Ekspla: Employing SFG spectroscopy in protein structure studies

Langmuir, the highly reputed ACS (American Chemical Society) magazine, in it’s May issue, published an interesting study called “Structure Determination of Hen Egg-White Lysozyme Aggregates Adsorbed to Lipid/Water and Air/Water Interfaces” which was featured on the magazine‘s cover. The picture in the cover art was made by the article co-authors and young perspective scientist Simona Strazdaitė a senior research fellow in the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC). The cover art illustrates the technique employed in the article – a surface-specific technique, vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy. It was applied to study the structure of lysozyme aggregates adsorbed to a lipid monolayer.

These studies are very important in helping to understand how neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are evolving.

Ekspla is proud that its customized version of the SFG spectrometer was employed in these important studies.

The article can be found here.

Ekspla: New and Promising Applications in Laser Materials Processing

Ekspla lasers are being used in developing new and promising applications in Materials Processing. Techniques including Laser-assisted Selective Copper Deposition on Polymers and Laser Photopolymerisation are finding rapid niche growth. Ekspla has recently added ten new short articles outlining new applications for Laser Materials Processing here. It is part of the Ekspla Applications article library. 

Laser-assisted Selective Copper Deposition on Polymers

Fabrication of circuit traces is the most challenging task in Moulded interconnect devices (MID) production, being both technically difficult to achieve and difficult to make cost effectively. Moulded interconnect devices (MID) – an injection-moulded thermoplastic part with integrated electronics – offer material, weight and cost savings by integrating electronic circuits directly into polymeric components. Selective Surface Activation Induced by Laser (SSAIL) is a new technology for writing electronic circuits directly onto the dielectric material. This is done by modifying the surface properties with a picosecond pulse laser and has been developed at the Center for physical sciences and technology. Picosecond lasers can write the circuits directly by modifying the surface of polymers followed by an electroless metal plating. SSAIL is a three-step process. First is surface modification by laser; second is chemical activation of the modified areas; and the last step is metal deposition by electroless plating. The new technology offers laser writing speeds of up to 4m/s, and therefore spatial plating pitch is kept narrow at 25 µm.

Recommended Laser: Ekspla Atlantic Series High Power Industrial Picosecond Lasers

Photopolymerization

Photopolymerization is a powerful and versatile light-activated resin solidification process. It is attractive for the fabrication of complex micrometer-size three-dimensional (3D) structures by employing nanosecond as well as picosecond lasers. Many fabrication techniques of polymeric microstructures are based on photopolymerization via photolithography, digital light processing lithography, rapid prototyping, multi-photon polymerization, 3D printing, interference lithography, etc. Polymeric microstructures with a prescribed shape and thickness are desirable for a wide range of applications: tissue engineering, electronics and optics, coating, adhesives, drug delivery, microfluidics and surface science.

Source: E. Stankevičius, E. Daugnoraitė, etc. Mechanism of pillars formation using four-beam interference lithography. Optics and Lasers in Engineering 116, 41-46 (2019).\

Recommended Laser: Ekspla Atlantic Series High Power Industrial Picosecond Lasers

Ekspla ND230 High Energy Q-switched DPSS Nd:YAG Lasers

Bio-inspired Shark-skin-like Surface Structuring

Bio-inspired surfaces decrease friction with gases and the most recognizable textures are shark-skin-like riblets. Such surfaces can be formed using  direct laser ablation with high flexibility options. The bio-inspired riblet surfaces were formed using picosecond ultraviolet laser ablation on pre-heated Teflon at various sample temperatures. The ablation of hot Teflon was found to be 30% more efficient than the conventional laser structuring at room temperature. The functional properties and surface morphologies of the laser-fabricated textures were found to be close to the simplified geometry of shark-skin. The friction of structured Teflon surfaces with the flowing air was investigated using a drag measurement setup.

Source: A. Žemaitis, J. Mikšys, etc. High-efficiency laser fabrication of drag reducing riblet surfaces on pre-heated Teflon. Materials Research Express 6, 065309 (2019).

Recommended Laser: Ekspla Atlantic Series High Power Industrial Picosecond Lasers

Ekspla Atlantic 6 Compact Air-cooled Industrial Picosecond Laser

Read further articles here. 

Precisely trigger up to 8 channels with the new Ekspla synchronization module and pulse delay generator

Ekspla have introduceda new pulse synchronization module with delay generator. The SY4000 series module is designed to create up to 8 delayed output pulse sequences precisely synchronized to an internal or external clock. A photodetector or electrical signal can be used as the input source to be synchronized. The SY4000 delivers precise delay control from 2 ns to 150 ms, maintaining 25 ps timing resolution.

SY4000 pulse delay generator gives the possibility to create different sequences, such as a delayed trigger or timed series. These features are employed in applications like creating sets of pulses to control Pockel’s cell drivers with one, two, or 4 triggering inputs.

Ekspla FemtoLux 3: Microjoule Class Industrial Grade Femtosecond Fiber Laser

Ekspla's FemtoLux 3 is a modern industrial femtosecond laser aimed for micromachining, engraving and ophthalmologic surgery applications. Laser delivers up to 3 W of average power and up to 2 μJ femtosecond pulse energy. FemtoLux 3 is a flexible platform which allows to optimize output parameters for the desired process. The repetition rate as well as the output power can be easily changed with integrated pulse picker. With burst mode enabled FemtoLux 3 can generate bursts of pulses with energy above 10 µJ with burst shape pre-programed or controlled in real time. Pulse duration can also be programed up to 5 ps. Read more.

Ekspla PhotoSonus: Mobile High Energy Tunable Laser System for Photoacoustic Imaging

Following the demand of high output energies in the photoacoustic market for imaging larger volumes of tissue, the Ekspla PhotoSonus, a new high energy tunable laser source for photo-acoustic imaging has been introduced. Time-tested Ekspla nanosecond pump laser, parametric oscillator, power supply and cooling unit are integrated in a single robust housing to provide mobility and ease of use.

Highly flexible PhotoSonus platform makes it easy to be integrated and used in a photoacoustic imaging system: it is fully motorized and computer controlled, have user trigger outputs/inputs and special functions as fast tuning between OPO wavelengths. Parametric oscillator generates output energies up to 200 mJ at peak. Achieving a highly uniform spatial distribution from OPO and adjustable beam diameter helps homogeneously couple various size fiber bundles and deliver balanced energy light to the target. By employing a wide range of other options (like access to OPO idler range, toggling between OPO and fundamental wavelengths through simultaneous output), this laser system can be modified to specific user requirements in order to expand photo-acoustic imaging possibilities. Read more.

Ekspla Ultraflux: Tunable Wavelength Single Housing Femtosecond Laser System

Introducing the UltraFlux Tunable wavelength femtosecond laser from Ekspla.

UltraFlux is the first compact high energy tuneable wavelength femtosecond laser system which incorporates the advantages of ultrafast fiber laser, solid-state and parametric amplification technologies in less than 1 square meter footprint box. Patent pending (application No. EP2924500) OPCPA front end technology uses the same picosecond fiber laser for seeding both picosecond DPSS pump laser and femtosecond parametric amplifier by spectrally broadened output. Read more.

Ekspla and Light Conversion lead consortium to deliver a 5 TW laser system

Ceremony held in the Residence of the Hungarian Ambassador in Vilnius, on the occasion of the contract made between the Lithuanian Ekspla/Liight Conversion consortium and the ELI-ALPS laser research center in Szeged, Hungary.

A unique OPCPA based laser system, providing 5 terawatts of output power at 1 kHz repetition rate has been produced by a cosortium led by Ekspla and Light Conversion. The system, named Sylos 1, was designed and build for the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Attosecond Light Pulse Source facilities (ELI-ALPS) located in Szeged, Hungary.

“This system is unique due to its outstanding combination of power and pulse duration” – noted Kestutis Jasiunas, EKSPLA CEO – “five terawatts establishes Sylos as one of the most powerful systems in the world generating 10 fs or shorter pulses at 1 kHz repetition rate. Secondly, it employs innovative OPCPA technology born and perfected at Vilnius University, Lithuania. Featuring comparatively simple and cost-effective layout OPCPA is a key approach in equipping the high intensity laser facility to reach attoseconds in deep UV regions.” Read more.

Ekspla introduces brand updates and new logo

Vilnius – November 16, 2016 - Celebrating 24 years of innovations, Ekspla, the manufacturer of lasers, laser systems and electronics has announced an updated brand identity including a new facelifted logo.

Starting a new era in the company’s development, the refreshed brand sets an important milestone in Ekspla history. Maintaining close connections with scientific and engineering community, Ekspla has established itself as a scientifically curious team of creative engineers keen to take on new challenges.

“Ekspla evolved from a small company established by several passionate engineers, to a worldwide reliable solutions provider while continuing to express the fundamental values of our Ekspla culture: to be capable, invent, contribute, to be credible, and be brave. These values reinforce and remain at the heart of our newly re-introduced brand” noted Kestutis Jasiunas, CEO of Ekspla. Read more.

EKSPLA announce new UltraFlux series tunable wavelength femtosecond laser system based on OPCPA technology

New tunable wavelength femtosecond system

EKSPLA's UltraFlux is the first compact high energy femtosecond laser system which incorporates the advantages of ultrafast fiber laser, solid-state and parametric amplification technologies in less than 1 square meter footprint box. Patent pending (application No. EP2924500) OPCPA front end technology uses the same picosecond fiber laser for seeding both picosecond DPSS pump laser and femtosecond parametric amplifier by spectrally broadened output. This approach greatly simplifies the system – excludes femtosecond regenerative amplifier and eliminates the need of pump and seed pulse synchronization. In addition to that, contrast of the output pulses in picosecond to nanosecond time scale is potentially increased. Read more.

Ekspla NT235 Series Tunable Wavelength NIR Range DPSS Laser

EKSPLA have introduced their new NT235 series tunable lasers offering hands free tuning from 335 to 2600 nm. Integrated into compact and monolithic housing, the diode pumped only Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and OPO features compact size, maintenance-free laser operation and improved stability (compared with flash-lamp pumped counterparts) making it an excellent choice for OEM integrators as well as laboratory set-ups. With its high, up to 10 mJ energy pulses at 100 Hz repetition rate, the NT235 series tunable laser establishes itself as a versatile tool for many applications, including photo acoustic imaging, laser induced fluorescence, flash photolysis, photobiology, metrology. Read more.

Ekspla Atlantic Series high power picosecond DPSS laser now with higher specifications

Ekspla's Atlanticis a new generation DPSS picosecond laser with 60 W output power at 1064 nm. Featuring short pulse duration (typically 13 ps) Atlantic series laser offers mimimized thermal damage to the material. Innovative design, employing fiber based oscillator ensured excellent output beam parameters: M²<1.3 with pulse energy fluctuations < 1.5 %. Up to 1 MHz repetition rate, establishes this laser as good choice for industrial, high throughoutput material processing systems.  Read more.