One of the world’s leading trade fairs to be devoted to all types of laser and photonic technologies will take place on 27–30 June 2023 in Munich, Germany. LASER World of PHOTONICS will bring together thousands of delegates from all over the world to explore the latest innovations in photonics components and systems, as well as how they are being exploited in novel applications.

More than 1200 companies will be featured at the exhibition, with key industry sectors ranging from industrial manufacturing and energy technologies through to biophotonics and data processing. Other focal points for the exhibition will be light-based sensors, test and measurement solutions, as well as imaging solutions and integrated photonics.

This year’s event will once again feature a dedicated platform for quantum technologies. World of QUANTUM aims to make connections between leading suppliers of photonics equipment and quantum developers working across applications in sensing and imaging, computing and secure communications systems.

Running alongside the exhibition will be the World of Photonics Congress, which includes several thousand presentations across seven specialist conferences. A complementary programme of industry forums, panels and round-table discussions will also offer an expert insight into the commercial trends and emerging applications within the photonics sector.

Read on to find out more about some of the companies and product innovations that will be featured at the show.

Spectrometers combine speed with performance

Ocean Optics, a brand of Ocean Insight, will be introducing two new families of spectrometers at this year’s LASER World of Photonics. First up is the Ocean HR series of compact, high-resolution spectrometers, which offer fast acquisition speeds along with excellent thermal wavelength stability and low stray light to enable reliable performance in demanding environments.

The HR series comes in three different models to meet the specific measurement requirements of different applications. The HR2 combines the fastest acquisition speed with a high signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio, making it ideal for laser and LED characterization, while the HR4 provides high optical resolution for applications such as identifying narrow-band emission peaks in plasmas. Meanwhile, the HR6 combines high resolution with high sensitivity to ultraviolet light, enabling precise measurements of UV absorbance in solutions and gases.

The other new addition is the compact and versatile Ocean SR series of spectrometers, which combine fast acquisition speeds with a high SNR. These multi-use instruments can be exploited for applications ranging from measuring distinct spectral peaks in plasmas and emission sources to detecting subtle absorbance changes in DNA, proteins and other biological samples, and are also well suited for integration into customized systems for high-volume industrial and OEM applications.

Different models have again been optimized for different measurement requirements, with the SR2 combining speed with high SNR, SR4 offering high resolution, and SR6 delivering high sensitivity. Both series of spectrometers can be coupled to Ocean Optics’ light sources, accessories and software, and are supplied with OceanDirect, a cross-platform Software Developers Kit that allows users to optimize spectrometer performance, access critical data for analysis, and exploit a hardware-accelerated signal-averaging tool to improve the SNR performance.

• Visit Ocean Optics at booth 421 in Hall A3 to discuss your measurement requirements.

Optical encoder sets new standards for motion control

The METIRIO encoder from SmarAct Metrology, part of the SmarAct Group that produces state-of-the-art solutions for positioning, metrology and automated micro-assembly, exploits the latest optical sensor technology to deliver exceptional accuracy and reliability in a compact package. Designed to meet the demands of today’s precision motion-control systems, the encoder can be used in applications ranging from robotics and automation through to semiconductor manufacturing and aerospace.

The advanced optical design exploited in the encoder provides excellent signal stability and insensitivity to environmental noise, ensuring consistent performance and smooth motion control even in demanding industrial environments. Its robust construction and reliable operation ensure consistent performance and a long life, reducing both maintenance costs and system downtime.

The encoder has a compact form factor and flexible design, allowing easy integration into a wide range of motion-control systems, while advanced signal processing algorithms are used to optimize the signal quality and its stability. By offering a new level of precision and reliability, the encoder enables companies to optimize their processes, increase productivity and improve overall operational efficiency.

“The METIRIO encoder has fundamentally changed the field of motion control,” said Sebastian Rode, CEO of SmarAct Metrology. “This revolutionary encoder has proven to be very reliable and has been well received. It underscores our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers to achieve superior performance in their motion control applications.”

• To find out more about the METIRIO encoder, visit SmarAct at booth 107 in Hall B2.

Wireless solution enables remote monitoring of high-power lasers

Gentec-EO, which specializes in developing solutions for laser beam and terahertz source measurement and analysis, will be demonstrating its HP-BLU series of wireless detectors for the remote monitoring of high-power lasers operating at up to 15 kW. The detectors allow the laser power to be measured at distances of up to 30 m away from the point of delivery, providing safe and accurate monitoring of multi-kilowatt laser systems that are typically confined in an enclosure or operated from another room.

Standard models are available for laser powers of up to 4, 12 and 15 kW, and offer an effective aperture of up to 125 mm to accommodate the largest laser beams. Customized versions are also available to handle higher output powers, or to provide larger apertures with different shapes.

The detectors are equipped with an integrated wireless data-transfer module that transmits all the laser measurement data direct to a PC. Battery operation also avoids the need for additional cabling, reducing the risk of accidents in the workspace.

• To find out more, visit Gentec-EO at booth 319 in Hall B2.

Gratings and spectrometers tackle demanding applications

Wasatch Photonics has reoptimized its line of VPH transmission gratings and spectrometers to meet the needs of researchers and OEM developers working in low-light and light-precious applications, ranging from Raman spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to laser-pulse compression and astronomy.

The company’s VPH transmission gratings for laser-pulse compression offer up to 98% efficiency for a single polarization, improved uniformity over the full clear aperture, and low diffracted wavefront distortion to reduce beam distortion during amplification. These gratings can be easily cleaned and handled, and allow compact, folded optical designs, while the company also offers custom gratings for both small-quantity prototyping and large-volume production.

Wasatch Photonics has also introduced a compact and lightweight spectrometer that has been optimized for spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) imaging at 800 nm, responding to increasing demand for OCT imaging in medical diagnostics, image-guided surgery and laser machining. The Cobra OEM spectrometer complements the company’s existing line of Cobra spectrometers that support OCT imaging from visible wavelengths through to 1600 nm.

Wasatch Photonics will also be offering a sneak preview of its newest line of compact, configurable Raman spectrometers for wavelengths from 532 to 1064 nm. The spectrometers in the WP Raman X series have been designed to adapt to each customer’s application needs, delivering superior efficiency at every wavelength and highly reproducible Raman spectra. The unique “OEM inside” design supports exploratory research with a benchtop unit and enables the transition to a streamlined OEM module with no change in performance, accelerating product development and reducing risk.

• Learn more about Wasatch Photonics’ full range of grating and spectrometer options at booth 272 in Hall A3.

Innovative solutions simplify time-resolved measurements

PicoQuant, a specialist in time-resolved spectrometers and microscopes, will be showcasing several recent innovations at LASER World of Photonics. First up is Prima, a compact three-colour picosecond laser module that offers a standalone and affordable solution for researchers who need excitation at 450, 510 and 635 nm within limited lab space. Offering pulsed and continuous-wave operation along with fast switching, Prima is suitable for measuring fluorescence and photoluminescence lifetimes, even in materials that have poor luminescence quantum yield.

Also new is the PDA-23 single-photon detector array, developed in collaboration with Pi Imaging, that measures single photons over a spectral range from 400 to 850 nm and beyond. The PDA-23 combines an array of 23 single-photon avalanche detectors, which have a high native fill factor, with microlenses for high photon detection. The low dark count rates, typically around 100 cps, are further reduced with an integrated Peltier-cooler.

The PDA-23 can be combined with the MultiHarp 160, a scalable plug-and-play unit for event timing and time-correlated single-photon counting. This multichannel module supports up to 64 timing channels with high sustained count rates, an ultrashort dead time of less than 650 ps, and a time resolution of 5 ps.

Last but not least is the FluoMic microscope add-on, which can be integrated with the company’s range of FluoTime spectrometers to support time-resolved micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy. Coupling the two instruments together enables both steady-state and time-resolved emission spectra to be captured at high resolution from specific areas of the sample, yielding multi-dimensional datasets that can provide valuable insights for materials science applications.

• Visit PicoQuant at booth 216 in Hall B2 to discuss your needs.

Laser simulation software now offers support for GRIN lenses

German start-up company BeamXpert has updated its 3D laser simulation software to support GRIN lenses, both for its proprietary, real-time “beam” modelling technique and for the classical ray-tracing approach. The intuitive and easy-to-use software, called BeamXpertDESIGNER, provides an accessible solution for the accurate design of optical systems for laser radiation, delivering ISO-compliant results and available with a perpetual license at an attractive price.

The latest version of the software offers other improvements to simplify and streamline the design process. It now includes a comprehensive output of error messages and warnings that indicate possible sources of error, such as intersecting objects or invalid refractive indices, to aid troubleshooting and avoid potential problems. In this context, the ray-tracing engine for the detailed analysis of the aberrations of the simulated optical system has been completely updated. The user interface has also been streamlined, while the software now offers additional options for data export.

Last but not least, the component database has been expanded to include lenses from Thorlabs and GRINTECH. It now consists of more than 20,000 optical components from eleven manufacturers, which can be dragged and dropped directly into the laser simulation set-up.

• Find out more about these latest enhancements by visiting BeamXpert at booth 421 in Hall A2. More information can also be found at beamxpert.com.

High-power laser targets demanding applications

HÜBNER Photonics, a manufacturer of high-performance lasers for applications in imaging, detection and analysis, has added a higher power model of its Cobolt Jive 561 nm laser to its 05-01 Series of diode-pumped lasers. Now with a continuous-wave output power of up to 1000 mW, the Cobolt Jive is perfectly suited to demanding applications in fluorescence microscopy, particularly super-resolution techniques like DNA–PAINT, as well as interferometric methods such as particle-flow analysis.

The Cobolt Jive is a single-frequency laser that delivers a near-perfect TEM00 (Gaussian) beam with an M² value of less than 1.1. A proprietary laser-cavity design ensures ultralow noise performance – typically less than 0.1% rms over frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 MHz – as well as an excellent power stability of less than 2% under normal operating conditions.

All Cobolt lasers are manufactured using proprietary HTCure technology, providing a compact package that is hermetically sealed to maximize reliability and provide a high level of immunity to varying environmental conditions. HTCure has proven to be one of the most reliable methods for making industrial-grade lasers, with lasers built using this technology shown to withstand extreme mechanical shocks without any degradation in performance.

• Visit HÜBNER Photonics at booth 214 in Hall B2 to explore the company’s full range of high-performance lasers.