Gooch & Housego : G&H Photonics West 2017 Preview

It's that time of year again folks as the largest annual gathering of Photonics professionals in the world comes around again. This year at Photonics West, our product display will focus on a number of key products for applications in laser materials processing for microelectronic manufacture, optical coherence tomography (OCT), short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging and our product managers will be on hand to answer any queries you may have.

G&H has two facilities dedicated to the design and manufacture of acousto-optic control products for industrial laser systems. From our Ilminster, UK base we'll have two acousto-optic modulators, ideal for extra-cavity modulation or power control of high power CO2 laser system installations at 5.5 µm, 9.4 or 10.6 µm wavelengths. From our factory in Fremont, CA we'll be showing a acousto-optic beam defector (AOBD) for UV laser systems at wavelengths down to 266nm. Ideal for high speed scanning applications in micro machining, inspection systems, via drilling and graphic imaging.

Our award winning fiber-coupled modulator - the Fiber-Q® has new models in the range on display including UV and visible wavelength - with hermetic versions also available.
Our next generation Smart Dual Drive, also on show, is fully reconfigurable with dual RF outputs for two independent RF channels with a fast parallel interface as well as USB controllability. Ideally suited for controlling a two element phased array acousto-optic (AO) beam deflector, the driver can also be used to drive two single element AO beam deflectors for two dimensional scanning.

We've been making Pockels cells based on our own crystals in Cleveland, OH since 1973. At Photonics West 2017 we'll be proudly displaying the newest model in the industry-standard QX series Pockels cell product line, the QX1014A. This latest KD*P based model is ideal for minimizing round trip losses in Ti:Sapphire regenerative amplifiers. It employs short path length components to reduce nonlinear self-focusing in higher peak power applications and temporal pulse broadening in femtosecond applications.

Every Pockels cell needs a driver and the new HVR-Drive is designed to switch BBO Pockels cells in OEM laser systems. Used for pulse management in high repetition rate ultrafast laser regenerative amplifiers, the new driver can drive Pockels cells at 1/4λ or 1/2λ up to 7.5 kV and up to 100 kHz. The driver produces a 'Top Hat' waveform with fast rising and falling edges.

G&H's newest fiber optic components will include a model fiber laser system, showing all of the components we make for fiber lasers.

Pulsed fiber lasers are now ubiquitous in industrial, biomedical and scientific applications. The broad range of optical technologies available to G&H allow us to make the critical components for these lasers. Our fused fiber technology provides passive components used in the monitoring and pumping of pulsed lasers. Our optoelectronic packaging capability produces pump lasers, seed lasers and the component at the heart of many ultrafast lasers, the SESAM. The awarding winning range of fiber coupled acousto optics devices, the Fiber-Q® range, is used for Q-switching and for pulse picking. Finally precision optical technology delivers the laser beam to the application.

We'll also be showing our specialty fiber spooling capability. As part of the manufacturing of complex fiber modules we regularly need to spool fiber for space efficient packaging with customer specific designed spools of precise length between 5 m and 5 km. We thought you might like to see an example.

G&H have long pioneered advances in OCT technology. This year we will have our Small Form-Factor Optical Delay Line and Optical OCT Spectrometer.

The delay line is based on a customizable chassis that can be adapted to incorporate additional optical components, the unit is designed to be easily incorporated into any modular optical coherence tomography (OCT) system architecture.

For communications applications in the future, space photonics will be an essential enabling technology. Optical fiber amplifiers (OFAs) are key building blocks in laser communication terminals and telecom photonic payloads. The Hydra is a booster OFA designed for space and harsh environments.

Commercial SWIR lenses are not in themselves new but with the introduction to the market of high resolution cameras based on the most modern sensors, high resolution lenses are needed. Most SWIR lenses on the market are not fully effective and when accuracy is important a high resolution lens is important. Our 25 mm Barle model is suitable for commercial and military machine applications and will be demonstrated on our booth. Come along and see and talk to us about the prototype designs for the Avill 12.5 mm.

Come along to booth 1901 and talk to our dedicated product managers about these products and more. Whatever your OEM photonics needs, our experts will be on hand to advise regarding industrial, life science, and defense imaging, sensing and laser challenges. If you'd like to book an appointment, email us in advance at [e-mail].