Our Applications

Optical Clocks & Metrology

Optical clocks are revolutionizing the field of precision metrology, setting new standards for timekeeping and enabling groundbreaking advancements in science and industry. From redefining the SI second to testing the limits of fundamental physics, cutting-edge instruments like optical frequency combs and ultrastable lasers drive innovation and unlock unprecedented measurement accuracy.

Quantum Technology

Quantum technologies are revolutionizing industries by leveraging the unparalleled precision and computational power of quantum mechanics. This makes them indispensable for tackling complex global challenges like quantum computing, ultra-precise sensing, and secure communication. Many of these applications require laser light phase-stabilized to optical frequency combs.

High-Precision Spectroscopy

High-precision spectroscopy measures the interaction of light with matter to determine molecular structures, energy levels, and dynamic processes with exceptional accuracy and resolution. It plays a critical role in fields such as fundamental physics, atmospheric science, and metrology, enabling precise measurements of atomic and molecular transitions, the detection of trace gases, and the development of highly accurate frequency standards. Optical frequency combs and ultrastable lasers deliver rapid, accurate molecular analysis for environmental, industrial, and fundamental research.

Radar

Radar technologies including coherent radar systems are essential tools for detecting and analyzing objects. Low phase noise microwave signals enhance radar performance, enabling advanced sensing in cluttered and complex environments. New approaches leveraging photonic technologies allow unparalleled precision and stability in the generation of lowest phase noise microwaves. Further applications of lowest phase noise microwaves include metrology, deep-space navigation, next-generation telecommunications, and very long baseline interferometry.

Test & Measurement

Test & measurement is a key discipline in engineering, focused on evaluating the performance and accuracy of electronic components and systems. It underpins progress across fields like communications, sensing, and computing by ensuring signal integrity and system reliability. Ultrastable microwave signals enable highly accurate low phase noise measurements, revealing true signal performance. Additionally, optical signals provided by ultrafast lasers can enhance the performance of test & measurement devices.

Additive Manufacturing

In additive manufacturing, lasers play a pivotal role in enabling high-precision, layer-by-layer fabrication of complex components at micro- and nanoscales. Ultrafast laser techniques such as two-photon polymerization and 3D nanoprinting allow for the direct writing of intricate 3D structures with sub-micron resolution. These approaches provide exceptional control over geometry and material properties, making them ideal for producing detailed microdevices, custom optical elements, and bioengineered scaffolds with high accuracy, reproducibility, and design flexibility.

Life Sciences & Microscopy

Life sciences focus on understanding the structures and processes that govern living organisms, from individual cells to entire ecosystems. Lasers play a crucial role in this field, particularly in microscopy, by enabling high-resolution imaging techniques like multiphoton microscopy. Laser-based methods allow researchers to visualize cellular structures with sub-micrometer precision, penetrate deeper into tissues with minimal damage, and observe dynamic biological processes in real time.

THz Non-Destructive Testing

Terahertz sources allow for non-destructive testing (NDT) by enabling contact-free, high-resolution inspection of non-metallic materials, revealing layer thicknesses, hidden structural or chemical features for real-time quality control, safety assurance, and process optimization across diverse industries. The generation of terahertz signals with pulsed lasers bridges the long-standing “terahertz gap”: the frequency range between microwaves and infrared where efficient sources had long been scarce.

THz & ASOPS for Academia

Terahertz radiation and asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) are powerful technologies advancing a broad range of academic research. Terahertz radiation enables non-invasive probing of low-energy excitations and ultrafast dynamics, while ASOPS delivers rapid, high-resolution measurements without mechanical delay lines. Together, they drive time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) and support breakthroughs across physics, engineering, and materials science, progressing research into quantum materials, spintronics, integrated photonics, and nanoscale imaging. Latest advancements include fiber-coupled high-power terahertz antennas improving signal quality.

Time & Frequency Distribution

Whether in scientific research, communication networks, navigation systems, or large-scale sensor arrays, many of today’s most advanced systems rely on perfectly synchronized clocks and stable frequency references. Distributing these signals over long distances with highest precision ensures consistent performance, enables new technologies, and connects systems across laboratories, cities, or even continents. As prime examples, accelerator facilities use timing systems and stabilized fiber links to distribute a laser or RF signal to multiple end-stations with very high accuracy and stability.

Amplifier Seeding

High power laser systems are crucial for high-performance applications in fields like materials processing, advanced imaging, attosecond generation, and ultrafast laser research. As demand grows for more powerful and reliable ultrafast systems, high-quality seed lasers are more essential than ever for achieving consistent, distortion-free amplification. Menlo figure 9® femtosecond fiber lasers are perfectly suited for amplifier seeding.

Astronomy

The field of astronomy covers the study of all objects and phenomena originating beyond Earth’s atmosphere. From stars and asteroids to supernova explosions and solar winds, astronomers are advancing our understanding of the universe and our place in it, driving technological advancements, from imaging systems to data processing. Popular among these studies is the hunt for exoplanets. The most precise astronomical spectrographs are integrating Menlo AstroCombs for calibration.