{"id":5534,"date":"2026-09-04T17:51:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T17:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanta.com\/precision-manufacturing\/?post_type=novanta_tech_paper&p=5534"},"modified":"2026-09-24T12:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T12:52:15","slug":"integrated-power-control-for-dpss-laser-platforms","status":"publish","type":"novanta_tech_paper","link":"https:\/\/novanta.com\/precision-manufacturing\/resources\/whitepapers\/integrated-power-control-for-dpss-laser-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"High Dynamic Range Optical Power Control"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Technical Paper Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wide-Range Power Control Without Performance Trade-Offs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Conventional power control forces a choice between output level and laser performance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stable optical power, beam size, beam shape and spectral performance are critical requirements for advanced photonic applications, including Raman spectroscopy, semiconductor wafer inspection, particle metrology, and fluorescence imaging. In these systems, laser beam properties directly influence measurement accuracy, signal quality, throughput, and sample integrity. Precise and repeatable power control must therefore be achieved without compromising critical laser characteristics such as amplitude noise, spectral stability, or beam quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This white paper introduces Novanta\u2019s latest patent pending innovation in diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser technology, an integrated Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA) incorporated within the company\u2019s advanced GEMultra\u2122 and GEMultra+\u2122 platforms. Unlike conventional power-control methods that rely solely on pump-diode current adjustment, the integrated VOA enables high-resolution output power control while preserving optimum laser output properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GEMultra platform provides continuous attenuation from OD0 to OD2, while the GEMultra+ extends this capability to OD3. Across the wider operating power range, the laser performance remains unchanged, maintaining industry-leading power stability, noise levels, spectral integrity, and beam quality. By integrating attenuation directly within the laser architecture, Novanta eliminates alignment sensitivities associated with external attenuation systems, reduces Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) integration complexity, and lowers overall system costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key takeaways include:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n