHz repetition rate, making it ideal for material processing applications or harmonic generation. For full performance specifications, please see the Specs tab. Each picosecond laser system includes a head and a controller that have integrated drive electronics, temperature stabilization, and safety interlocks. The picosecond laser head also includes a manual-slide shutter, which can be used to cover the laser aperture.

Features

• 1030 nm Center Wavelength
• 500 ps ± 100 ps Pulse Duration
• Compatible with 30 mm Cage System
• Integrated Control Electronics
• Trigger Output for Pulse Monitoring

Optical Emission
The output from this source has a 10 mrad divergence to allow for flexibility in the beam diameter. The laser head features SM05 (0.535"-40) internal threading on the beam aperture, as well as 4-40 threads for compatibility with our 30 mm cage components, for easy integration of an external collimating lens (see image on the top right). To compensate for any beam misalignment at the laser output, the collimating lens should be mounted in a cage plate with XY translation.

Mounting
The QSL103A laser head can be mounted to an optical table or breadboard using the 8-32 (M4) or 1/4"-20 (M6) clearance holes included on the housing. With an output beam height of 0.98" (25.0 mm), some applications may require the laser head to be mounted on a raised breadboard; see the image to the bottom right for an example.

Electrical Connections
Each QSL103A laser system is shipped with an umbilical cable for connecting the laser head and controller. This laser system integrates all required drive electronics, safety interlocks, and temperature stabilization needed for operation. Note that the power supply is built into the unit and a region-specific power cord is included with each laser.

Panel Features
A trigger out (SMA female) is included on the laser head, which can be used for monitoring the output pulse and repetition rate, as well as for timing the arrival of a pulse with an electronic trigger. An indicator LED is also included for the laser emission.

All required safety features are included with the controller, including key switch, interlock pin, and momentary switch to enable the laser output; see the Front & Back Panels tab for more details on the panel features. Note that the controller front panel includes dual color (red/green) status LEDs for the TEC and laser emission status, which are designed to be visible through most safety glasses. 

Applications:

• Material Processing
• Photoacoustic Imaging
• Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
• Harmonic Generation
• LIDAR
• Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Specifications:

Average Output Power	350 - 450 mW
Repetition Ratea	8 - 10 kHz
Pulse Energya	40 - 50 µJ
Output Peak Power	>80 kW
Pulse Durationa	500 ps ± 100 ps
Typical Pulse (Typical)b
Center Wavelength	1030 nm ± 1 nm
Output Spectrum (Typical)b
Power Stability	<1% over 8 hours
Beam Diameter (1/e2), at 100 mm	3 mm
Beam Divergence (1/e2), Typical	10 mrad
Beam Quality (M2)	<1.2
Beam Profile (Typical at 150 mm)	Click to Enlarge

• This spec is a fixed value for each device, but it varies within this range from one device to another.