Centre for Lasers and Applications

Lighthouse Technologies Pty Ltd spun out of the Centre for Lasers and Applications in 2003 as the vehicle for commercializing solid-state laser technologies applicable in aesthetic medicine. Several laser products are being developed that provide high fluence and also multiple wavelengths with switchability between them. The products offer clinicians improved efficacy, reduced treatment times and great treatment versatility.

The CLA has an active and on-going role in Lighthouse, as it currently shares the location for research laboratories and involves the participation of CLA members Prof. Jim Piper and Dr Helen Pask. Former CLA members, Dr Rich Mildren and Dr Hamish Ogilvy are now employees of Lighthouse.

It is very hard to obtain tunable laser light in the UV region of the spectrum. Researchers in the CLA have developed two new solid state UV lasers that can access a broad range of the UV spectrum using crystals containing Cerium atoms.

This technology, along with an innovative method of tuning robust monolithic lasers, will lead to scalable commercial production of compact and reliable tunable UV lasers.

A/Prof. David Coutts , Dr David Spence, Dr Kristie Johnson

We have developed a novel compact, all solid state, high repetition rate 336 nm laser, which is a perfect replacement for nitrogen lasers for high throughput screening. The laser is suitable for exciting long lived fluorescent probes for flow cytometry applications.

Nitrogen gas lasers are large, inefficient, and require regular maintenance. This 336 nm laser is compact, more efficient; a longer life time compared to Nitrogen lasers also incurs lower maintenance costs.

Dr Hamish Ogilvy

The Centre for Lasers and Applications has developed a solid state laser source operating in the yellow spectral region to coincide with absorption by haemoglobin for medical applications in dermatology and ophthalmology, and proves effective in the treatment of blood vessel disorders. A pre-production prototype has been developed and used in some clinical trials. The Magic Wand Laser was manufactured by METS.

Prof Jim Piper, Dr Helen Pask

Click picture to enlarge

Molecular and optical physics

The CLA is at the forefront of research into the development of lasers to 'sniff' diseases on a person's breath. The laser-based technique that can be used for medical breath tests is called cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS). This involves a laser tuned to a specific frequency bouncing rapidly back and forth inside an optical cavity formed by mirrors with very high reflectivity. This cavity also contains a sample of gas, for example, from a patient's breath. When the laser is shut off, the 'ringdown' or decay rate of the light leaking from the cavity provides information on the exact composition of the gas.

Orr and He have applied to patent an innovative cavity ringdown spectroscopy device which uses very small lasers developed for the telecommunications industry, and believe a prototype could be built at about the size of a small suitcase. The patent application for the CLA's CRDS laser-based system design has been facilitated by Macquarie Research Ltd, and potential partners are being sought to help with further development and with commercialisation.

News Articles:

Bouncing lasers off your breath yields amazing results
Sydney Morning Herald - 23rd October 2003 read article >>
Sniffing out disease
Macquarie University News - September 2003 read article >>

Florian Englich, Brian Orr & Yabai He seem pleased with a laboratory prototype of their new cavity ringdown (CRD) spectrometer

Florian English, Dr Yabai He, Prof Brian Orr, Richard White

Laser microfabrication and photonics

One of the key components of the IRIS2 camera, recent recipient of the 2002 JC Bradfield Engineering Award for Excellence, is a laser machined multi-slit mask that simultaneously collects the spectra of 50 stars. This mask is basically a microscopic star-map where each star is represented by a tiny slot as wide as a human hair in size and positioned with an accuracy of 1 micron. Fabrication of these masks was a major challenge and early in 2002 the AAO turned to the laser micro-machining group at the Centre for Lasers and Applications for a solution to this unique problem. New laser processing techniques had to be developed by Laser Micromachining Solutions to meet the exacting requirements of these masks. In recognition of our input the AAO invited us to contribute to a display at the Powerhouse Museum which highlights this technology.

Mr David Baer, Dr Michael Withford

From top left, laser machined holes in a mask are fitted to a rotating turret to image light from select sources in the IRIS 2 camera.

Laser microfabrication and photonics

The burn time and the height of the flame for the torches, all 15,000 of them, were controlled by small precision apertures, 1/2 the size of a human hair. These precision apertures were drilled in brass components using lasers and techniques developed by the Centre for Lasers and Applications.

Mr David Baer, Prof Jim Piper, Jenn Fishburn, Dr Michael Withford

Laser microfabrication and photonics

High precision laser marks are required for a new generation of automotive torque and angle sensor developed by Bishop Steering Technology Ltd. The marks produced by Laser Micromachining Solutions meet the tight tolerances required for the function of the prototype sensor in Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) and Steer-by-Wire system.

Mr David Baer, Dr Michael Withford