The Genesis CX355-250 laser from Coherent provides true-CW, ultraviolet, solid-state performacne, deliveirng more than 250mW of TEM00 output. All Genesis CX355 lasers utilise Coherent's optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL) technology and are the only class of commercial solid-state laser that provides true-CW UV, rather than pulsed or quasi-CW (mode-locked) output. In the Genesis CX355-250, the inherent advantages of OPSL technology provide the ideal combination of low noise (< 0.5 per cent) and high output power, which enables OEM instruments to achieve superior signal to noise characteristics. Moreover the Genesis CX355-250 produces a TEM00 output beam (M² < 1.2) enabling perfect collimation and/or refocusing to a diffraction-limited spot.
The major applications that will benefit from the high power of the Genesis CX355-250 are in flow cytometry of live-cells, such as egg and fertilised-egg sorting, where the peak power of older, mode-locked lasers poses significant risk of mutagenic damage to the DNA in the sorted cells. In addition, the high power of this new laser is ideal for use in the latest high-throughput cytometers incorporating two parallel laser interaction cells. The Genesis CX355-250 is also an excellent source for other fluorescence-based applications, including confocal microscopy, where its short wavelength and low M² beam provide optimum excitation of Hoechst and Indo dyes. Moreover, these confocal microscopes often rely on fibre delivery, which can be problematic for the high peak power levels of quasi-CW lasers. In addition, the Genesis CX355-250 is expected to find applications in some 3D prototyping applications, i.e., stereolithography.