toptica lasers

8/10/2019 Toptica LASERS

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APassionforPrecision

Atom Optics

Degenerate Quantum Gases

Ion Trapping

Quantum Information

Metrology

Environmental Observations

Tunable Diode LasersQuantum Optics & Spectroscopy


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Digital Revolution In Laser Control

proTechnology

Tunable Diode Laser Technology

FP, AR and DFB Laser Diodes

Littrow and Littman Conguration Linewidth, Stability and Coherence

Boosting Laser Diode Power

Frequency Conversion

Applications

Tunable Diode Lasers

DLC DL pro

DLC DL pro HP

DL pro Specials

TOPSellers DLC DL pro and DLC DL pro HP

SYST DL pro

SYST DL 100

SYST DL DFB

Options Tunable Diode Lasers

Specications Tunable Diode Lasers

High Power

TA pro

TA pro TOPSeller and Customized Versions

BoosTA pro

BoosTA

Specications Amplied Diode Lasers

Frequency-Converted Lasers

SYST SHG pro

SYST DL-SHG pro

SYST TA-SHG pro

SYST DL-FHG pro

SYST TA-FHG pro

TA-SHG pro TOPSeller Systems

Specications Frequency-Converted Diode LasersPhotonicals - Laboratory Electronics

DLC pro

Specications DLC pro

SYS DC 110 Analog Driver and Locking Modules

DCC 110, DTC 110, SC 110, DCB 110

Frequency Stabilization Overview

PID 110, PDD 110

FALC 110 and mFALC 110

DigiLock 110

Specications DigiLock

LCC

Photonicals - Laser Diodes and Accessories

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6-7

8-13

9

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12

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14-15

16-25

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CONTENTS


3/56www.toptica.com 3

200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 100011001200 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500

0.1

1

10

100

1000

DL pro (100)

DL pro HPDL DFB

TA / BoosTA pro

BoosTADL-SHG proTA-SHG proDL-FHG proTA-FHG pro

Power[mW]

Wavelength [nm]

TOPTICAs tunable diode lasers are key

components for many experimental

setups, including the latest advances in

quantum optics or atomic spectroscopy.

Customers benet from tunable, narrow-

linewidth laser radiation suitable for the

best clocks in the world, or for quantum-

optical experiments that aim at measuring

time, gravity or physical constants with

world-record resolution and accuracy.

As essential components of such

highly complex setups, which often

involve several instruments operating

simultaneously, lasers need to deliver

best-in-class performance along with

reliable and user-friendly operation.

The challenge in converting semiconductor

laser diodes into high-end diode lasers

is the precise control of all optical

parameters. In the fteen years of

company history, TOPTICA has been

continuously improving grating-stabilized

resonators, nally delivering its famouspro technology.

TOPTICA has implemented this pro

design not only into external-cavity lasers,

but also in the amplied and frequency-

Discover the Widest Wavelength Coverage

LASERS FOR SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES

converted laser systems. With new DLC

pro electronic drivers, TOPTICA now

takes the next big leap. Never before has

the use of tunable diode lasers been soconvenient.

TOPTICA is famous for the widest

wavelength coverage in the market,

with a span from the deep UV to the far IR.

TOPTICAs external-cavity diode lasers

and frequency-converted laser units

provide an unsurpassed spectrum of

tunable diode lasers. Special systemseven achieve wavelengths down to

190 nmor output powers up to 20 W

(at e.g. 598 nm).


4/564 www.toptica.com

Within the last years, external cavity

diode lasers have seen a tremendous

improvement. Since its introduction in

2007, TOPTICA's DL pro has lead the

eld of tunable diode lasers, thanks to

its narrow linewidth, large mode-hop-

free tuning range and highest stability

with respect to vibrations and

temperature changes.

With the DLC pro, TOPTICA now takes the

next big leap: laser control enters the digital

All-digital controller for TOPTICAs DL pro

Extremely low noise and precise control

Convenient dials & multi-touch user interface

Remote PC GUI and command control

Intelligent locking features

Lowest Noise and Highest Comforts

DIGITAL REVOLUTION IN LASER CONTROL

world! The fully digital laser controller sets

new benchmarks with regard to low noise

and drift levels. It provides intuitive touch

control and powerful remote operation to

run and frequency-stabilize the DL pro.

Experiments requiring a narrow linewidth

(such as optical clocks or quantum

computing with cold atoms and ions)

as well as setups needing remote laser

control (e.g. LIDAR) will benet highly from

the digital laser controller.

The DLC pro sets new benchmarks: intuitive

control of the DL pro via touch display and

excellent noise and drift performance.

DLC pro - digital laser control



Convenience

The user can operate the digital

controller DLC pro via dials, buttons and

a capacitive touch display. PC software

and a command line interface allow

remote operation via Ethernet or USB.

Complex operations like laser locking

(Click & Lock) or FFT of the error signal

can be performed remotely via PC or

directly on the DLC pro (no PC-operationrequired). Advanced ReLock functions

and other features from TOPTICAs

DigiLock, are integrated as well. The

DLC pro can directly display signals from

the experiment, alleviating the need for

additional external oscilloscopes. Using

the signal display, the user can intuitively

adjust scan parameters via multi-touch

gestures. Wideband digital-analog

converters (16 bit, 300 kHz) and analog-

digital converters (24 bit, 300 kHz) allow

fast and efcient communication betweenthe main-controller, laser and experiment.

For the most common application, the

active stabilization of the laser frequency

Precision

The DLC pro features laser diode current,

temperature and piezo drivers with

unprecedented noise and drift properties,

boosting the performance of TOPTICAs

established tunable diode laser DL pro,

which is even more stable today. At the

same time, the linewidth can be reduced

down to 10 kHz. As example, a self-

Convenient laser control: Users can easily set

parameters like scan offset, scan amplitude

or intelligent locking features. Zooming into

a spectrum on the display with a multi-touch

gesture and tapping one of the lock points

stabilizes the laser frequency.

A self-heterodyne linewidth measurement shows a short-term linewidth of

a free-running DLC DL pro (narrow linewidth option) of only 5 kHz.

Stable temperature at the laser head even when the DLC pro is subject to

strongly varying environmental conditions.

-2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

1E-5

1E-4

1E-3

0.01

0.1

1

DLC DL pro (5 kHz)

Beatsignal[a.u.]

Frequency [MHz]

00:00 02:24 04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:245

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50Climate Chamber Temperature

ClimateChamberTemperature[C]

Time [hh:mm]

24.75

24.80

24.85

24.90

24.95

25.00

Nearest Competitor

ObjectTemperature[C]

DLC pro TC

heterodyne linewidth measurement of a

free-running DLC DL laser pro at 1160 nm

with narrow linewidth option shows a fast

linewidth (5 s) of only 5 kHz. Another

important aspect is the long-term stability

of the laser frequency without active

frequency stabilization (locking). With

conventional ECDLs, slight variations of

to a spectroscopy signal, the DLC pro

provides a digital lock in amplier with

30 kHz modulation bandwith and

two digital PID regulators. All relevant

parameters can be controlled via touch

display or remote PC-operation. The DLC

pro controller indicates pre-determined

lock points (e.g. side of fringe, top of

fringe) on the display. A simple clickadjusts and stabilizes the laser frequency

to the selected lock point.

the laser current, temperature or piezo-

voltage lead to signicant effects. The DLC

pro shows a unique performance also in

this respects. A climate chamber test of the

DLC pro reveals best-in-class drift values of

only 140 ppm/K (temperature), 40 ppm/K

(piezo-voltage) and < 3 ppm/K (current). A

detailed description of the new DLC pro

can be found on page 41 ff.



Involving an ever-increasing number of

instruments and laser sources, modern

physics experiments have become quite

a bit more complex. Uncovering a faint

signal never seen before from the ever-

present background noise requires the

highest performance, ability to process

details, and reliable instrumentation.

At TOPTICA we understand what it means

to spend long nights in a laboratory

collecting data. Only the best tools

are good enough to succeed in such

a competitive eld. With this in mind,

TOPTICAs strategy offers groundbreaking

scientic instrumentation that operates

reliably with cutting-edge performance.

The pro technology provides lasers

that are the best in their class. With an

optimized opto-mechanical setup, these

lasers are stable, reliable and at the

same time user-friendly to meet even the

most challenging scientic needs. TheDL pro, a revolutionary external cavity

diode laser, was rst introduced in 2007,

and has proven its ultimate stability against

temperature changes and acoustic

disturbances ever since. The DL pros

narrow linewidth and long-term stability

are unmatched by other commercial diode

lasers. The precisely manufactured and

assembled lasers enable alignment-free

coarse-tuning over the entire diode gain

and - owing to their ideal virtual pivot

point - large mode-hop-free tuning. With

the fully digital controller DLC pro, the

DL pro achieves free-running linewidths

down to 10 kHz.

The amplied TA pro and the frequency-

converted SHG/FHG pro systems make

use of the same pro-design master laser.

In amplied systems, the unit containing

the TA chip and optics is optimized

for stability and best heat conductivity.

The monolithic SHG cavity, likewise in

a proprietary pro design, houses the

SHG-crystal and the mirrors. All optical

elements of the air-sealed resonator are

accessible, even through the closed

resonator. This minimizes the amount ofdust in the cavity and ensures constant,

high output intensities. Wherever

appropriate, all ECDL lasers of our

pro-series employ patented kinematic

mirror mounts based on exure

technology. These mirror mounts are

easily accessible from the top and ensure

the highest beam-pointing stability.

For best robustness and stability the

complete laser heads are manufactured

from one solid metal block. The lasers

of the pro series deliver that extra bit

more that is required for technologicalleadership in modern physics

experiments, allowing the researcher to

focus fully on the experiment as the laser

will simply do its job.

Stability and Ease of Use

PROTECHNOLOGY

Stability

Ease of use

Thermal and acoustic ruggedness

Hands-off operation wherever possible

Flexure joints wherever expedient

Internationally patented design

(DE 1 2007 028 499, US 7970024)

protechnology



Largest mode-hop-free tuning range

Highest acoustic and thermal stability

Latest production technologies

(wire erosion)

Patented resonator design (master) Optimized TA pro mountPatented exure-based ultra-stable

kinematic mirror mounts

Highest stability against vibration and

acoustic noise

Reduced long-term and temperature drift

All-digital controller for TOPTICAs DL pro

Extremely low noise and precise control

Intuitive and convenient

Available also for TA pro in Q2/2014

Modular setup

Onsite exchange of pre-aligned

components

Optimized heat management

DC & AC - coupled modulation board

Air-sealed resonator

Manufactured from one solid metal block

Mirror mounts and SHG crystal

adjustable with closed resonator lid

Accessible from top with closed

laser head

Wire erosion technology based

Independent horizontal and

vertical adjustment

Whats inside?

Proprietary resonator design

(SHG-unit)

Laser head machined from a solid

metal block

New:proelectronics (DLC pro)



Laser diodes

Laser diodes are well established in a

variety of consumer products, like laser

pointers, barcode scanners, or CD/DVD/

Blu-ray drives. The success story of these

light sources is driven by the fact that they

are compact, conveniently operated, cost

effective, and highly efcient. However, the

emission spectrum of bare laser diodes

is broad, and the lasing wavelength is

not well dened. The lasing modes are

determined by the two facets of the

laser diode. The wide gain prole of the

semiconductor causes many modes

to oscillate simultaneously, each with a

different frequency.

Even diodes with a single longitudinal

mode exhibit mode-hopping upon

slightest variations of the chip temperature

or driver current. The result is an imperfect,

spectrally unstable output beam that

does not meet the demands of high-end

scientic or industrial applications.

Mode selection

Requirements for advanced measurement

tasks include a narrow emission linewidth,

large coherence length, precise wavelength

selection, and tuning or even stabilization

of the emission frequency. These superior

characteristics are achieved by introducing

an additional frequency-selective element

into the laser cavity.

TOPTICA offers two realizations of tunable

single-frequency diode lasers. Both make

use of grating structures to select and

control the emission frequency. One is a

grating-stabilized external cavity diode

laser (ECDL), which incorporates an optical

grating mounted in front of the laser diode.

The other approach features laser diodes

with gratings built into the semiconductor

itself. Two versions of these diodes

are used: distributed feedback (DFB)

and distributed Bragg reector (DBR)

laser diodes. For both realizations precise

temperature and current control are amust for stable operation.

Wavelength tuning of an ECDL

In an ECDL, a second resonator is formed

between the diodes back facet and the

feedback elements. The grating lter,

together with the semiconductor gain

prole determines the new external

lasing mode.

To control the wavelength of an ECDL, the

angle of the grating is changed, shifting its

spectral lter and at the same time moving

the external mode structure of the laser.

A large mode-hop-free tuning range

results from accurate synchronization of

the two effects. This can be realized by a

properly selected pivot point for the grating

movement. Coarse wavelength alignment

is often realized with a micrometer screw,

automated tuning with a piezo actuator.

By adding a suitable grating, collimation

optics and control electronics, a simple

laser diode can be transformed into a

complete, tunable diode laser system.

Turning Laser Diodes into Diode Lasers

TUNABLE DIODE LASER TECHNOLOGY



FP diodes - high power at low cost

In TOPTICAs external-cavity lasers, both

Fabry-Perot (FP) diodes and anti-re-

ection coated (AR) diodes can be used.

FP diodes are mass-produced at

numerous wavelengths and optimized

for output power. With FP diodes, the

internal resonator of the diode functions

like an etalon, and contributes to the

selection of the external lasing mode.

The internal resonator is synchronized with

the grating movement by changing the

diode current simultaneously. This feed

forward mechanism signicantly increases

the lasers mode-hop-free tuning range.

ECDL or DFB?

Whether to choose an external cavity

diode laser or a DFB/DBR laser depends

on the individual application. DFB diodes

do not yet offer the wavelength range

accessible with Littrow ECDLs. Tunable,

narrow-band emission in the blue or red

spectral range still remains the realm of

external-cavity systems.

An ECDL is also the preferred choice for

applications that require a broad coarse-

tuning range, or an ultra-narrow linewidth

(1 MHz or below).

The main advantage of a DFB laser isits extremely large continuous tuning

range. Mode-hop-free scans of several

nanometers are routinely attained.

Typical DFB laser applications are gas

sensing, phase-shifting interferometry,

or the generation of tunable cw terahertz

radiation. The mechanical design of a DFB

laser comprises no alignment-sensitive

optical components, making these lasers

particularly attractive for applications in

rough industrial environments.

AR diodes - best performance

Diodes with an AR-coated output facet

do not lase without external feedback,

and the mode selection effect of the

internal resonator is less pronounced. The

AR coating further improves the tuning

properties and mode stability of an ECDL.

TOPTICAs DL pro TOPSellers therefore

feature AR diodes. Important specications

for FP- or AR-based ECDLs are the output

power available from the stabilized diode,

the attainable wavelength range, the

mode-hop-free tuning range and typical

linewidth. All of these specications are

listed in our internet stock lists:

www.laser-diodes.com.

DFB diodes - large mode-hop-free tuning

Distributed Feedback (DFB) and Distri-

buted Bragg Reector (DBR) laser diodes

feature a grating structure within the

semiconductor chip. The grating restricts

the laser emission to a single longitudinal

mode. In a DFB diode, the grating is

integrated in the gain section. In a DBR,

the grating is spatially separated from

the gain section, and an additional phase

section serves to maintain mode-hop-

free conditions during a scan. Frequency

tuning is accomplished by thermally or

electrically varying the grating pitch, and

can span many hundred GHz.

External cavity laser designs: Littrow (left), Littman-Metcalf (right).

Schematics of DFB (left) and DBR (right) laser diodes.

Laser diode with (red) and without (blue) external grating feedback.

The left graph shows an FP diode, the right graph an AR diode.

FP, AR and DFB Laser Diodes



Littrow and Littman Conguration

Compact and robust Littrow setup

The most common types of ECDLs

are the so-called Littrow and Littman

congurations. In both cases, a grating is

used to selectively reect a small range of

the diode's emission spectrum back into

the laser chip. This optical feedback forces

the diode into single-frequency operation.

In Littrow conguration, the rst-order

beam from the grating is directly reected

into the diode.

In Littman conguration, the rst-order

diffracted beam is reected by a mirror,

and passes the grating a second time

before being fed back into the laser diode.

In both setups, the main contribution

to the technical linewidth are usually

electronic noise, acoustic noise and

vibrations that affect the cavity length. In

practical operation, the compact and more

robust Littrow cavity often shows a

narrower linewidth.

Highest power from Littrow lasers

The Littrow setup has further advantages.

As the laser light reects off the grating

only once, losses into other diffraction

orders do not occur. The output power of

Littrow lasers is thus considerably higher

than that of comparable Littman setups.

Moreover, Littrow lasers can be operated

with both standard Fabry-Perot (FP)

diodes and anti-reection (AR) coated laser

diodes, while the Littman design usually

employs AR coated diodes. FP diodes

Mode selection in ECDLs. The back facet

and the feedback elements form the external

resonator. The oscillating mode is selected not

only by these elements and the semiconductor

gain, but also by the internal modes (etalon) of

the diode.

provide higher powers, encompass a

broader wavelength range and are usually

less expensive. However, TOPTICA also

integrates AR coated diodes when wide

tunability is required. The laser also prots

from narrow linewidth and increased

single-mode stability.

The mode-hop-free tuning range of Littrow

lasers can be greatly enhanced by adding

a feed forward current modulation (see

page 9). The marginal angular change of

the output beam apparent with Littrow

cavities can be effectively compensated

for by a beam steering mirror rotated in

parallel with the grating.



Linewidth, Stability and Coherence

Frequency noise

High stability and narrow linewidth are key

requirements for scientic diode lasers.

Theoretically, the linewidth of grating

stabilized diode lasers is given by the

Schawlow-Townes formula and therefore

very narrow. In reality, however, a number

of processes and disturbances have an

effect on the laser frequency.

Laser current noise for example causes

uctuations of the refractive index within

the laser diode itself and changes the

overall optical length of the laser resonator.

Acoustic noise and vibrations have a

direct inuence on the mechanical length

of an external resonator, while temperature

and air pressure uctuations causefrequency drifts by changing the refractive

index of air.

Linewidth and drift

Processes that are faster than the laser

frequency measurement itself, add to the

lasers technical linewidth, while slower

processes will cause a frequency drift

between successive measurements.

As fast measurement techniques will not

reveal slower drift effects on the linewidth,

it is important to always note the timescale of the measurement when specifying

linewidth values.

Main causes for frequency variations and their respective time scales.Coherence coverage of more than 12 decades

with TOPTICA diode lasers.

Delayed self-heterodyne linewidth measurement.

Linewidth and coherence length

Laser linewidth and coherence length

are linked by an inverse proportionality.

The numerical factor depends on the

spectral line shape. For a Gaussian

spectral prole, the coherence length is

132 m/(linewidth in MHz).

Linewidth measurement

TOPTICA uses different ways to measure

laser linewidths, one of which is the

delayed self-heterodyne technique.

The laser beam is split into two probe

beams, one of which is frequency-

shifted by an acousto-optical modulator

and delayed utilizing a 1 km long ber.

Subsequently, the beams are re-combined

on a fast photo detector, the output of

which is connected to an RF spectrum

analyzer. The ber line corresponds to a

time delay of 5 s. Frequency uctuations

within this time contribute to the beat note.

The linewidth of the laser is between 1/sqrt(2)

and 1/2 of the beat width.

Linewidth measurements on longer

time scales are accomplished by

measuring the beat width of two identical

lasers with a fast detector and an RF spectrum

analyzer (sub Hz .. 100 MHz), by using

a Fabry-Perot interferometer (MHz .. GHz,

see page 53), or by directly determining

the coherence length with a Michelson

interferometer.



Amplifying laser diodes

The output power of single-mode laser

diodes is limited and not sufcient for a

variety of applications. At higher output

levels, the output facets of these laser

diodes (typically 1 x 3 m) suffer optical

damage, while larger facets cannot

maintain the desired spatial mode

properties. To overcome these limitations,

specially shaped semiconductor optical

ampliers, or tapered ampliers (TAs),

serve to increase the power available from

single-mode diode lasers. The master

laser beam is coupled into the small

single-mode channel at the AR-coated

input facet of the tapered amplier chip.

The single-mode channel is similar to the

gain region of a laser diode and acts asa spatial mode lter. In the subsequent

section this perfect beam can freely

diverge in the tapered plane while being

conned in the orthogonal plane. The light

is amplied in a single pass. After exiting

the large AR-coated output facet of the

amplier chip, this light can be shaped

again into a high-quality beam with similar

spectral quality as before.

20 dB gain, up to 3 W output

Typically, a small-signal gain of up to 20 dBand maximum output levels of up to 3 W

can be achieved. Technical challenges

for this amplication technique are the

development and the handling of TA chips

at the required wavelengths, the quality of

the optical components for collimation and

beam shaping of the TA output, low-noise

high-current drivers, general mechanical

stability (e.g. of mirror mounts for beam

steering), thermal management of the

TA chip and high-quality optical isolation

before and after the TA chip. Only the

combination of all of these factors reliably

produces high power with excellent beam

quality and extremely narrow linewidth at

the same time.Amplier chip mounted on TOPTICAs proprietary heat sink.

Boosting Laser Diode Power

Geometry of a tapered amplier chip.

Output facet, AR

coated

Tapered amplier

Single-mode channel

Injected beam

Entrance facet,AR coated

Tapered gain region

New wavelengths and higher power

TOPTICA is constantly working togetherwith renowned partners or hidden

champions on TA chip development so that

present or future demands from customers

can be fullled. The main aims of this

research and development initiative are:

Examples for successful developmentsare the extension of the NIR-A wavelength

limit from previously 1083 nm to now

1275 nm by several novel TA chips

as well as the introduction of a new TA

chip for amplication around 690 nm.

to provide TA chips at new wavelengths

in order to increase the TA wavelength

coverage

to improve the output power of TA chips

for wavelengths dealt with before

to maintain the availability of established

TA chips



Closing the spectral gaps

Despite the impressive success story of

semiconductor lasers, there are spectral

gaps, wavelengths that cannot be

directly accessed with current laser

diode technology. Nonlinear frequency

conversion techniques like Second

Harmonic Generation (SHG) or Sum

Frequency Generation (SFG) close these

gaps by generating laser radiation in the

UV, blue, green, yellow, orange and red

spectral ranges.

Second Harmonic Generation (SHG)

TOPTICAs frequency-converted lasersystems are presented on pages 32-39

and utilize second-harmonic generation.

The SHG process can be explained in

the wave or in the photon picture. In the

rst one, an electromagnetic wave of

a fundamental laser with frequency 1

drives the polarization of a non-linear optic

(NLO) crystal. Due to the non-linearity, the

polarization oscillates also at the second-

harmonic frequency 2=2

1. This in

turn leads to the generation of coherent

radiation of an electromagnetic wave at

the frequency 2.

In the photon picture, two photons of

the fundamental laser (wavelength 1,

frequency 1) are combined within an

NLO crystal to form one photon of

twice the original frequency and half the

original wavelength (2=2

1,

2=0.5

1).

The SHG efciency increases with the

fundamental power, the non-linearity of the

utilized crystal and proper phase matching.

Phase matching

Efcient frequency conversion requires the

refractive index of the fundamental laser and

the frequency-converted light to be equal

within the NLO crystal. In the wave picture

this leads to a constructive interference of

second-harmonic partial waves generated

at different positions within the crystal along

the direction of light propagation.

In the photon picture-phase matching fullls

momentum conservation: two photons

of momentum p1 are converted into one

photon of momentum p2=2p

1.

To circumvent the omnipresent dispersion

which usually prevents phase matching,

the scientist or engineer uses birefringentcrystals and different polarizations of the

individual lasers. Depending on crystal type

and operating wavelength, ne-tuning of the

phase matching is accomplished by proper

adjustment of the crystal temperature or

the angle between crystal axis and light

propagation.

Principle of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG)

Principle of Fourth Harmonic Generation (FHG)

Second Harmonic Generator (sketch)

Principle of Sum Frequency Generation (SFG)

Principle of Difference Frequency Generation (DFG)

Frequency Conversion

TOPTICA's SHG pro resonator.

Resonant enhancement

Our frequency conversion systems use a

compact and rugged bow-tie resonator

design with optimized mirror coatings to

resonantly enhance the fundamental laser

power by a factor of 50-400. The resonator

length is actively stabilized with respect

to the wavelength of the fundamental

laser employing the Pound-Drever-Hall

method. This allows for tight locking with

high long-term stability and thus reliably

enhances the intra-resonator power of

the fundamental laser. Together with

AR-coated, temperature-controlled NLO

crystals, highest conversion efciencies in

the market are achieved.

1 Scholz et al., Optics Express 20, 18659 (2012 ) 2Scholz et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 103, 051114 (2013)

Fourth Harmonic Generation (FHG)

Whilst second harmonic generation refersto frequency-doubling, fourth harmonic

generation is a process in which the

frequency of an electromagnetic wave is

quadrupled. Typically, the FHG process is

split into two consecutive processes, each

involving a standard SHG process.

In the photon picture presented before,

four photons of the fundamental laser

with frequency 1are converted into two

photons with frequency 2=2

1 in a rst

SHG step. A second SHG step transforms

these two photons into one photon with

frequency 4=2

2=4

1 and wavelength

4=0.25

1. In total, four fundamental

photons disappear in the FHG process

while one photon is created in compliance

with energy and momentum conservation.

TOPTICAs technical realization of such an

FHG process incorporates two cascaded

SHG stages, each involving actively stabilized

resonant enhancement and phase matching

in selected, temperature-controlled NLO

crystals. Using specically modied TA-FHG systems, TOPTICA has demonstrated

cw laser radiation down to 191 nm(1) with

more than 15 mW at 193 nm(2).



Scientic Research and High-Precision Measurements

APPLICATIONS

We are all researchers. After birth, we

start to explore our environment. We

feel or see how things behave and learn

from our observations. When we grow

up, this research drive might become

diminished by external experiences.

However, inside our hearts we are still

excited by exploration.

An initiative of the German Helmholtz

Society, called Haus der kleinen

Forscher (Little Scientists' House,

www.haus-der-kleinen-forscher.de),

proves this with the strong increase in the

number of it's participants. According to

the motto knowledge out of curiosity

children learn to transform their passion

for exploration into knowledge. This is

what also drives adult scientists all over

the world. Their research contributes to

an increasing understanding of nature

or leads to the development of technical

ideas. In the end, we create companies

and invent new instruments to improve

our way of living.

TOPTICAs Lasers and Photonicals

accompany researchers at all stages

ranging from fundamental university

research to development in industrial R & D

labs, and to integration into instruments.

Research Grade Lasersfocus more on

the rst two stages and are converted into

OEM grade lasers for the third stage.

Whenever one needs a narrow-linewidth

laser - either tunable in frequency or

frequency stabilized - for a challenging

scientic application, TOPTICA is a key

supplier as well as an ideal partner.

A Passion for Precision. is not only

our customers prerequisite for successful

research and high-level development, it

also enables us to invent and produce

the required instruments, always state-

of-the-art and, sometimes even beyond.

Highly educated staff with profound

scientic research background and

technical application expertise wait

for your call. You will be surprised to

nd partners on the other side listen

carefully to understand the details of your

application.

On the following page, a selection of

Scientic Applicationsserved with our

research grade tunable diode lasers is

presented. More applications of

TOPTICAs products can be found at

www.toptica.com/applications.html.

Vortex patterns of Na atoms (green cartoon), of

tightly bound lithium molecules (red-blue cartoon)

and of loosely bound fermion pairs on the

background of a classical vortex (Hurricane Isabel

in summer 2003, NASA image ISS007E14887).

(M. Zwierlein, W. Ketterle, MIT, USA).



Laser cooling

Magneto-optical trapping

Dipole traps and optical lattices

Atomic fountains

Atom lithography

2-photon down conversion

Quantum cryptography

Quantum teleportation

Photon storage

EIT

LIDAR

Guide star

Trace analysis

Spectroscopy

Magnetometry

RF clocks with atoms and ions

Optical atom and ion clocks

Ultra-stable laser oscillators

Atom interferometers

High-resolution spectroscopy

BEC: Bose-Einstein condensation

Degenerate Fermi gases

Feshbach resonances

BEC BCS cross over

Dipolar gases

Ionization

Laser cooling

Quantum state manipulation

Quantum logic

Quantum simulation

Ion trap inside a vacuum chamber

(R. Blatt, Institute for Quantum Optics and

Quantum Information, Innsbruck, Austria).

Ion trap with CCD image of uorescing ions

(R. Blatt, Institute for Experimental Physics,

University of Innsbruck, Austria).

Strontium atom lattice clock

(Ch. Lisdat, U. Sterr, PTB Braunschweig, Germany).

ARCLITE LIDAR system,

Sondrestrom Research Facility, Greenland

(photo by Craig Heinselman).

Single-spin addressing in an atomic Mott insulator

(I. Bloch, MPQ, Garching, Gemany).

Lithium magneto-optical trap

(R. Hulet, Rice University, Houston, USA).

Atom Optics

Quantum Information Metrology Environmental Observations

Degenerate Quantum Gases Ion Trapping



Tunable diode lasers have been

TOPTICAs core expertise since 1995,

when the rst DL 100 lasers found their

way into scientic laboratories. Many

years of continuous development followed

- along with thousands of individually

manufactured and customer-proven

diode lasers. Thanks to the introduction

of the patented pro technology in 2007,

TOPTICA has consolidated and enlarged

its market leadership in external-cavity

diode laser (ECDL) technology.

With this years big novelty - the rst all-

digital control electronics DLC pro -

TOPTICA takes yet another big step in

laser operation. The DLC pro sets new

standards with respect to noise gures,

stability values and user friendliness.

At the same time, TOPTICA has continued

to investigate and qualify the latest laser

diode technology. This guarantees the

largest wavelength coverage of tunable

diode lasers worldwide.

Digital or analog

The advantages of the digital control

electronics DLC pro are numerous: digital

signals can be remembered, saved and

loaded, they do not drift. Changes can

be made in software settings instead of

using a soldering iron. In addition to higher

exibility, the completely new design

achieves much lower noise gures and

reduces the laser linewidth.

The DLC pro not only provides an intuitive

touch screen, but also features dials

for precise and possibly blind control.

Remote control via USB and Ethernet is

possible thanks to a powerful PC graphical

user interface or through software

commands, which facilitate the integration

into existing experimental setups.

TOPTICAs state-of-the-art analog

electronics technology has also evolved

through the years and continues to be

available as an economic solution for

scientists who need fewer digital features

for less complex experiments.

Lasers with the analog electronics arelabeled SYST DL pro, SYST DL 100or

SYST DL DFB. The new systems with

DLC pro electronics are named DLC DL

proor DLC TA pro.

DL pro, DL 100 or DL DFB

The DL pro is the benchmark for tunable

diode lasers, offering exceptional stability

and ease of use. Key benets include:

Lowest drift, mechanical stability and

easy tuning. The DL pro is the laser

of choice particularly for demanding

experiments that need stable locking

of several lasers, narrow linewidth

(available as a special option at many

wavelengths) and easy tuning.

The DL 100 has long become the

workhorse for atomic physics, constructed

to allow a exible hands-on approach at

the lowest possible cost. This product

offers tunable narrow-bandwidth laser

emission for basic cooling and trapping.

Many groundbreaking BEC experiments

have been performed with the DL 100.

The DL DFB is TOPTICAs tunable laser

incorporating DFB or DBR diodes.

It offers the largest mode-hop-free tuning

ranges at reduced coarse-tuning ranges

and increased linewidth compared to theDL pro. Thanks to the lack of alignment-

sensitive optical elements like external

gratings or mirrors, DL DFB lasers lend

themselves particularly to applications

within industrial environments.

External Cavity and DFB Diode Lasers

TUNABLE DIODE LASERS



Ultra-Stable Tunable Diode Laser with Digital Control

DLC DL pro

The DLC DL pro unites TOPTICAs well-

established DL pro laser head with its

patented resonator design and the all-

digital control electronics DLC pro. Owing

to its low noise and drift values, the DLC

DL pro achieves even narrower linewidths

and better stability.

At the same time, the system provides

a most convenient user interface with

intuitive touch, dial and total remote

control. For more details on the DLC pro,

please see pages 4/5 and 41/42. As the

rst laser of the pro series, the DL pro

laser head has demonstrated how much

even a well-established instrument like the

DL 100 can be further improved.

Main advantages

The main advantages of the DLC DL pro

for the user include large mode-hop-free

tuning, alignment-free operation and the

highest acoustic and thermal stability of

any ECDL on the market.

This translates to a product that delivers

the most reliable and convenient operation

for high-end laboratory work.

Sophisticated and patented technology

To achieve the highest performance

with ease of use, the DL pro mechanics

possesses degrees of freedom exactly

where they are needed. Coarse and

ne-tuning have been skillfully separated:

A well-dened rotation of the grating

performs coarse tuning that precisely

selects any requested wavelength

within the gain spectrum of the diode.

Mode-hop-free tuning is realized by a

system of robust exure joints that

require only tiny adjustments. They rotate

the lasers grating around the perfect

virtual pivot point.

The compact and stable external-cavity

resonator has its rst mechanical resonanceabove 4 kHz - one reason for its superior

acoustic stability. Special care has

been taken in choosing dimensions

and materials with reduced sensivity to

variations of the ambient temperature.

In addition to its stability, the DL pro is easy

to align: The experienced user can even

change or exchange the laser diode.

All-digital, intelligent control

electronics DLC pro

Ultra-stable patented resonator

design (DE 10 2007 028 499 and

US 7970024)

Optimized virtual pivot point

20 - 50 GHz mode-hop-free tuning

Convenient alignment-free

coarse-tuning

Fast current AC & DC modulation

Available between 371 nm .. 1770 nm

Key Features

Laser system DLC DL pro with well established

laser head and all-digital control electronics.

Measured beat signal of two free-running DL

pro 780 averaged over 10 centered sweeps

with a sweep time of 100 ms each. The resul-

ting beat width is 308 kHz, the linewidth approx.

150 kHz.

DL pro piezo transfer function. Below 4 kHz no

acoustic resonances can be detected.

Laser frequency response to a 10 K air

temperature change (laser and electronics inside

climate chamber).

www.toptica.com 17

Single and double-stage isolators

Fiber-coupled output with FiberDock

(single mode, polarization maintaining, p. 53)

Beam shaping

Motorized wavelength selection with an

accuracy of approximately 0.2 nm

(for most wavelengths, p. 19)

DLC pro Lock, integrated digital

frequency stabilization (p. 41/42)

In the future DLC pro can be extended to

run two lasers simultaneously

Options

Check our regularly updated diode stock list:

www.laser-diodes.com



Higher Power from Tunable Diode Lasers

DLC DL pro HP

Thanks to new laser diode developments,

the maximum single-frequency

output power of visible and UV

tunable diode lasers is no longer

limited by the damage threshold of

the laser diode. However, achieving

reliable single-frequency operation of an

external cavity diode laser (ECDL) becomes

increasingly difcult at high power levels.

Minute variations in the laser diode

current or its temperature can cause a

mode-hop - which corresponds to an

abrupt jump in laser frequency by

several GHz - or even lead to multi-mode

operation of the laser.

Higher power from visible & UV ECDLs

The new DLC DL pro HP diode laser

beats former output power limits of

ECDLs in two ways. First, it features

a specic version of the DL pro laser

head with a proprietary resonator design

that provides increased single-mode

power at visible wavelengths. Second,

the new digital driving electronics DLC

pro provides unmatched current and

temperature stability. The combination

of both achievements delivers recordvalues of stable single-frequency

output power from visible or UV ECDLs,

for example 100 mW at 405 nm.

Coarse- and ne-tuning

Manual coarse tuning of the wavelength

is possible across the full gain spectrum

of the laser diode (for blue and UV

diodes approximately 2-3 nm) and

mode-hop-free ne-tuning covers scan

ranges up to 50 GHz. Typical short term

linewidths are below 2 MHz,

corresponding to coherence lengths of

> 65 m. Standard wavelengths include

405 nm, 425 nm and 633 nm. Other

wavelengths between 370 nm and

640 nm are available on request.

Precongured laser system

The DL pro HP laser head features

two inputs with protection circuit for

fast AC & DC modulation of the laser

diode current. These are typically

used for fast frequency modulation or

locking. A preselected 30 dB optical

isolator is also integrated as a

standard configuration. The DLC pro

digital electronics (see pages 41/42)

allows most convenient operation via

touch screen and remote control.

Up to 100 mW single-frequency,

tunable output


Excellent stability against mode-hops

Typical linewidth < 2 MHz

Key Features

DL pro HP laser head.

8 www.toptica.com

360 380 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 620 6401

10

100

Po

wer[mW]

Wavelength [nm]

DL pro HPDL pro

Options

Single and double-stage isolators

Fiber-coupled output with FiberDock

(single mode, polarization maintaining, p. 53)

Beam shaping

DLC pro Lock, integrated digital

frequency stabilization (p. 41/42)

In the future DLC pro can be extended

to run two lasers simultaneously





Over the last few years, TOPTICA has

explored different resonator designs

based on pro technology. This has

resulted in ECDL lasers with optimized

mode-hop stability or lasers with

intrinsically narrow linewidths.

In addition, new, customized laser dio-

des have broadened the wavelength co-

verage of DL pro lasers. Motorized and

computer-controlled wavelength selection

is yet another special modication.

TOPTICAs goal is to satisfy even the most

demanding customers by offering the

most exible solutions.

Narrow linewidth on request

An increasing number of customers has

asked for extremely narrow linewidths

of DL pro lasers. This is not only needed

for precise measurement, but also a pre-

requisite for active linewidth narrowing for

highest-resolution spectroscopy, optical

clocks or phase-locking of diode lasers.

TOPTICA offers a special narrow-linewidth

option for many laser diodes. Specic

linewidth values range from < 10 kHz to~ 50 kHz (@ 5 s measurement time),

depending on the selected diode. The

lowest free-running linewidth achie-

ved so far and demonstrated live

at LASER World of PHOTONICS

(Munich, 2013) - was ~ 4 kHz at

1160 nm - without any further stabilization

techniques (see measurement below).

Motorization of coarse tuning

The DL pro can also be equipped with

a motor for computerized wavelength

selection. The user chooses the wavelength

with the help of coarse or ne dials on

the control box or simply via an RS 232

interface. Software commands set the

wavelength to any value within the gain

bandwidth of the diode, with an accuracy

of approximately 0.2 nm.

The accuracy specication is limited by

a potential internal mode-hop. In the

absence of such mode-hops, the

repeatability improves to < 1 GHz.

Special optics or mechanics

Some diodes require specic changes to

the laser head. One example is the addition

of non-standard beam shaping optics due

to pronounced astigmatism. If needed,

TOPTICA offers such specials with the

DLC DL pro.

Another option often requested is the

integration of larger isolators or more optics

within the laser housing. TOPTICA can

incorporate these specials on a case-by-case basis. Please ask for our special

options and modications.

Special Modications to Meet Customers Demands

DL pro Specials

DL pro with motorization option: automatic

alignment-free coarse tuning over tens of nm.

-2,0 -1,5 -1,0 -0,5 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0

1E-5

1E-4

1E-3

0,01

0,1

1

Beatsignal[a.u.]

Frequency [MHz]

www.toptica.com 19

A self-heterodyne linewidth measurement of a free-

running DL pro with (< 5 kHz, red line) and without

(> 50 kHz, black line) narrow linewidth option.

Regular DL pro laser head and DL pro laser

head with longer base plate and more room

for specials.

Ultra narrow linewidth

Motorization

Increased stability against mode-hops

Larger housing

Special beam shaping

Key Features





Wavelengths and Specications

TOPSellers DLC DL pro and DLC DL pro HP

Magneto-optical trap of rubidium atoms.

I. Bloch, MPQ Garching, Germany.

Specications

DL pro DL pro HP

Center wavelengths(spectral coverage with gaps)

371 .. 637 nm637 .. 1770 nm

371 .. 637 nm

Power range3 .. 45 mW

10 .. 300 mW

15 .. 100 mW

Coarse-tuning range 2 .. 140 nm 1 .. 5 nm

Mode-hop-free tuning range 20 - 50 GHz 20 - 50 GHz

Linewidth 0.1 .. 1 MHz 1 .. 2 MHz

Output beam characteristics 3 mm x 1 mm (1 mm x 1 mm with APP)

Beam height 50 0.3 mm

Polarization Linear, approx. 100:1

Fiber-coupling efciency min (typ.)* 55 (65) % 50 (60) %

Fiber-coupling efciency with APP min (typ.)* 65 (75) % 60 (70) %Long-term frequency change with room temperature



Ultra-Stable Tunable Diode Laser with Analog Control

SYST DL pro

For the past several years, the best-selling

ECDL laser systems world-wide have been

of the SYST DL pro type. Fascinated by

theprotechnology and impressed by the

performance of the DL pro, even the most

skeptical home-builders have changed

their minds and started to use the DL pro.

Results include dramatically reduced times

between the start of an experiment and its

rst results, improved system uptime and

more motivated and satised scientists!

The SYST DL pro provides everything

needed - from a wide range of available

wavelengths between 370 nm and

1770 nm, to its offer of maximum pow-

er from each integrated laser diode, as

well as stable and easy operation, and

many options and modications for

customized systems.

SYS DC 110 electronics and modules

SYST DL pro laser systems come with

TOPTICAs low-noise, analog electro-

nics of the SYS DC 110 series. In addi-

tion to the standard modules for current,

temperature and piezo control, the 19

supply rack provides space for add-on

modules for laser stabilization.

For example, the DigiLock 110 is

TOPTICAs versatile and fast solution for

most locking applications, while the FALC

110 provides the fastest commercially

available PID controller. It is well

suited for linewidth narrowing and phase

locking of tunable diode laser systems.

For less demanding locking applications,

the PID 110 or the Pound-Drever-Hall error-

signal-generating module PDD 110 offer

cost-efcient alternatives. Read more

details on the control rack and its modules

on pages 43 - 50.

Similar to the DLC pro, TOPTICA also

offers the SYST DL pro as a standard

system, the SYST DL pro HPfor higher

powers in the visible wavelength region,

and TOPSellers with specications listedon page 20.

www.toptica.com 21

SYST DL pro is the best selling ECDL world

wide. Its stability and ease of use greatly

increases uptime especially in experiments with

many lasers.

DL pro laser head: everything needed is

rmly integrated inside the laser head for

highest stability.

SYST DL pro laser system. Stable and easy to use

with low noise analog electronics SYS DC 110.

Modular, analog control electronics

in 19 rack

Ultra-stable patented resonator

design (DE 10 2007 028 499 and

US 7970024)

Optimized virtual pivot point

20 - 50 GHz mode-hop-free tuning

Convenient alignment-free

coarse-tuning

Fast current AC & DC modulation


Key Features

Integrated optics (beam shaping,

optical isolation)

Fiber-coupled output (single mode,

polarization maintaining) with FiberDock(p. 53)

Locking modules for SYS DC 110:

DigiLock 110, FALC 110, PID 110, PDD 110

Options




22/56



22 www.toptica.com

Conventional and Economic Tunable Diode Lasers

SYST DL 100

Principle of operation

The well-proven performance of the DL

100 results from its Littrow-type external

cavity laser setup in a simple but rugged

design. All over the world, scientists and

engineers use the DL 100 for numerous

experiments, from simple absorption

spectroscopy to multi-species BECs.

Micrometer screws permit coarse manual

tuning, while precise mode-hop-free scans

are driven by a piezo actuator.

Lockable x/y/z adjustments together with

metal exures provide rigid control of

both the laser beam collimation and the

grating feedback. The laser resonator is

thermally stabilized by means of a Peltier

cooler, connected to the DTC 110 Diode

Temperature Control.

Low noise operation of the DL 100 is

achieved by means of the Diode Current

Control DCC 110. In addition, TOPTICA

offers a variety of regulator modules to

stabilize the laser frequency (for a full

description see pages 45 - 50).

Modular designThe DL 100 diode laser head comprises a

mounting base which serves as heat sink,

a temperature sensor and Peltier cooler for

active temperature control, a laser base

plate, a laser diode holder with a collimator

and a grating mount featuring a piezo

actuator for precise tuning.

The laser diode itself can be easily

exchanged by replacing the diode holder

without dismantling the setup. The DL

100 is available with AR and FP-type

diodes. FP diodes deliver higher power at

Widest wavelength coverage

370 .. 1770 nm

High power up to 300 mW

Mode-hop-free tuning up to 30 GHz

Free-running linewidth

100 kHz .. 1 MHz (5 s)

AR and FP diodes

Key Features

SYST DL 100, the classic workhorse for many

quantum optics experiments.

22 www.toptica.com

lower cost, while AR-coated diodes offer

wider tuning, more stable single-mode

behavior and narrower linewidths. The

control and supply units are designed as

modular plugins which can be combined

to meet any application requirement.

Further modules like Scan Control, PID

regulator and Pound-Drever-Hall detector

complete the modular electronics setup.

Hands-on setup

The DL 100 has evolved in research

laboratories and therefore offers the

necessary versatility for a changing

environment. For instance, all important

alignment parameters are easily accessible

from above and are adjustable by lockable

micrometer screws. If an OEM application

requires a xed laser setup with limited

user access, TOPTICA can also provide

hands-off laser systems.

Reasonably priced

A DL 100 laser system is the most

economic and exible step into the World

of Tunable Diode Lasers.

If even more stable and convenient

operation is required, the DL pro systemsare the recommended alternatives.

Linewidth of DL 100, determined with a delayed

self-heterodyne beat setup (integration time

5 s). The FWHM of the beat signal equals two

times the laser linewidth (450 kHz).

DL 100 frequency sweep over four Rb absorption

lines (red). FPI transmission peaks (blue,

FSR 1 GHz) are shown for reference.

Options

Optical isolators

Beam shaping

Fiber-coupling

DC / AC coupled modulation board





Single-Frequency Lasers with Largest Mode-hop-free Tuning Range

DL DFB

Wide tuning, wide wavelength range

DL DFB lasers unite wide tunability, narrow

linewidth and high output power. TOPTICA

provides both diodes and systems at any

wavelength between 760 and 3500 nm,

with a large variety of wavelengths available

from stock. Due to the absence of

alignment-sensitive components, DFB

lasers exhibit an exceptional stability and

reliability. Our customers have successfully

employed DL DFB lasers under the most

adverse environmental conditions in the

Arctic, in re research settings and even in

airborne experiments.

VHG diodes in the visible range

Laser diodes with a built-in volume-

holographic grating (VHG) extend the

spectrum of available wavelengths into

the visible range. While the overall tuning

range is smaller than that of DFBs, VHG

diodes still offer continuous single-

frequency emission, independent of

changes in ambient temperature or air

pressure. With lasing wavelengths between

633 nm and 685 nm, VHG diodes lend

themselves particularly to test-and-

measurement tasks, e.g., interferometryand metrology.

Single-frequency laser with

distributed feedback diode and

SYS DC 110 electronics

Available wavelengths:

633 nm .. 685 nm, 760 - 3500 nm

High output powers up to 150 mW

Mode-hop-free tuning up to

1200 GHz (@ 780 nm)

or 4 nm (@ 1550 nm)

Reliable operation even in harshenvironments

DL DFB BFY: Compact mount for

buttery packages

SYST DL DFB laser heads for buttery-type

diodes (front) and TO-packages (back).

Thermal frequency tuning of a DL DFB. Absorption spectrum of water vapor, recorded

with a thermally tuned DL DFB at 935 nm.

0 10 20 30 40 50

854

855

856

857

Wavelength(nm)

Temperature (C)

1175 GHz

Key Features



Frequency tuning

Frequency tuning of DFB lasers is accom-

plished by varying either the chip tempe-

rature (/T ~25 GHz/K) or the operating

current (/I ~1-5 GHz/mA). Thermal

tuning achieves mode-hop-free scan ran-

ges of several hundred GHz, at a moderate

tuning speed of ~100 GHz/s. In contrast,

electric tuning spans a smaller frequency

range, but functions up to MHz rates.

Laser heads for different packages

Two versions of DL DFB laser heads

accommodate different diode package

designs. The standard DL DFB laser

head incorporates DFB or VHG diodes

with a TO-9 mm or TO-3 package, where

miniaturized thermoelectric elements heat,

cool or stabilize the laser temperature.

A compact buttery mount (DL DFB BFY)

houses ber-pigtailed laser diodes.

The buttery design additionally features

a miniature isolator, coupling optics and an

SM/PM ber. According to the customers

preference, TOPTICA congures the DFB

laser heads for free-space or ber out-

put and optionally with a DL-Mod PCBfor high-frequency modulation or

linewidth manipulation.

Single-Frequency Lasers with Largest Mode-Hop-Free Tuning Range

SYST DL DFB

www.toptica.com 23

Optical isolators

Beam shaping

Fiber-coupling

DC / AC coupled modulation board



Options



DL Series Laser Head Options

Options Tunable Diode Lasers

Beam angle compensation mirror: SP/DL 100In TOPTICAs Littrow-type ECDLs, the beam angle compensation mirror is mounted parallel to the gratingto eliminate a change of the output beam angle when tuning the laser. It is included in the DL 100 and DLpro, and not needed for the DL DFB.

High-frequency modulation PCB: DL-Mod

The PCB includes AC and DC-coupled current modulation inputs on the laser head.The DC-coupled input has an electrical -3 dB bandwidth of 20 MHz. The AC-coupled input can becongured for an electrical bandwidth > 300 MHz.The optical modulation bandwidths are generally lower and depend on the properties of the diode.

Single-stage isolator: Isolator 30 dB

Isolators are used to protect the laser diode against back reections. This not only prevents damage to the

diode but also ensures untroubled tuning and single-frequency operation.Fiber-coupling with angle-polished bers (both ends) requires at least a single-stage isolator.

Double-stage isolator: Isolator 60 dB

Double-stage isolators are needed if reections from the experiment into the laser are expected.

Fiber-coupling with non-angle-polished bers also requires a double-stage isolator.

Adjustable anamorphic prism pair: APP J

TOPTICAs patented adjustable anamorphic prism pairs are used to expand or compress a laser beamin one direction, by a factor between 2 and 5. The main application is to render an elliptical diode laserbeam circular.

Compact prism pair for beam compression: APP compactThe compact prism pair is used for beam compression only. The compressed circular beam is smallenough for using inexpensive small-aperture isolators, and the ber-coupling efciency is enhanced byapproximately 10 %. The compression ratio is set at the factory.

Fiber coupler: FiberDockTM

TOPTICAs patented ber coupler provides highest single-mode ber-coupling efciencies, easy alignmentand at the same time highest stability. TOPTICA additionally offers a wide range of single-mode andpolarization-maintaining bers, including ber-optic beam splitters. Optical isolation is mandatory forber-coupled diode laser systems.

Laser DL 100 DL pro DL DFB

SP/DL 100 Included Included Not needed

DL-Mod Optional Included Optional

Isolator 30 dB Optional* Optional* Optional*

Isolator 60 dB Optional* Optional* Optional*

APP J expanding Optional* Optional* Optional*

APP compact Optional* Optional* Optional*

FiberDock Optional* Optional* Optional*

*Not for all wavelengths and/or not in combination with all other options.



Specications

DL pro DL 100 DL DFB

Center wavelengths(spectral coverage with gaps)

370 .. 517 nm*632 .. 1770 nm*

633 .. 685 nm760 .. 3500 nm

Typical power range 3 .. 300 mW 2 .. 150 mW

Typical coarse-tuning range 2 .. 140 nm 2 .. 4 nm

Typical mode-hop-free tuning range 20 - 50 GHz 10 - 50 GHz 1000 GHz

Typical linewidth (5 s integration time) 0.1 - 1 MHz 0.5 - 4 MHz

Typical output beam characteristics 3 mm x 1 mm, 1 mm x 1 mm with APP C

Beam height 50 0.3 mm 53.9 0.5 mm

Typical polarization Linear, approx. 1000:1

Fiber-coupling efciency: min. (typ.) 55 (65) %

Fiber-coupling efciency with APP: min. (typ.) 65 (75) %

Typical long-term frequency change with room temperature



An application calls for a tunable laser with

narrow linewidth, but also high power?

TOPTICA offers a family of amplied diode

lasers. Depending the requirements, the

TA pro, BoosTA and BoosTA pro can do

the job.

The TA prois a member of TOPTICAspro

series and consistently follows the concept

of maximum stability and ease of use.

This product consists of a grating stabilized

diode laser and a tapered semiconductor

amplier.

This Master-Oscillator Power-Amplier

(MOPA) concept combines the tunability

and linewidth of the DL pro seed laser with

the high power and excellent beam quality

available from tapered ampliers.

Master oscillator and power amplier

are independently driven by a pair of

temperature and current controllers.

Patented, exure-based mirror mounts

ensure easy coupling of the master laser

into the tapered amplier. At the same time,

the highly stable design prevents intensity

uctuations that might arise from beam

pointing variations. For beam shaping,

TOPTICA uses custom-made optical

components, achieving an excellent beam

prole and highest single-mode ber-

coupling efciencies.

The TA pro laser head is available as SYST

TA pro with the analog DC 110 double-

stage rack system (see page 43) and as

DLC TA pro with the DLC pro, TOPTICAs

new all digital control electronics.

In the latter version, the DLC pro 19 rack

includes two low-noise current controllers,

two temperature controllers, a scan control

with HV amplier for the ECDLs piezo and

readily comprises advanced digital locking

functions. More information on the new

DLC pro can be found on pages 41/42.

A straightforward solution to amplify

existing lasers is the BoosTA prosystem,

featuring the power-amplier of the TA pro,

along with its superior heat management

and beam-shaping optics for input and

output beams. The BoosTA pro system

comes with TOPTICAs compact current

and temperature controller DC HP and

achieves highest output powers at low

intensity-noise.

The established BoosTA system is a

low-cost, compact amplier module.

It combines the tapered amplier chips

of the TA pro with electronics built into

the laser head. For the experienced

scientist it allows easy integration into an

existing setup.

Amplied Diode Lasers

HIGH POWER



High Power inproTechnology

TA pro

Compact integration with

high-quality components

The TA pro consists of a grating-stabilized

diode laser and a tapered semiconductor

amplier. A high-quality optical isolator

placed between master laser and

amplier eliminates spurious back-

reections and thus guarantees spectrally

robust operation.

Between isolator and tapered amplier a

probe beam is tapped off and made available

for spectral stabilization and monitoring

purposes. All mechanical and optical

components are integrated in a housing

that is machined from one solid block.

The complete system has proven its

stability in numerous tests both in

TOPTICAs laboratories and in many

customers experiments.

Key advantages

The integrated MOPA (Master-Oscilla-

tor Power-Amplier) system provides

unmatched stability against acoustic noise,

vibrations and ambient temperature

changes. The TA pro is easy to align,

very stable when aligned, and it offers the

best possible beam quality available from

tapered ampliers.

The TA pro comes in ve standard

wavelengths, but further wavelengths

between 632 nm and 1275 nm are

available as well. The output power at a

specic wavelength depends on available

TA chips and master laser diodes. Thanks

to a new high-current laser driver, the most

powerful TA pro systems now achieve

power levels up to 3 W.

Electronics integrated in the TA pro

laser head feature a DC & AC-coupled

modulation board, which enables a direct

and safe modulation of the master laser

current at frequencies up to 200 MHz.

The AC-coupled branch of the modula-

tion board can be congured as Bias-Tinput, increasing the modulation band-

width to several hundred MHz. The TA chip

itself also features a fast and broadband

modulation board, which can be used for

active power stabilization. A large variety

of locking electronics can be found on

pages 45 ff.

The DLC TA pro, a system comprising a

TA pro laser head with DLC pro electronics,

is available from Q2 / 2014.

TA pro laser head with integrated 60 dB

output isolator.

Excellent output power stability

(example TA pro 780, constant current mode).

www.toptica.com 27

MOPA concept with DL pro master

and tapered amplier

Powers up to 3 W

Excellent beam quality: typ. M < 1.5

DC & AC-coupled modulation ports

for both master laser and amplier

Probe-beam output

Analog or digital control electronics

TA pro - next generation of amplied tunable

diode lasers - available with SYS DC 110 and

DLC pro electronics.

Key Features

Optical isolator for TA output(recommended)

Fiber-coupling of TA output

Fiber-coupling of probe beam output


DigiLock 110, FALC 110, PID 110

DLC pro Lock option for DLC pro

(p. 41 - 42)

Options

DL pro as

master oscillator

Optical isolator

60 dB

Tapered

amplier with

optics and heat

management

Optical isolator 60 dB

Ultra-stable mirror

mount





Optimized Systems for Selected Applications

TA pro TOPSeller and Customized Versions

TOPTICA provides ve TA pro TOPSeller

systems, which have proven themselves

as workhorses in numerous quantum

optics laboratories around the world.

The stability and ease of use with

TOPTICAs pro technology enables

scientists to focus on their experiments

and not on the laser system driving the

setup. Upon request, TOPTICA offers

high-power versions with specially

selected TA chips and a dedicated

current controller.

TOPTICAs TA pro TOPSeller systems are

value priced and can be combined with

multiple options. Optical isolation of the

output beam is highly recommended. With

TOPTICAs analog or digital locking elec-

tronics wavelength stabilization is easy

and convenient.

All TA pro TOPSellers are available with

the new all-digital controller DLC pro from

Q2 / 2014.

Customized versions

TOPTICAs amplied diode lasers are open

and exible systems, and can be modied

according to individual needs.

Customized versions of the TA pro include:

High-power laser systems with up to

3 W output

Special master resonator for narrow

linewidth

DFB diode as master-laser

Motorized wavelength selection

The TA pro Master-Oscillator Power-Amplier

(MOPA).

Magneto-optical trap of lithium atoms.

T. Esslinger, ETH Zrich, Switzerland.

Options

Optical isolator for TA output

Fiber-coupling of TA output

Fiber-coupling of probe beam output

Locking modules for SYS DC 110

DLC pro Lock option for DLC pro

SYST TA pro 670

Lithium laser cooling

Wavelength range 671 - 675 nm

Max. output power 0.5 W

Beam quality M2 < 1.5

Mode-hop-free tunig 20 - 30 GHz

SYST TA pro 765

Potassium laser cooling



(2.0 W with high power option)

Beam quality M2 < 2


SYST TA pro 780

Rubidium D2 laser cooling






SYST TA pro 795

Rubidium D1 laser cooling




Beam quality M2 < 2


SYST TA pro 850

Cesium laser cooling








Semiconductor Optical Amplier inproTechnology

BoosTA pro

For customers who wish to boost

the power of existing lasers, coherent

stand-alone ampliers offer an attractive

solution.

TOPTICAs BoosTA product line provides

efcient optical amplication without

compromising the high spectral and

spatial beam quality of the master laser.

Semiconductor optical amplier for

more laser power

The BoosTA pro, TOPTICAs new stand-

alone optical amplier, increases the

output power of a DL pro or any other linearly

polarized master laser by up to 20 dB.

Following TOPTICAs well-established

pro-technology, the TA chip is mounted

in a compact unit with optimized heat

management and beam-shaping optics.

A compact, external power supply (DC

HP) drives the amplier head and allows

effortless operation - even of current-

hungry TA chips at wavelengths with lower

gain. Researchers thus benet from output

power levels up to 3 W.

The BoosTA pro head also includes a

high-bandwidth current modulation board,

which - when used in a closed feed-

back loop - allows compensating power

uctuations of the master laser by

adjusting the amplier gain. The board

features a protective circuit to avoid the

risk of chip damage. The beam manage-

ment of the seed laser can be greatly

simplied by ber input coupling, which is

optionally available as well as ber-outputcoupling. Optical output isolation is provi-

ded by TOPTICA. The BoosTA pro head

has sufcient space for a 60 dB isolator to

protect the TA chip from back reections.

Compact amplier module

Gain up to 20 dB (x 100)

Output power up to 3 W

External control electronics (DC HP)

Maintains spectral properties of

master oscillator

Many wavelengths available

(631 .. 1275 nm)

BoosTA pro High-power optical amplier.

Key Features

Optical output isolator

(integrated in amplier head)

Fiber-coupled input

Fiber-coupled output

Operation with standard rack

SYS DC 110

Options



BoosTA pro - Power at selected wavelengths

Wavelength [nm] 633 650 675 765 780 795 808 850 915 970 1010 1070 1100 1135 1170 1250

Max. Power [W] 0.15 0.25 0.5 2 3 2 2 2 1.5 3 1.5 2 1.5 1 1.5 1.5

BoosTA pro with DC HP. BoosTA pro laser head with Fiber-in, Fiber-out

(FiFo).

www.toptica.com 29



Semiconductor Optical Amplier

BoosTA

Compact and economic semiconductor

optical amplier

For customers with moderate power

requirements, the BoosTA offers an

economic alternative to the BoosTA

pro while still being superior to self-built

solutions. It comes pre-aligned and tested

with a seed laser, and users can readily

insert it into their experimental set-up.

The BoosTA comprises a selected

tapered amplier chip as well as proprie-

tary collimation optics, which help achieve

the best possible output beam prole.

Control electronics for TA chip tempera-

ture and driver current is integrated into

the laser head. The current can either be

set manually via a rotary potentiometer,

or remotely via an RS 232 interface. An

external power supply minimizes the

impact of thermal and electronic radiation

(EMC) on the amplier head.

Fiber input and output coupling as well

as integration of an optical output iso-

lator in the amplier head are optio-

nally available like for the BoosTA pro.

The ber-coupled system provides highexibility in the optical beam path,

BoosTA Economic optical amplier.

Compact amplier module

Gain up to 20 dB (x 100)

Output power up to 1.5 W

Integrated, compact control

electronics

Maintains spectral properties of

master oscillator

Many wavelengths available

(631 .. 1083 nm)

Key Features

Check our regularly updated diode stock list:www.laser-diodes.com

BoosTA vs. BoosTA pro - Power at selected wavelengths

Wavelength [nm] 633 650 675 765 780 795 808 850 915 970 1010 1070 1100 1135 1170 1250

Max. Power [W]

BoosTA

0.15 0.25 0.5 1.3 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 1 - 1.2 - - - -

Max. Power, [W]

BoosTA pro

0.15 0.25 0.5 2 3 2 2 2 1-5 3 1-5 2 1-5 1 1.5 1.5

Optical output isolator

(integrated into amplier head)

Fiber-coupled input

Fiber-coupled output

Options

Typical saturation behavior of tapered amplier

chips at different amplier currents (seed power

levels exceeding 40 mW are not recommended).

reduces complexity on the optical table

and increases the long-term stability of

the experimental set-up.

It is even possible to combine two

different seed lasers, e.g. in a polarization-

maintaining ber array, and amplify both

wavelengths simultaneously in a single

BoosTA system. This concept is widely

used for the generation of tunable,

continuous-wave terahertz radiation.

Available BoosTA power levels depend

on the particular TA chip, as listed in

the BoosTA BoosTA pro comparison

table below. The most powerful BoosTA

systems achieve an optical output of 1.5 W.



Specications

TA pro TA DFB BoosTA pro BoosTA

Conguration MOPA MOPA Amplier

Master laser DL pro (integrated) DL DFB (integrated) External

Center wavelengths 633 .. 1265 nm* 760 .. 1265 nm* 633 .. 1265 nm* 645 .. 1083 nm*

Max. power 3 W 1.5 W

Coarse tuning 10 .. 70 nm 1 .. 4 nm 10 .. 70 nm

Typical mode-hop-free tuning 20 - 50 GHz 1000 GHz Depends on master laser

Typical linewidth (5 s) 0.1 .. 1 MHz 1 .. 4 MHz Depends on master laser

Polarization Linear > 100 : 1

ASE background, typ. < -40 dB < -40 dB Depends on master laser

Beam quality M < 1.5 (< 2.0 for some higher-power chips) < 1.5 (< 2.0 for some higher-power chips)**

Divergence < 1 mrad

Beam height 50 1 mm 53.9 mm

Optical isolators Internal: 60 dB included, Output: optional 30 or 60 dB Input: none, Output: optional 30 or 60 dB

Fiber-Coupling Output: optional Input*** and Output: optional

Fiber-coupling efciency****:

min. (typ.)50 % (60 %) 50 % (60 %)**

Control electronics DLC pro or SYS DC 110 DC HPIntegrated into laser head +

external supply

Frequency mod. option Included -

Intensity modulation option TA-Mod included -

Environment temperature:

Operating / transport15 - 30 C / 0 - 40 C

Environment humidity Non-condensing

Operating voltage 100 - 120 V / 220 - 240 V AC, 50 - 60 Hz (auto detect)

Power consumption Typ. 120 W, Max. 300 W Typ. 35 W, Max. 60 W

Size head (L x W x H) 400 x 192 x 90 mm 275 x 115 x 90 mm 312 x 100 x 85 mm

Size electronics (L x W x H) 400 x 465 x 148 mm 278 x 120 x 104 mm 179 x 175 x 70 mm

*Spectral coverage with gaps.

**With suitable TOPTICA master laser.

***Requires linearly polarized light from FC/APC PM ber.

****With TOPTICAs FiberDock, isolation required.

600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 130010

100

1000

TA pro / BoosTA proBoosTA

Power[mW]

Wavelength [nm]

Amplied Diode Lasers

SpecicationsClass 4 Laser Product EN 60825-1:2007. Visible or insible laser radiation.

Avoid eye or skin exposure to direct or scattered radiation. Caution - Class

4 visible and/or insivisble laser radiation when open. Avoid exposure to the

beam, avoid eye or skin exposure to direct or scattered radiation. Magnetic

elds may be present which may affect the operation of certain pacemakers.



Standard systems and customized

solutions

TOPTICA's standard frequency-converted

diode lasers are available at wavelengths

between 205 nm and 640 nm, with

only few spectral gaps. By combining

understanding of diode laser technology

and extensive experience in frequency

conversion, we achieve the highest output

power levels and best performance in

our products. For customers that already

possess a single-frequency cw laser that

is to be frequency-doubled, TOPTICA

also offers a stand-alone second-

harmonic generator.

Different product families are presented

on the next pages. Together with our

customers, TOPTICAs experts will identify

the best product and tailor it according

to specic requirements in terms of

output power, wavelength and tunability.

For specic applications, we provide

pre-congured TOPSeller systems.

If our standard products do not match

your needs, we will investigate options

like sum-frequency generation. Do not

hesitate to challenge us!

prophilosophy in frequency-converted

systems

Ease of use, best performance and

highest stability are key characteristics of

any of TOPTICAsprolasers. In TOPTICAs

frequency-converted systems, the laser

head is machined from a solid metal

block for enhanced robustness against

vibrations, acoustic noise and temperature.

Integrated exure-based mirror mounts

provide an unmatched long-term stability.

The bow-tie resonator SHG pro comes

in a closed design with entrance and exit

windows, and can be adjusted without

opening the lid.

The SHG wavelength is tuned by altering

the fundamental laser color. Mode-hop-

free tuning of some 10 GHz is realized by

scanning the fundamental laser while the

SHG resonator follows automatically.

Coarse tuning over several nm is achieved

by manually changing the wavelength of thefundamental laser. Only if phase matching

has to be optimized does readjustment of

the SHG resonator become necessary.

Diode laser advantages

Compared to other frequency-converted

laser systems (e.g., optically-pumped

dye lasers with subsequent doubling

stages, or frequency-doubled Ti:Sa

lasers), the advantages of semiconductor

congurations are that an external pump

laser and water cooling are not required.

The diode laser systems are most

compact in size, extremely reliable,

conveniently operated, with low running

costs. Thanks to TOPTICAs pro

design, even non-specialists can

perform adjustments.

Tunable Diode Lasers for Visible and UV Wavelengths

FREQUENCY-CONVERTED LASERS



Stand-Alone Second Harmonic Generator

SYST SHG pro

Professional unit for frequency doub-

ling of cw lasers

The stand-alone Second-Harmonic

Generator SHG pro is the device of choice

for frequency-doubling of existing cw la-

sers. The SYST SHG pro package compri-

ses mode-matching optics for the external

laser, ultra-stable beam-steering mirrors,

electronics for Pound-Drever-Hall stabi-

lization with automatic relocking of the

resonator length and temperature control

of the NLO crystal, the bow-tie resonator

in pro design, and beam-shaping

optics for the frequency-doubled light.

The

toptica lasers

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