New Products

NASA Tech Briefs, Jul 2006

Product of the Month

Raman Spectrometer

Lambda Solutions (Waltham, MA) has released the Dimension-P Series Rainan spectrometers providing real-time analysis and monitoring in pharmaceutical or food processing quality control. The systems are operated via RamanSoft(TM) software that features proprietary algorithms and automation capability for data acquisition, data processing, and data analysis. The Dimension-Pi and P2 include an external sampling module and the Vector Hainan Probe(TM), an internal sample compartment.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-203

Color Cameras

PPT VISION (Minneapolis. MN) has added the IMPACT(TM) T28 and the IMPACT(TM) T24 to its line of IMPACT T-series color cameras designed for inline industrial vision applications. The IMPACT T28 provides a 1,600 × 1,200 pixel resolution and is suitable for color verification, label inspection, and real-time part sorting. The IMPACT T24 is designed for applications requiring resolution imaging of 1,024 × 768 pixels. Both cameras are suitable for quality verification, and contain an on-board image processor and real-time I/O and Ethernet communications. The cameras are supported by Inspection Builder software, a machine-vision application development package that uses icon-based programming and inspection algorithms for pattern matching, blob analysis, sub-pixel ganging, and character inspection.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-204

Simulation Software

Liekki (Reston, VA) offers Liekki Application Designer (LAD) v3.1 software for power fiber laser and amplifier simulation. It includes tools for designing systems employing large mode area fibers. Using multimode propagation, the software can calculate the optical power propagation along the doped fiber for each mode in multimode fibers. The user can then evaluate the quality of the output optical beam. LAD v3.1 can calculate the modes for any refractive index profile having radial symetry. The optical fiber is bent either for packaging purposes or to discriminate against higher order modes. The software features the bending effects in calculations including mode field distortion and power loss, and features radial doping, transient calculations, Monte Carlo analysis, and nonlinear effects threshold power.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-206

Confocal Optical Pens

Confocal chromatic optical pens from Micro Photonics (!nine, CA) allow 30 different optical pen configurations for specific depth of field, spot size, working distance, object slope, and photometric efficiency. Users can choose from five magnifiers, ranging from 3.3-inm to 29-mm focal lengths, and six different chromatic lenses, ranging from 130-pm to 27-mm depths of field. Pens can achieve maximum axial resolution of 5 nm, accuracy to 20 nm, and max slope to 87∫ for diffusive objects. Based on white light chromatic aberration, the pens provide lateral resolution of 1.1 um and vertical resolution of 5 nm. The pens are suitable for applications in profilometry, microtopography, autofocus vibrometry, in-line inspection quality control, and thickness measurements.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-208

Photon Image Sensor

Andor Technology (South Windsor, CT) has introduced the iXonEM EMCCD rainera that can dctecl single photon events without an image intensifier. It offers photon collection efficiencies of up to 95% QE, readout speeds up to 35 MHz, 14- and 16bit digitization, and lhermoeleclric cooling to -100°C. The system's vertical clock parameters provide low spurious noise and minimal smear with short exposures. The camera is suitable for applications in single molecule detection, live-cell multi-dimensional microscopy, spinning disc confocal microscopy, intracellular ion signaling, cell inotility, adaptive optics, photon counting, bioluminescence, neutron radiography, and spi-ctral imaging.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-209

Vibration Isolation Workstation

Kinetic Systems (Boston, MA) offers the MK26 vibration isolation workstation for ultra-low natural frequency applications. It utilizes the Minus K® vertical isolator, which uses a still spring and a negative-stiffness mechanism to provide vertical stiffness without affecting the static load-supporting capability. Horizontal isolation is provided by beam columns connected in series with the vertical-motion isolator. Adjusted to a 1/2-H/ natural frequency, the workstation can achieve 93% isolation efficiency at 2 Hz, 99% at 5 Hz, and 99.7% at 10 Hz. The MK26 is available with a 650-pound gross load capacity. Optional equipment includes guard rails, non-isolated shelves, Faraday cages, and tabletop enclosures. Applications include analytical balances, cell injection, conlocal microscopes, patch clamping, optical microscopes, wafer probing, sensor calibration, and atomic force microscopes.

For Free Info Visit http://info.ims.ca/5785-210

Diode Laser System

TOPTICA Photonirs AG (Graefelfing, Germany) offers the TA 100 single-mode output diode laser and amplifier systems, which may serve as a replacement for dye- or frequency-doubled solidstate lasers. The red-wavelength lasers provide a sensing range of 660 to 673 nm and an output power of 250 mW. The amplifier systems pro\ide a sensing range of 660 to 1,080 nm with power up to 1 Watt. They oiler single spatial and spectral mode output, narrow line width, and tenability. They can boost the output power of diode or gas lasers by a factor of 100. Applirations include interferometry, holography, Raman spectroscopy, and atom cooling and trapping. The systems also enable accessibility to the resonance line of Lithium at 071 nm.