Separately, as part of an SBIR research project, OPOTEK reports success in using the Britelight laser with an OPOTEK doubler to increase bio-detection throughput.
JMAR's Research Division General Manager, Dr. Scott Bloom, said "We are pleased that our Britelight laser meets LLNL's stringent requirements for beam quality, pulse energy, short pulse width, and high repetition rate. Our laser will be used by LLNL to condition and extend the life of the high power frequency conversion crystals used by the National Ignition Facility.
"The unique features of our lasers are also being applied to other challenging, high power applications. For OPOTEK, JMAR's Britelight laser has opened up two new biological applications for their optical parametric oscillator technology."
"The first, biological mass spectrometry using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption and Ionization, or MALDI, can be used for rapid screening and identification of microorganisms."
"The second application is single-particle bioaerosol spectrometry, allowing rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of bio-warfare agents in real-time - an application that demands high laser repetition-rate."
Referring to these new uses, OPOTEK Technical Director, Dr. Rhett Barnes said, "These applications, as well as a variety of spectroscopic mapping and high throughput, high data-rate analysis techniques are opened up to us by utilizing JMAR's unmatched pump laser design."
Ronald A. Walrod, Chief Executive Officer said "We developed and refined this unique, high power solid state laser as part of our X-ray lithography program."
"Since the first of the year, we have been evaluating opportunities to commercialize this laser as a standalone product and it has already proved its superiority in several applications."
"Although the Britelight will continue to be a key element of our soft X-ray light source, we are now offering the laser as a separate product."