Alpha
Maximum flexibility. Rock solid.
The Stuttgart Instruments Alpha is an ultrafast, wavelength-tunable frequency conversion system. Its compact and passively stable design based on revolutionary fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator (FF-OPO) technology guarantees outstanding stability, reproducibility and shot-noise limited performance. It is available with a variety of pump laser options at different repetition rates and pulse durations.
Versions
Alpha 100 fs
Typical performance of the Alpha when operated with 100 fs pulses.
| Alpha | Alpha HP | Alpha MIR | VIS | NIR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse duration | 100 fs | ||||
| Linewidth (FWHM) | 130 cm-1 | ||||
| Repetition rate | 10 / 20 / 40 / 80 MHz | ||||
| Tunability | 1.4 - 4.3 µm | 1.4 - 16 µm | 700 - 980 nm | 1.1 - 1.4 µm | |
| Average power |
400 mW at 1.5 µm 150 mW at 3 µm |
1 W at 1.5 µm 400 mW at 3 µm |
50 mW at 5 µm 10 mW at 10 µm |
300 mW at 750 nm | 100 mW at 1.25 µm |
Alpha 350 fs
Typical performance of the Alpha when operated with 350 fs pulses.
| Alpha | Alpha HP | Alpha MIR | VIS | NIR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse duration | 350 fs | ||||
| Linewidth (FWHM) | 40 cm-1 | ||||
| Repetition rate | 40 MHz | ||||
| Tunability | 1.35 - 4.5 µm | 1.35 - 20 µm | 700 - 980 nm | 1.1 - 1.4 µm | |
| Average power |
400 mW at 1.5 µm 150 mW at 3 µm |
2 W at 1.5 µm 700 mW at 3 µm |
80 mW at 5 µm 25 mW at 10 µm |
500 mW at 750 nm | 200 mW at 1.25 µm |
Alpha 1 ps
Typical performance of the Alpha when operated with 1 ps pulses.
| Alpha | Alpha HP | Alpha MIR | VIS | NIR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse duration | 1,5 ps | ||||
| Linewidth (FWHM) | 25 cm-1 | ||||
| Repetition rate | 40 MHz | ||||
| Tunability | 1.35 - 4.5 µm | 1.35 - 20 µm | 700 - 980 nm | 1.1 - 1.4 µm | |
| Average power |
300 mW at 1.5 µm 100 mW at 3 µm |
1.5 W at 1.5 µm 500 mW at 3 µm |
80 mW at 5 µm 25 mW at 10 µm |
500 mW at 750 nm | 200 mW at 1.25 µm |
Performance
Besides broad tunability and full automation the Alpha features:
- Power stability <0.5 %rms
- Spectral stability <0.02 %rms
- Repeatability <0.1 nm
- Ultra low noise <160 dB/Hz
Applications
- (s)SNOM microscopy and imaging
- Coherent Raman (SRS, CARS) microscopy
- (M)IR spectroscopy
- Time-resolved pump probe spectroscopy
- Vibrational spectroscopy
- Multiphoton fluorescence spectroscopy
Replicator option
Exploit the Alpha's unprecedented repeatability with the replicator option. The replicator allows saving any arbitrary system state (spectrum, output power, module settings) and restoring it any time. All modules are supported. The replicator is fully integrated in our AlphaTune software and comes ready-to-use with any third-party software.
| Center wavelength repeatability | 0.05 cm-1 |
| Spectral power density variation | < 1% |
Modulator option
The Alpha can be equipped with a high speed optical modulator. All outputs are modulated through a single input signal. The system comes with a fully integrated modulation architecture including a precision electronic oscillator and full software support.
| Modulation frequency | 1 kHz to 3 MHz (adjustable) |
| Frequency resolution | < 1 Hz |
| Modulation depth | 0 to 100% (adjustable) |
| Duty cycle | 0 to 100% (adjustable) |
Narrowband option
For broadband Alpha systems such as the Alpha 100 fs and Alpha 350 fs
we offer additional narrowband outputs for various spectral ranges (VIS, NIR, MIR)
with imaging-ready linewidths below 10 cm-1.
For even more narrowband operation check out the Piano system.
Multi-branch option
The Alpha is perfectly suited for parallel operation of two or more independently tunable and optically synchronized branches. Ideal for maximum flexibility in pump-probe methods or for driving multiple experiments in parallel.
