C-WAVE Series

Widely tunable continuous-wave lasers

C-WAVE tunable lasers are widely tunable continuous wave (cw) laser light sources based on optical parametric oscillator (OPO) technology.

Wavelength coverage from 450 nm up to 3.5 µm
Up to 250 nm gap-free tuning range in the visible
Single frequency operation with < 500 kHz typical linewidth
Output powers up to Watt-level

C-WAVE tunable lasers offer several tuning mechanisms, ranging from a fully automated wavelength approach to truly continuous mode-hope free scans over tens of GHz. In closed-loop operation, a long term frequency stability as good as +/- 2 MHz over hours can be achieved. Other features to highlight are an exceptionally low level of amplified spontaneous emission and an excellent spatial beam profile and beam pointing stability.

Model Overview

Two design platforms allow to adapt C-WAVE tunable lasers to application specific requirements. For the C-WAVE VIS and C-WAVE IR platform a 532 nm pump laser is used, available in low power and high power version. The platform for C-WAVE GTR and C-WAVE NIR employs a 780 nm pump laser.

C-WAVE tuning range

Applications

C-WAVE tunable lasers are field proven in applications such as color center research and other Quantum technologies, Nanophotonics, holography, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and high resolution spectroscopy.

Specifications

C-WAVE model	Tuning Range	Output Power
C-WAVE VIS Low Power	450 - 525 nm 540 - 650 nm 900 - 1050 nm 1080 - 1300 nm	up to 200 mW up to 200 mW up to 400 mW up to 400 mW
C-WAVE VIS High Power	450 - 525 nm 540 - 650 nm 900 - 1050 nm 1080 - 1300 nm	up to 500 mW up to 500 mW up to 1 W up to 1 W
C-WAVE GTR	500 - 750 nm 1000 - 1500 nm 1700 - 3500 nm	up to 1 W up to 1.5 W up to 2 W
C-WAVE IR Low Power	900 - 1050 nm 1080 - 1300 nm	up to 400 mW up to 400 mW
C-WAVE IR High Power	900 - 1050 nm 1080 - 1300 nm	up to 1 W up to 1 W
C-WAVE NIR	1000 - 1500 nm 1700 - 3500 nm	up to 1.5 W up to 2 W

Performance Data (click to enlarge)

Software

Please contact us on info.de@hubner-photonics.com for the latest software version.

Data sheets

C-WAVE VIS/IR Datasheet C-WAVE GTR/NIR Datasheet

Manuals

Please contact us on info.de@hubner-photonics.com for a copy of the manual.

Literature

Publication	Application	Reference
Wavelength Dependence of the Electrical and Optical Readout of NV Centers in Diamond L Todenhagen et. al.	Quantum	aiXiv. Jul 2023
Continuous-wave frequency upconversion with a molecular optomechanical nanocavity W Chen et. al.	Spectroscopy	Science. Dec 2022
Mastering challenges in holography with widely tunable CW optical parametric oscillators Stefan Trotzky et. al.	OPO Technology	Proc. SPIE 12026 2022
Laser light tunable across the visible up to mid-infrared: Novel turnkey cw OPO with efficiency-optimized design J. Sperling et. al.	OPO Technology	AIP Rev. Sci. Inst 2021
Giant Rydberg excitons in Cu2O probed by photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy M. A. M. Versteegh et. al.	Rydberg Excitons	arXiv 2021
Strong light-matter coupling in MoS2 P. Kusch et. al.	SNOM	Phys.Rev. B 2021
High-Power CW Optical Parametric Oscillator Design for gap-free Wavelength Tuning across the Visible K. Hens et. al.	OPO Technology	CLEO 2021
Advances in the spectral coverage of tunable continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators J. Sperling et. al.	OPO Technology	Proc. SPIE 2021
Coherence imaging spectroscopy at Wendelstein 7-X for impurity flow measurements V. Perseo et. al.	High Resolution Spectroscopy	Rev. Sci. Inst. 2020
Tunable light speeds up the search for the perfect qubit K. Hens et al.	Quantum	Physics World 2020
Colors expanded: Widely tunable lasers are tailored for quantum research K. Hens and J. Sperling	OPO Technology	Laser Focus World 2020
Widely tunable CW optical parametric oscillators: mastering the challenges posed in quantum technology K. Hens et. al.	Quantum	Proc. SPIE 2020
Photoelectrical imaging and coherent spin-state readout of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond F. Jelezko and co-workers	Color Centers	Science 2019
Phonon-assisted emission and absorption of individual color centers in hexagonal boron nitride R. Bratschitsch and co-workers	Quantum	2D Materials 2019
Optical Gating of Resonance Fluorescence from a Single Germanium Vacancy Color Center in Diamond W. Gao and co-workers	Color Centers	Phys. Rev. Lett. 2019
A new calibration implementation for Doppler Coherence Imaging Spectroscopy D. Gradic et. al.	High Resolution Spectroscopy	Fusion Eng. and Design 2019
Lasers for holographic applications: important performance parameters and relevant laser technologies K. Hens et. al.	Holography	Proc. SPIE 2019
Optical Parametric Oscillators: Novel tunable lasers enable new nanoimaging techniques J. Sperling et. al.	Raman	Laser Focus World 2019
Excitation-Tunable Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy P. Kusch and co-workers	Raman	J. Phys. Chem. C. 2018
Narrow linewidth measurement with a Fabry-Perot interferometer using a length modulation technique F. A. Franz	OPO Technology	Master Thesis University of Kassel 2018
Made Easy: CW Laser Light Widely Tunable Across the Visible J. Sperling and K. Hens	OPO Technology	Optik & Photonik 2018
Tunable Laser Light Sources Advance Nanophotonics Research J. Sperling and K. Hens	Nanophotonics	EuroPhotonics 2018
Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of SiV− and GeV− color center in diamond A. Kubanek and co-workers	Color Centers	New Journal of Physics 2017

Drawings

Please contact us on info.de@hubner-photonics.com for drawings.

Videos & Webinars

Product video – Applications for the C-WAVE tunable laser

Webinar – Tunable lasers in quantum research novel lasers for novel colour centres

Webinar – Novel sources of tunable laser light

Options & Accessories



Absolute Lambda for frequency stabilization

See more options and accessories

What is the technology behind C-WAVE tunable lasers?

C-WAVE tunable lasers are based on continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (cw OPO) technology. While OPOs might be considered as light sources similar to lasers, the OPO principle relies on a process referred to as parametric amplification in a nonlinear optical crystal, rather than on stimulated emission in a laser gain medium. As such, tunable cw OPOs offer several advantages compared to conventional tunable lasers – wavelength versatility being on top of them. Not limited by transitions of a laser gain medium, the C-WAVE product line covers the wavelength range from 450 nm up to 3.5 µm almost seamlessly. Other features to highlight are an exceptionally low level of amplified spontaneous emission, and an excellent spatial beam profile and beam pointing stability.

What is the output power versus wavelength of a C-WAVE tunable laser?

Note that we distinguish between minimum output power and output power at maximum gain. The minimum output power is a conservative output power specification valid over the entire tuning range. The output power at maximum gain refers to the minimum achievable power at the peak of the output power vs. wavelength curve. Note that the achievable minimum output power and output power at maximum gain differ by more than a factor of two.
For further information on output power versus wavelength of C-WAVE tunable lasers, please refer to the typical power tuning curves shown in the “Performance Data” tabs – or contact us to discuss potential custom-tailored power optimization.

Can I use my own laser to pump a C-WAVE tunable laser?

This depends on your laser. C-WAVE tunable lasers require a high-performance continuous-wave and single-longitudinal-mode pump-laser source – like the Cobolt Samba 532 nm 1.5 W which is routinely used for pumping the C-WAVE low-power VIS/IR. Please contact us for any questions on compatibility and qualification procedure.

Is it possible to upgrade a C-WAVE low-power version to a high-power version?

Yes. Please contact us for further questions on procedure and pricing of upgrading options.

Can the C-WAVE tunable lasers emit at multiple wavelengths simultaneously?

Yes. When a C-WAVE tunable laser emits a particular wavelength in the visible range, laser light at twice that wavelength is emitted from the infrared output port simultaneously. For example, when C-WAVE is operated at 600 nm in the visible range, then laser light at 1200 nm is available in the infrared port. Note that arbitrary wavelength combinations are not possible. Beside the tunable outputs from the visible and the infrared port, C-WAVE also offers access to the undepleted (remaining) pump laser beam from a third, separate output port.

Why are there gaps in the wavelength tuning range of C-WAVE IR and C-WAVE VIS?

This needs a few explanations. C-WAVE IR and C-WAVE VIS are based on a sequence of nonlinear optical processes in two cavities, that we usually refer to as OPO and SHG cavity, respectively. Pump laser photons (532 nm) are first split in the OPO cavity into pairs of photons of lower energy, referred to as signal photons (with wavelengths below 1064 nm) and idler photons (with wavelengths longer than 1064 nm). The OPO cavity operates on resonance at either a particular signal wavelength, or a particular idler wavelength, while its counterpart is extracted for use or frequency conversion. As a consequence, when tuning across 1064 nm, the cavity mirrors are switched from highly-reflective to highly-transmissive. While this switch of optics hardware is fully automatized, the transmission/reflectivity edges of the mirror coatings are not infinitely steep. Therefore, the range 1050-1080 nm usually is not practicable for highly-stable, single-resonant cavity operation. Consequently, specifications cannot be guaranteed in the 1050-1080 nm range, respectively the frequency-doubled analogue 525-540 nm. Please contact us for any inquiries on custom-tailored wavelength coverage.

I need tunable visible output for my current experiment, but no infrared output for now - do you offer a C-WAVE tunable laser model with visible tunable output only?

No. This is because of the required sequence of nonlinear optical processes inside a C-WAVE tunable laser: The first cavity generates widely tunable laser light in the infrared wavelength range, while the second cavity is used for subsequent frequency doubling into the VIS range. Therefore, it is possible to select a C-WAVE with IR/NIR output only (without the VIS/GTR cavity), but a C‑WAVE covering the VIS/GTR range must comprise the IR/NIR cavity as well.

How long does an automatic wavelength approach for C-WAVE tunable lasers take?

The fully automatic wavelength approach of a C-WAVE laser takes between 30 seconds and less than ten minutes. This approach is optimizing the output power at the desired wavelength by several analytical scans of actuators inside the system, to provide optimum laser light output without further user-interaction. If your application requires fast tuning, either in discrete steps or truly continuous, this can be accomplished by the different tuning mechanisms provided. Please refer to “How does wavelength tuning work for C-WAVE tunable lasers?“ for more details.

How does wavelength tuning work for C-WAVE tunable lasers?

C-WAVE tunable lasers offer several tuning mechanisms to accomplish wavelength changes. The main wavelength tuning mechanisms are:

1. Coarse tuning by automatized selection of optics and crystal temperature

2. Stepwise tuning by movement of an intra-cavity etalon

3. Continuous tuning (mode-hop free) by piezo-scanning the OPO cavity length

The below table summarizes the tuning range, the achievable resolution, and the tuning speed for each tuning mechanism:

Note that we distinguish between a fully automatic wavelength approach to achieve optimum laser light output at a single wavelength (see here for more details) and the tuning mechanisms described above for changing the C-WAVE output wavelength during your experiment.

Please contact us for any further questions and for custom-tailored wavelength tuning requirements.

What is the wavelength tuning speed of C-WAVE tunable lasers?

The tuning speed depends on the tuning mechanism employed. Please see “How does wavelength tuning work for C-WAVE tunable lasers?” for an overview on tuning mechanisms, tuning ranges, and the achievable tuning speeds.

Which amount of residual pump laser emission leaks out at the tunable output ports of a C‑WAVE tunable laser?

The residual pump-laser background is typically < 0.1 % of the original pump power in any of the tunable laser-light outputs. Customized filtering options are available for special experimental requirements. The amount of residual pump laser light intensity in the tunable laser-light outputs can be suppressed to levels well below -100 dB by adding the filtering options. Please contact us for any further questions or to discuss custom-tailored filtering options.

Which amount of infrared emission leaks out at the visible output port of a C-WAVE tunable laser?

The remaining IR power in the visible laser light output is typically < 0.1 % of the power at the infrared output port. Customized filtering options are available on request which suppress the amount of residual infrared emission in the visible laser light output to values well below ‑100 dB. Please contact us for any further questions or to discuss custom-tailored filtering options.

Are fiber-coupling options available for C-WAVE tunable lasers?

Standard fiber-coupling into broadband single-mode polarization-maintaining fibers is readily available for all visible wavelength tuning ranges covered by C-WAVE tunable lasers. Please contact us for fiber-coupling options for the infrared wavelength tuning ranges or to discuss custom-tailored fiber-coupling options.

What is the expected lifetime of a C-WAVE tunable laser system?

All optical components and coatings inside C-WAVE tunable lasers are operated at intensities far below their damage threshold, to ensure operation without any degradation over years of typical lab operation. The typical lifetime of the pump lasers is >10.000 hrs. Please contact us for any further questions on expected lifetime or long-term service contracts.

Do you offer long-term service contracts for C-WAVE tunable lasers?

Yes. We offer maintenance contracts as well as full warranty extensions for our C-WAVE tunable lasers line of products. Please contact us for more information on service contracts and individual offers.

What are the lab requirements to reliably operate a C-WAVE tunable laser?

To ensure reliable operation within specifications, C-WAVE is to be installed on a vibration-isolated optical table and operated at ambient temperature in the range in the range 20-25 °C, with a stablility better than (+/- 2°C) at relative humidity in the range 10-85% with a stability better than +/- 10%, and under clean air conditions (free of dust, laminar air flow box recommended).

What is the installation procedure for a C-WAVE tunable laser?

This will depend on customer preferences – and potential travel restrictions during the current pandemic situation. The installation of a C-WAVE tunable laser can be carried out either by one of our service engineers on the spot, or by the end-users themselves under remote-support from our service team. In either case, after sign-off, we will provide an in-depth user training (on the spot or remotely). Typically, we schedule one day for the installation procedure and one day for the in-depth user training.

Is a chiller required for a C-WAVE tunable laser?

This depends on the particular C-WAVE model. For C-WAVE VIS/IR (both low power and high power versions) a closed-loop chiller is used for stabilizing the baseplate temperature. The chiller dimensions are approximately 35 x 20 x 40 cm (length x width x height), and it will require approximately 450 ml of distilled water. In default configuration, the two tubes (connecting chiller and laser system baseplate) are approximately 3 m long, with an outer diameter of 6 mm and an inner diameter of 4 mm. No chiller is required for C-WAVE GTR/NIR models. We point out that a chiller is included in the scope of delivery, if required.

How much space is required on my optical table to install a C-WAVE tunable laser?

This depends on the particular C-WAVE model. For C-WAVE VIS/IR low power, the footprint is approximately 50 x 75 cm (width x length). For C-WAVE VIS/IR high power, the footprint is approximately 50 x 125 cm. For C-WAVE GTR/NIR, the footprint is approximately 50 x 100 cm. Note that these footprints are bit larger than the exact laser systems housing dimensions. This is due to clamping, tubing, connection cables, and grounding lines.

Will I require the AbsoluteLambda option for closed-loop operation of a C-WAVE tunable laser?

In essence, closed-loop operation will be required in following cases:

1. If an absolute accuracy of the output wavelength of better than +/- 1 nm (visible range) respectively +/- 2 nm (infrared range) is required.

2. If a long term frequency stability over hours of better than < 150 MHz (approximately < 0.15 picometers in the visible range) is required.

Please contact us to discuss your experimental requirements in more detail!

How to select a wavelength meter for closed-loop operation of a C-WAVE tunable laser?

There are a few things that need to be considered when choosing a wavelength meter for closed-loop operation of a C-WAVE tunable laser.

1. Wavelength coverage
The wavelength meter will need to spectrally cover the infrared part of the wavelength tuning range. In other words, the wavelength meter will need to cover the 900-1300 nm output of C-WAVE VIS/IR respectively the 1000-1500 nm output of C-WAVE GTR/NIR. Note that there is no need to have the wavelength meter covering the visible spectral range.

2. Absolute accuracy
In closed-loop operation, the absolute wavelength accuracy of a C-WAVE tunable laser will be determined by the absolute wavelength accuracy of the wavelength meter:

abs. accuracy (C-WAVE, closed-loop) = abs. accuracy (wavelength meter)

3. Resolution
In closed-loop operation, the long term frequency stability of a C-WAVE tunable laser will be determined by the frequency resolution of the wavelength meter:

freq. stability (C-WAVE, closed-loop) = +/- freq. resolution (wavelength meter)