Spirit-NOPA

BROADLY TUNABLE OPTICAL PARAMETRIC AMPLIFIERS
FOR 3-PHOTON IMAGING IN NEUROSCIENCE AND
OTHER ULTRAFAST SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS

Spirit-NOPA-VISIR

Single shot to 4 MHz
Pump power up to 70 W
High pulse energy for 3-photon imaging
Broad tuning range: 650 nm to 900 nm (signal), 1200 nm to 2500 nm (idler)

The Spirit-NOPA^® is a family of automated non-collinear optical parametric amplifiers (NOPA) specifically built and optimized for the industry-proven Spirit^® and Spirit One™ ultrafast lasers. The turn-key, high repetition rate Spirit femtosecond laser combines with the Spirit-NOPA to create a powerful, user-friendly tunable, high repetition rate source of ultrashort pulses for in-vivo, deep tissue imaging in neuroscience, spectroscopy, and other ultrafast scientific applications.

Spirit-NOPA-VISIR delivering unprecedented performance for 3-photon imaging:

In combination with our industry-proven Spirit platform, the Spirit-NOPA-VISIR provides an ideal platform for 3-photon excitation microscopy. Spirit-NOPA-VISIR comprises two amplification stages. The first amplification stage is non-collinear, which generates broad bandwidth, and the second amplification stage is collinear, which enables a broad tuning range.

Spirit-NOPA-VISIR provides a broadly tunable output of ultrashort pulses with a tuning range of 650 nm to 900 nm (signal) and 1200 nm to 2500 nm (idler), including key wavelengths for deep-tissue, 3-photon imaging. Optionally, the signal output can be compressed down to <70 fs using an external prism-based compressor unit, and the idler output down to <100 fs, using an integrated bulk compressor. When pumped by a Spirit ultrafast laser with up to 70 W and at a repetition rate of up to 4 MHz, the Spirit-NOPA-VISIR enables unprecedented performance for 3-photon imaging.

In order to bridge the tuning gap between 900 nm and 1200 nm, Spirit-NOPA-VISIR can optionally be configured with the Dual Pulse Length Option. With that it is possible to extend the tuning range of the Spirit-NOPA-VISIR to that of a conventional OPA closing the gap between signal and idler.

Spirit-NOPA-3H, Spirit-NOPA-2H, and Spirit-NOPA-IR for ultrashort pulses from UV to IR:

Spirit-NOPA-3H includes a built-in third harmonic generator and its output is tunable from 500 nm to 900 nm with a pulse width as short as sub-30 fs and an output energy up to >0.5 μJ.

Spirit-NOPA-2H includes a built-in second harmonic generator, to convert the Spirit IR beam to 520 nm. The output of the Spirit-NOPA-2H is tunable from 650 nm to 900 nm with a pulse width as short as sub-30 fs and an output energy up to >3 μJ.

Spirit-NOPA is fully computer controlled to allow for easy wavelength tunability. Its built-in bandwidth selector and integrated computer controlled compressor provide a pulse width agility unmatched by other ultrafast laser technologies.

Applications

3-photon excitation microscopy

Single molecules studies

Nanomaterials science

Ultrafast surface dynamics

Multi-dimensional spectroscopy

Output Specifications - Spirit-NOPA-3H, -2H, and -IR Models

Spirit-NOPA Specifications¹


	Spirit-NOPA-3H	Spirit-NOPA-2H	Spirit-NOPA-IR
Tuning Range	500–900 nm	650-900 nm	1200-1600 nm
Pulse Energy²	0.5 μJ at 580 nm (peak) 0.25 μJ at 700 nm	3 μJ at 700 nm (peak) 1.2 μJ at 850 nm	0.6 μJ at 1300 nm 0.3 μJ at 1500 nm
Pulse Width	<30 fs at 530–670 nm <80 fs at 670–800 nm	<30 fs at 700-850 nm	<80 fs at 1200-1600 nm

Optional SHG Output


	Spirit-NOPA-3H,-2H,-IR	Spirit-NOPA-2H	Spirit-NOPA-IR
Tuning Range	250–450 nm	325–450 nm	600-800 nm
Pulse Energy²	0.05 μJ at 290 nm (peak)	0.3 μJ at 350 nm (peak)	0.06 μJ at 650 nm (peak)

Pump Requirements from Spirit⁴


	Spirit-NOPA-3H,-2H,-IR	Spirit-NOPA-2H	Spirit-NOPA-IR
Repetition Rate	Single shot to 1 MHz
Wavelength	1030 nm or 1040 nm
Pulse Energy⁵	12-120 μJ	10-120 μJ
Max. Input Power	8 W		16 W

Output Specifications - Spirit-NOPA-VISIR Model

Spirit-NOPA-VISIR Specifications¹


	Spirit-NOPA-VISIR
Tuning Range	650–900 nm (signal) 1200–2500 nm (idler)
Conversion Efficiency	>10% at peak, when pumped at >20 µJ >5% at peak, when pumped at 8–20 µJ (uncompressed signal + idler combined)
Pulse Width³	<350 fs uncompressed³ 5–70 fs at 650–900 nm with signal compressor 40–100 fs at 1200–2000 nm with idler compressor
Conversion Transmission	Signal prism compressor: >65% at 650–900 nm Idler bulk compressor: >80% at 1200–2000 nm

Optional SHG Output


	Spirit-NOPA-VISIR
Tuning Range	325–450 nm (SH of signal) 600–700 nm (SH of idler)
Pulse Energy	>10% of signal/idler at peak

Pump Requirements⁴ from Spirit


	Spirit-NOPA-VISIR
Repetition Rate	Single shot to 4 MHz
Wavelength	1030 nm or 1040 nm
Pulse Energy⁵	8–120 µJ
Max. Input Power	70 W

Optional Dual Pulse Length Configuration


	Spirit-NOPA-VISIR
Tuning Range	650–1030 nm (signal) 1040–2500 nm (idler) Uncompressed output

1. Due to our continuous product improvement program, specifications are subject to change without notice.
2. When pumped with 40 µJ at 1040 nm. For other pump levels, please contact Spectra-Physics.
3. Compressors for signal and/or idler are optionally included.
4. Spirit-NOPA pump parameters are determined at the time of order and are factory set.
5. Spirit-NOPA is optimized for one pump pulse energy only.