Come Visit Us at Photonics West 2025, Booth #1927

We’ll have the LD250mTC5 instrument available for inspection. This 250mA laser drive / 5A temperature control instrument delivers improved stability for low power laser diodes, making it ideal for spectroscopy applications. With very low noise, stable power and wavelength, this touchscreen instrument enables advanced experiments.

Come see our complete line of intuitive touchscreen instruments and discover the many product upgrades we’ve implemented. We will have all currently available temperature controllers, quantum cascade and diode laser drivers on display. With 30+ years of experience, we simplify low noise, stable QCL, laser diode, and thermal control, offering advanced, compact modules with instrument-level performance, engineering expertise, and responsive tech support.

Our team of engineers would love the opportunity to talk with you about how we can partner with you to release innovative laser systems. Feel free to make an appointment ahead of time if you’d like to discuss your project in greater depth.

Schedule an Appointment.

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CASE STUDY: Laser Absorption of Atmospheric Ammonia for Mobile Measurements

Researchers have developed an ammonia sensor based on wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) utilizing a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at 10.33 μm for mobile applications. The ammonia sensor was deployed on a ground vehicle for ammonia concentration measurements in a city for automobile combustion and on a fixed-wing plane for measurements in air for feedlot ammonia emissions. This compact (~20 L), lightweight (~3.5 kg), and battery-powered (<30 W) design operates autonomously to achieve a sensor accuracy of less than ~2% and precision of ~4 ppb in 1 s. This mobile sensing approach provides a scalable solution for detecting and quantifying anthropogenic emissions of ammonia in the atmosphere in industrial and agricultural settings.

Laser absorption spectroscopy requires high precision and accuracy, and researchers used Wavelength Electronics’ high-performance FL500 laser driver to power the laser system for ammonia gas detection, which enabled the sensitive measurements and analysis required for ammonia gas detection for mobile deployment. Laser stability is critical for sensing low concentrations of harmful gases in the air. Because laser power stability or any fluctuations of the laser affect the spectra data and linewidth of the QCL, the 500mA FL500 achieves current stability at ambient temperature of 50 – 75 ppm for 24 hours, ensuring accurate and reliable results with the QCL. The FL500 also has noise as low as 3 μA RMS with a bandwidth of up to 500 kHz for current modulation or wavelength scanning. The driver enabled easy and precise wavelength scanning through the modulation of the supplied current. The small and compact design of the FL500 allows operation in mobile deployment in ground and aerial vehicles for battery-powered ammonia detection using WMS with a QCL.

Read the full case study.

CASE STUDY: Real-time Chlorophyll Fluorescence: Enabling Higher Quality Palm Oil During Production

Researchers have developed and validated a novel approach for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of palm oil quality during the milling process using chlorophyll fluorescence spectroscopy. This method leverages chlorophyll’s photo-response properties to directly probe palm oil quality without disrupting the production line. The technique integrates a sensor that detects changes in chlorophyll’s fluorescence, providing immediate feedback on key quality parameters such as fruit freshness and maturity. The results show a high correlation coefficient of 0.88 between the chlorophyll-based measurements and American Oil Chemists’ Society measurements, indicating accurate and reliable real-time monitoring. This fluorescence technique provides a significant improvement in quality control, offering a non-invasive and more efficient way to monitor palm oil quality throughout production.

In the development of the chlorophyll detection system, Wavelength Electronics provided critical components that ensured the stability and accuracy of the system’s optical measurements. The precise control of light emission and constant current was essential for detecting chlorophyll photo-response effectively.  Researchers utilized the WLD33ND Laser Driver from Wavelength Electronics to manage the drive current of the LED light source. As LEDs are very sensitive to drive current and voltage fluctuations, the WLD33ND driver reduced variation in supplying power to the LED light source.

Additionally, the WLD33ND-2AEV Evaluation Board for the WLD33ND Driver facilitated rapid prototyping and integration of the LED and its driver into the oil monitoring system. This streamlined integration was important for optimizing the LED modulation parameters and ensuring reliable performance during real-time monitoring.

Read the full case study.

All of us at Wavelength Electronics wish you a happy and prosperous 2025.

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