Argon-Laser Replacement for Microscopy Finally Arrived

Abstract

Direct semiconductor emission in the range of 488 nm seemed to be impossible, but now a solution has finally arrived. The world's first diode laser was shown in April at the Analytica in Munich. An output power of up to 20 mW on a very small footprint is available with no additional cooling or high voltage requirement. As direct replacement for the 10,000 or more Argon ion laser units used ever year in biophotonical applications, this promises to change the instrumentation landscape. Such a laser is particularly suited for integrators that strive for much reduced noise figures, reduced heat generation, and smaller footprint.