The Inspire Family - Broadly Tunable Femtosecond Optical Parametric Oscillators

A fully-automated femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) that offers gap-free wavelength coverage across the UV, Visible and IR with no change of optics or crystals and just one single configuration. The Inspire^TM Hands-Free advanced control software ensures fast and reliable tuning while providing a selection of practical operating features.

The Inspire^TM Hands-Free is a femtosecond OPO, pumped by a mode-locked Ti:sapphire oscillator, which offers the broadest tunability in the UV, Visible and IR, across 345-2500 nm. Four separate output ports emitting the doubled pump (345-540 nm), signal (490-750 nm), depleted-pump (680-1080 nm), and idler (930-2500 nm) are available. Selection between the simultaneous signal and idler outputs (tunable across the range at a fixed pump wavelength), or the simultaneous doubled and depleted-pump outputs (tunable across the range while tuning the pump laser) is straightforward and can be achieved via the dedicated PC-user-interface. The depleted-pump output at a fixed wavelength is also simultaneously available with the signal and idler outputs.

The doubled and depleted-pump outputs are generated using the state-of-the-art second-harmonic generator incorporated inside the OPO. This doubles the frequency of the pump laser, providing broad wavelength coverage (345-540 nm), high conversion efficiency (up to 45%), reduced pulse broadening (00). 

Near-transform-limited pulses are offered thanks to the specially-designed dispersion compensation module which enables dynamic and independent control of the dispersion for every signal wavelength. The Inspire^TM Hands-Free operates at room temperature, and as a result avoids the need for ovens, water-cooling units and pipes inside the OPO cavity. The Inspire^TM Hands-Free is a USB compatible and compact system consisting on a single optics unit (954 x 360 x 230 mm), which does not require additional bulky external units such as chillers or MRU air recirculators. A portable and ready installed computer is also available with this OPO.

The superior performance of the Inspire^TM Hands-Free is strengthened by its unique automation features that offer high simplicity of use. Additional to fully-automated tuning, self-calibration is also available via the dedicated PC-user-interface and provides automatic alignment optimization of the OPO cavity. This increases the OPO operation repeatability without the need for manual alignment and enhances the overall usability of the system. The control software also incorporates useful information and a graphical display of the spectral profile of the emitted pulses, recorded with the integrated spectrometer.

The Inspire^TM Hands-Free can be pumped by both the Mai Tai^® HP and the Tsunami^® Ti:sapphire oscillators from Spectra Physics, and delivers high power in the UV and Visible. This is an ideal tool for sophisticated scientific applications such as time-resolved microscopy and multiple wavelength pump-probe experiments, where short pulses, broad wavelength coverage and hands-free operation are required.

A selection of Inspire^TM Hands-Free configurations are available depending on the wavelength coverage of interest.

The Inspire^TM Hands-Free is distributed exclusively via Spectra Physics worldwide.

Key Features:

• Gap-free tuning across the UV, Visible and IR (345–2500 nm)* with a single configuration and without any change of optics


• Highest conversion efficiency with superior stability


• Excellent beam pointing stability with TEM00 spatial quality


• Fully-automated computer-controlled tuning and self-calibration


• Simultaneous UV, Visible and IR beams available through 3 separate output ports


• Integrated Second Harmonic Generation Unit for doubling the un-depleted pump


• Room-temperature operation avoiding the need of water cooling