New publication using Toptica CTL Continuously Tunable Laser: Absolute frequency atlas from 915 nm to 985 nm

This result has been published in Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy in January 2018. 
See https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jms.2017.12.013 or http://arxiv.org/abs/1801.01342

High-resolution absorption spectroscopy of atoms and molecules is useful to improve models and for frequency calibration and stabilization. A continuous high-resolution measurement without any gaps or discontinuities requires widely mode-hop-free tunable lasers.

With TOPTICA's continuously tunable diode laser CTL, the absorption spectrum of iodine was recently recorded over the broad wavelength range between 915 and 985 nm. This high resolution measurement was performed in a single sweep and allows for providing an "iodine atlas" that contains almost 10,000 experimentally observed absorption lines with an uncertainty of only 50 MHz (corresponding to 0.0017 cm-1).

TOPTICA presents "All Wavelengths" at Photonics West

TOPTICA Photonics will present their latest innovations at Photonics West in Moscone Center, San Francisco from January 30th to February 1st.

This year, TOPTICA’s booth location moved to North Hall, booth #4645. Dedicated laser solutions for biophotonics will be presented at the BiOS exhibition on 27th and 28th January, booth 8508.

With their broad product portfolio, TOPTICA offers All Wavelengths! Complete coverage from deep-UV (190 nm) to terahertz radiation (0.1 THz, corresponding to 3 mm). These lasers support a multitude of applications in microscopy, materials metrology and quantum technology.

TOPTICA receives the laser guide star contract for ELT from ESO

Munich - December 18th: TOPTICAtoday signed an updated contract with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) for the production of four more lasers to be used in the adaptive optics system of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The contract is an extension of a development and deployment contract for ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and will be executed by TOPTICA Projects GmbH, a recently started TOPTICA spin-off. These unique guide star laser systems have been extensively tested at one of the major ESO telescopes in Paranal, Chile for more than two years. They will be a key component of the new ELT telescope and will help to achieve an unprecedented spatial resolution for optical/infrared ground-based telescopes. The ELT is expected to see first light in 2024.

Toptica: From Quantum 1.0 to Quantum 2.0

Wilhelm Kaenders gave a “Visionary Speakers” talk on quantum science and business at FiO 2017.

Recently, Toptica's president Wilhelm Kaenders held a keynote presentation at the OSA Frontiers in Optics Conference in Washington about his vision of the future of quantum technology. He described the "small-company perspective" of the transition from laboratory-only experiments towards large projects with public interests. Read more in this article.

German quantum initiative QUTEGA starts with optical single ion clock

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has initiated a strategy process within the field of quantum technologies that stressed the importance of this field for economy and science in Germany. This assessment is in accordance with European and international evaluation. In order to implement first results of the strategy process, the BMBF has selected three pilot projects addressing important developments in quantum technologies. The first pilot project “optIclock - optical single ion clock” has started in May 2017.

Leibinger Innovation Prize for TOPTICA Guide Star Laser

Four units of TOPTICA’s laser guide star system “SodiumStar 20/2” project powerful orange beams into the air in Chile’s Atacama desert at the VLT. (Credit: ESO/F. Kamphues)

On September 9th 2016, TOPTICA’s guide star laser SodiumStar 20/2 was rewarded with the third place of the highly prestigious Laser Research Innovation Award presented by the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung. The “Guide Star Alliance”, consisting of TOPTICA Photonics AG (Germany), MPB Communications Inc. (Canada) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), developed a novel high power laser system over a period of more than seven years serving as Guide Star for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and other Large and Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT). This technology is a very long sought for key component for the construction of modern, earth-based telescopes and it has created already a large impact in the performance, reliability and maintenance of such high-tech devices.

ESO’s latest facility upgrade features four new TOPTICA guide star lasers on Cerro Paranal

Four units of TOPTICA’s laser guide star system “SodiumStar 20/2” project powerful orange beams into the air in Chile’s Atacama desert. Due to Rayleigh scattering, the SodiumStar laser beams are visible up to a height of a few tens of kilometres. When they enter the sodium layer at about 100 km altitude, they generate an artificial star used for adaptive optics correction.  

On April 26th, the impressive Four-Laser Guide Star Facility (4LGSF) was fully operational for the first time at the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the Paranal Observatory in Chile. During the preceding verification phase, a team of TOPTICA and ESO engineers successfully completed the required system tests. This is a major step towards the completion of the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF) and evident proof of the capability of TOPTICA’s ground-breaking guide star solution.

TOPTICA to present latest developments in high-end laser technology at BiOS/Photonics West

TOPTICA’s new frequency comb DFC is the ultimate choice for ultra-precise measurements and frequency referencing.  

New products to be shown at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from February 13th – 18th 2016 include ultra-stable diode lasers and powerful femtosecond fiber lasers, as well as frequency combs and terahertz systems. These systems enable a variety of demanding applications in biophotonics and microscopy, materials and test & measurement, in addition to quantum optics and spectroscopy.

Low-noise frequency combs with record stability

TOPTICA’s frequency comb DFC-CORE is the ultimate reference for optical frequencies and it convinces with completely new technology compared to previous systems. The DFC is now available in a compact one-box format including electronics. The fiber-based system uses difference frequency generation (DFG) to create an offset-free output at 1550 nm, and no active stabilization of the offset frequency is necessary. Due to this rock-solid passive operation, the DFC-CORE achieves an unprecedented low phase noise of less than 32 mrad in a spectral interferometry measurement. Consequently, when locked to an RF reference, its high stability results in an unrivaled deviation of less than 1x10-13 in one second. The DFC-CORE allows for complete frequency-stabilized laser systems, including the frequency comb, wavelength extensions and diode lasers referenced to the comb.

Toptica Technical Note: Combination of femtosecond/picosecond fiber lasers and streak camera for ultrastable time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy

Fig.1: Experimental setup for time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Beam paths of femtosecond exci-tation laser (red) and detection path (yellow) in orthogonal geometry.  

Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy provides crucial insight into ultrafast processes in semiconductors, fluorescent biomolecules and organic compounds. In this application note we experimentally demonstrate this technique by using a combination of an ultrastable TOPTICA femtosecond fiber laser and a Hamamatsu streak camera to accurately derive the fluorescence decay constants of the dye IR 820 in different solvents. The system can be adapted easily to a broad spectral range by using frequency converted fiber lasers of the FemtoFiber pro series.

Toptica at BiOS/Photonics West 2015: New ultrafast fiber lasers with multiple colors

The FemtoFiber dichro design bioMP provides synchronized sub-100 fs pulses at two different wavelengths.

A groundbreaking concept in ultrafast laser technology, the Toptica FemtoFiber dichro design bioMP, offers two perfectly synchronized laser beams at different wavelengths out of one box, emitted through the same aperture! This dual-color laser system provides pulses centered at 780 nm with above 100 mW and at 1030 nm with above 200 mW, both with durations below 100 fs – at a repetition rate of 80 MHz. Easy tuning of temporal and spatial overlap of both beams and all laser parameters can be conveniently accessed via remote control. Best of all? Everything is integrated into an ultra-compact alignment-free turnkey system!

Simultaneous live-cell multi-color two-photon imaging with two or three wavelengths and two-photon excitation of all conventional fluorescent markers are straightforward with the FemtoFiber dichro design bioMP. Adjustment of the delay between the two laser pulses enables a variation of the absorption modes. If the pulses have no temporal overlap, two identical photons excite one set of fluorophore independently. For overlapping pulses one photon of each color contributes to transitions centered around twice the energy of a photon with 888 nm. This scheme can be used to efficiently excite GFP and other fluorophores with a two-photon excitation maximum around 900 nm. 

Delivery of First TOPTICA Guide Star Laser Accepted by ESO

TOPTICA’s Laser Development Successfully Completed as Pathfinder for Future Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs)

March 28, 2014: Over the course of the last three years, TOPTICA has developed a new generation of sodium guide star lasers to be deployed at ESO’s Adaptive Optics Facility at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Paranal, Chile. Until August 2014, TOPTICA will complete the delivery of four such lasers plus one spare unit to the European Southern Observatory (ESO), hoping for first light on the sky in Paranal in early 2015.

The newly developed laser systems consist of a narrow band and tun-able diode laser with 50 mW output power at 1178 nm, a Raman Fiber Amplifier stage developed by MPB Communications of Canada and a subsequent resonant frequency doubling stage. The output frequency is actively locked to a high resolution precision wavelength meter (HighFi-nesse GmbH). The work was performed under a multi-year ESO devel-opment contract using the ESO EFRA license for the amplifier step. 

Toptica 2013 BEC Awards

The Senior and Junior BEC Awards 2013 honor outstanding research in Experimental and/or Theoretical Physics of Quantum Degenerate Atomic Gases. The senior prize recognizes work that is firmly established and has significantly advanced the field of quantum degenerate gases. The Junior Prze recognizes outstanding work by a young scientist for independent research early in his or her academic career. Each prize consists of a 2,500 Euro cash award, and a certificate citing the contributions of the recipients. The prizes are awarded under the auspices of the biannual BEC conference and are sponsored by Toptica Photonics AG. Full details here.

Toptica 2012: Lasers for Scientific Challenges

Toptica have released their all new 2012 "Lasers for Scientific Challenges" Catalogue. Download here.

Toptica sponsor new research awards

Dr. Ian Spielman and Prof. Gora Shlyapnikov honored for their 
contributions to the field of Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) 

During the Bose-Einstein Conference in Sant Feliu (Spain), Dr. Jürgen Stuhler (TOPTICA Photonics AG) presented the two BEC Awards 2011, to Prof. Gora Shlyapnikov (recipient of the Senior Award) and to Dr. Ian Spielman (recipient of the Junior award). The two prices honor “outstanding research in Experimental and/or Theoretical Physics of Quantum Degenerate Atomic Gases”. They are awarded biannually during the BEC Conference Series and are presented  to a Senior and a Junior academic leader in the field, selected by an independent international Jury. “TOPTICA sponsors the price in order to recognize the ever astonishing advances in the field of Quantum Degenerate Gases and the impact this has had on the development of our company”, Wilhelm Kaenders CEO of TOPTICA Photonics stated. “We stay committed to this exciting field of research also for the future and are proud to contribute with these newly founded awards.” 

Toptica awarded major contract for Sodium Guide Star Facility

Orange Laser Guide Star in operation at the Very Large Telescope VLT of ESO, on the top of mountain Cerro Paranal in Chile.

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) at Paranal, Chile, will be equipped with four cw high power Laser Guide Stars on the basis of amplified and frequency-doubled diode laser systems. Narrow band and diffraction-limited laser light sources of more than 20 W exactly on Sodium resonance at 589 nm start a new phase at the European Southern Observatory. Against strong international competitors, TOPTICA won now the final development and supply contract which foresees a deployment of the lasers at the telescope in Sept 2013.

TOPTICA, drawing on its many years of experience in the field of narrow band and tunable diode laser, has joined forces with the Canadian company MPB Communications. A combination of a novel narrow-band Raman fiber amplifier approach at 1178 nm developed by MPBC subsequently is converted to 589 nm by resonantly enhanced frequency-doubling technology. Based on TOPTICA’s scientific product series, conversion efficiencies of more than 80 % have been demonstrated.