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Designed for seamless integration with common gas (argon-ion, helium-neon) and solid-state (Nd:YAG, diode) lasers, these filters are core components in fluorescence instrumentation, Raman spectroscopy, and medical laser systems. Unlike general-purpose bandpass filters, laser line filters feature ultra-narrow bandwidths and deep blocking to eliminate interference from overlapping wavelengths, such as Rayleigh scattering in Raman spectroscopy or excitation light bleed-through in fluorescence imaging. Our filters are manufactured using advanced ion-beam sputtering (IBS) coating technology, which ensures exceptional layer uniformity, wavelength stability (±0.5nm over -20°C to +60°C), and long-term durability (resistant to humidity, dust, and mechanical wear). With applications spanning from academic research to industrial quality control, they meet the strict performance requirements of ISO 10110 optical standards.
Narrow Bandwidth: Achieves 1.9nm typical bandwidth (FWHM) to isolate laser lines with high precision. For example, a 532nm laser line filter with 1.9nm bandwidth transmits only 531.05–532.95nm light, blocking adjacent wavelengths (e.g., 530nm or 534nm) that could interfere with Raman scattering measurements. Bandwidth options range from 1nm (for high-resolution spectroscopy) to 5nm (for imaging applications requiring broader laser coverage) .
Deep Blocking: Provides OD 5–6 blocking (optical density) outside the passband, suppressing wavelengths in ranges like 415–483nm & 493–625nm for 488nm laser filters. OD 5 blocking means only 0.001% of unwanted light transmits, while OD 6 blocks 99.9999%—critical for low-signal applications like single-molecule fluorescence detection, where even trace ambient light can obscure results .
High Transmission: Ensures >90% transmission at the target laser wavelength (e.g., 92% transmission at 785nm for diode laser filters) for minimal power loss. This is achieved through optimized thin-film designs (50–100 layers of HfO₂/SiO₂) that reduce reflection and absorption in the passband, preserving laser power for sample interaction (e.g., laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, LIBS) .
Low Fluorescence Substrates: Utilizes N-BK7 glass or UV fused silica substrates with ultra-low autofluorescence (<0.1% relative to standard glass) to reduce background noise. Fused silica substrates are preferred for UV laser lines (e.g., 266nm) as they transmit down to 185nm, while N-BK7 is ideal for visible/near-infrared wavelengths (400–2500nm) due to its low cost and high mechanical strength .
Mechanical Stability: Features <3 arcsec parallelism (per ISO 10110-5) to prevent beam deviation in high-precision optical setups, such as laser interferometers used for optical component calibration. Standard 25mm diameter options have tight dimensional tolerances (+0.0/-0.1mm) to ensure compatibility with standard filter mounts, while custom sizes (12.5–100mm) fit specialized systems (e.g., large-format laser scanners) .
Hard Coatings: Utilizes IBS-deposited coatings that are 5–10x harder than conventional evaporation coatings, providing resistance to environmental degradation (e.g., humidity, chemical exposure) and mechanical wear (e.g., cleaning with lens tissue). The coatings meet MIL-C-48497 standards for adhesion and abrasion resistance, ensuring a service life of >5 years in typical laboratory conditions .
Temperature Stability: Tested to MIL-STD-810F standards for reliable performance across 15°C to 45°C—the typical operating range of laboratory and industrial equipment. In temperature cycling tests (-40°C to +85°C, 100 cycles), the passband wavelength shifts by <0.3nm, ensuring consistent performance in harsh environments (e.g., industrial manufacturing facilities with variable temperatures) .
Raman Spectroscopy: Eliminates Rayleigh scattering by isolating the laser excitation wavelength. For example, a 785nm laser line filter blocks Rayleigh scattered light at 785nm (which is 10⁶x more intense than Raman signals) while transmitting weak Raman shifts (785±100nm), enabling detection of molecular vibrations (e.g., C-C bonds in polymers) .
Fluorescence Imaging: Blocks excitation light while transmitting weak emission signals from fluorophores. In confocal microscopy, a 488nm laser line filter reflects 488nm excitation light to the sample while transmitting 500–550nm emission light (e.g., GFP fluorescence), reducing background noise by >100x and improving image clarity .
Laser Surgery: Ensures precise wavelength delivery in ophthalmic and dermatological procedures. For example, in refractive eye surgery (LASIK), a 193nm excimer laser line filter blocks longer-wavelength UV radiation (200–250nm) that could damage the cornea, while transmitting 193nm light for precise tissue ablation .
Laser Welding: Controls beam quality in materials processing systems. A 1064nm laser line filter for fiber laser welders blocks stray 532nm second harmonic light (generated during welding) that could cause uneven heating, ensuring consistent weld depth (±0.1mm) in metal components (e.g., automotive gears) .
Laser Guidance: Maintains signal integrity in missile guidance and targeting systems. Military rangefinders use 1064nm laser line filters to isolate the laser beam from ambient light (e.g., sunlight, artificial lighting), enabling accurate distance measurement (±1m at 10km range) in daytime conditions .
Nanoscience: Enables precise laser-material interaction studies. In atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with laser spectroscopy, a 532nm laser line filter isolates the laser used to detect cantilever deflection, ensuring nanometer-scale resolution in surface topography measurements .
Q: Which laser wavelengths are supported?
A: Our filters are optimized for common laser lines across the UV, visible, and near-infrared spectra, including 266nm (Nd:YAG fourth harmonic), 405nm (violet diode), 488nm (argon-ion), 532nm (Nd:YAG second harmonic), 633nm (helium-neon), 785nm (near-infrared diode), 808nm (pump diode), and 1064nm (Nd:YAG fundamental). Custom filters can be designed for less common wavelengths (e.g., 355nm, 980nm) to fit specialized lasers (e.g., ultrafast Ti:sapphire lasers) .
Q: What is optical density (OD) in laser line filters?
A: OD measures blocking efficiency, calculated as OD = -log₁₀(T), where T is transmission. For example, OD 6 means only 0.0001% of unwanted light transmits—critical for low-signal detection (e.g., Raman spectroscopy, where Raman signals are 10⁶–10⁹x weaker than excitation light). Our filters provide OD 5–6 blocking in the immediate vicinity of the passband (±10–50nm) and OD 3–4 blocking over broader ranges, ensuring comprehensive interference suppression .
Q: Can these filters handle high laser power?
A: Standard models offer 0.1 J/cm² LIDT @ 532nm, 10ns (laser-induced damage threshold), suitable for moderate-power lasers (e.g., 100mW CW lasers, 1mJ pulsed lasers). For high-energy applications (e.g., 10J/cm² pulsed lasers, 1kW CW lasers), inquire about our high-damage-threshold variants, which use thicker substrates (3–5mm) and enhanced coatings (e.g., Al₂O₃/SiO₂) to achieve LIDT up to 10 J/cm² @ 1064nm, 10ns. We also offer anti-reflection coatings on the input side to reduce power absorption and prevent thermal damage .
Q: Are custom diameters available?
A: Yes, we offer 12.5–100mm diameter options to match system requirements. Small diameters (12.5–25mm) fit compact systems (e.g., handheld laser spectrometers), while large diameters (50–100mm) are designed for high-power laser systems (e.g., 1kW fiber laser cutters) where beam size exceeds standard filter dimensions. Custom square or rectangular shapes (e.g., 30×30mm) are also available for integrated optical modules (e.g., microfluidic chips with on-board laser detection) .
