Bookham, Inc. (San Jose, CA), provider of high performance optical products, has announced the launch of a compact single-wavelength laser controller that measures 5" x 4" x 1.5" and is designed for precision metrological and scientific applications. The controller offers customers high reliability in a small, low-priced package, and complements the New Focus SWL-7500 single-wavelength laser series. Bookham acquired New Focus and its associated brand in December 2003.
Customers in established research and industrial markets for Raman spectroscopy, metrology, and interferometry will benefit from the cost, size, stability, and reliability of the SWL-7500 ECDL controller. The laser system offers industry-leading narrow linewidths for precision Raman experiments and long coherence lengths for high-dynamic range surface profile measurements in interferometry applications. The product will be available through the New Focus catalog and website, www.newfocus.com.
"We have had consistently positive feedback from customers for our single-wavelength lasers, and the introduction of this complementary compact, low-cost controller enables us to offer a highly competitive, high-performance package," said Michael Radunsky, product line manager for New Focus products. "The qualities of this product are universally in demand from scientific industries; cost is a major factor, yet customers need superior performance in a compact platform. This product—representing an approximate 80% volume reduction from our previous offering—delivers that combination, and we expect to see it achieve significant traction across a range of markets."
The SWL-7500 ECDL controller boasts low noise and a low profile. The controller uses a quiet switching power supply or can be run on +5 V power input, and has a simple graphical user interface (GUI) with RS-232 or USB connectivity, and is directly addressable via a command set. The product is CDRH approved and RoHS compliant. A card level design is also available.