Hedgehog™ Mid-IR Laser

Tune 100s of cm-1 at 1000 cm-1/s.

Cute name. Fearsome performance. Ideal for laboratory or OEM use, the Hedgehog Mid-IR Laser is DRS Daylight’s next-generation tunable laser head. Built on our proven External Cavity Quantum Cascade Laser technology, the Hedgehog laser is a unique combination of small size, tuning speeds to > 5000 cm-1/s, CW or pulsed output, high power, TEM00 beam quality, and unmatched spectral repeatability.

Molecular spectroscopy applications benefit from rapid, high-SNR data acquisition. Probing multiple molecules, or probing an absorption feature with high dynamic range, also benefits from broad mid-IR tuning. The Hedgehog system provides these benefits, with its wide, rapid tuning across the mid-IR spectrum, low-noise output, and high spectral and spatial beam quality. Its sealed, alignment-free design and GUI and SDK included as standard let you access this performance with ease.

Select from three standard Hedgehog models: Hedgehog (tunes up to 200 cm-1), Hedgehog-UT (tunes up to 400 cm-1), and Hedgehog-LT (tunes up to 30 cm-1).

Highlights

Features & Benefits:

  • Wavelength availability: 3-13 µm
  • Tune up to 400 cm-1 at speeds up to 5000 cm-1/s
  • CW* or pulsed output (up to 3 MHz/30% duty)*
  • Ultra-quiet CW: RIN as low as -140 dBc/Hz enables higher-SNR spectroscopy
  • Superior wavelength repeatability for higher-accuracy spectroscopy
  • Superb TEM00 beam quality and low beam pointing allows fiber coupling
  • High output power for high SNR* of > 1 W (peak) and > 0.5 W (average)
  • SideKick controller, GUI, and SDK standard with all systems
  • Proprietary HFQD circuitry protects your chips

*Requires suitable chip(s).

 

Applications:

  • Standoff detection
  • Process control
  • Atmospheric research
  • Nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy
  • TIC, VOC, GHG chemical and biological agent detection
  • Combustion diagnostics
  • Biomedical diagnostics
  • Protein analysis
  • Imaging
  • Photoacoustic spectroscopy

Product Specifications

Center Wavelength Availability < 4 μm > 13 μm
Modes of Operation  Pulsed or CW2
Tuning Modes Set λ, Step & Measure, Continuous Scans
Max. Tuning Speed (Step)  250 ms step-and-settle time to arbitrary λ
Max. Tuning Speed (Scan) Slew rates to > 5,000 cm-1/s
Wavelength Accuracy  ≤ 1 cm-1
Wavelength Repeatability  To ≤ 0.1 cm-1 [5]
Average Power Stability < 2% (1 hr)
Spatial Mode TEM00 (nominal)
Beam Divergence < 4 mrad (full angle, 1/e2 intensity width)4
Beam Pointing Stability < 1 mrad (beam centroid change)3
Spot Size   < 2.5 mm (1/e2 intensity radius)4
Polarization Linear, vertical, > 100:1

Request Information

Does your lab have a Hedgehog? This tunable laser head combines small size, high power, and unmatched spectral repeatability. Contact us to learn what a Hedgehog can bring to your lab or OEM application.

"*" indicates required fields

Communications Opt-In
Policy checkbox*
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.