The Opera-F is a new optical parametric amplifier (OPA) from Coherent that delivers wide tuning, high conversion efficiency, and sub-100fs pulse duration when pumped by the company’s Monaco ytterbium ultrafast amplifier.
The signal output of the Opera-F is tuneable from 650nm to 900nm, and the idler is tuneable from 1,200nm to 2,500nm. When pumped by the Monaco at 40W, the Opera F provides high power – up to 3W – and high pulse energy – up to 3µJ – as well as a 1MHz maximum pulse repetition rate. These characteristics make it an optimum tuneable source for scientific experiments needing high data acquisition rates or a high level of signal averaging.
Ytterbium-based amplifiers feature several advantages over Titanium:Sapphire alternatives, including direct diode pumping and simplified architectures. However, ytterbium amplifiers usually have longer pulse widths. This difference has been eliminated with the Opera-F, a single-box accessory which includes a non-collinear stage to generate pulse widths as short as 50fs, followed by a collinear stage which delivers very broad wavelength tuning. The output wavelength is tuned through software, with no physical adjustment required.
The high power and high repetition rate of the Opera-F make it ideal for advanced multiphoton microscopy studies in neuroscience; the high power is a particular advantage for multi-beam imaging setups using a spatial light modulator (SLM). It is equally well-suited to liquid phase pump-probe experiments, including solvation mechanics and studies of advanced solid state materials for light harvesting, displays and the semiconductor industry.