UV Laser targets PCB fabrication and wafer inspection.

Press Release Summary:



Paladin(TM) Compact 355-4000 solid-state laser delivers 4 W of quasi-CW output at 355 nm. Either air- or water-cooled, device requires single pump diode. It features beam diameter of 1 mm and M2 of less than 1.2, and handles applications in laser direct imaging of high-density PCBs as well as semiconductor wafer inspection



Original Press Release:



Compact UV Laser for Economical PCB Fabrication and Wafer Inspection



Santa Clara, Calif., September 28, 2007 -The new Paladin(TM) Compact 355-4000 from Coherent, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) (Nasdaq: COHR) is the first solid-state, ultraviolet laser to deliver 4 Watts of quasi-CW output (at 355 nm) in a small footprint package. This laser is specifically designed for OEMs, who will benefit from its unique combination of low cost of ownership, small size, high-quality output and operational simplicity. In addition, because it can be either air-cooled or water-cooled, the Paladin Compact 355-4000 offers system builders enhanced flexibility. To also make it easier to use the Paladin Compact 355-4000 with existing optical designs, its beam parameters (beam diameter = 1mm, M2 <1.2) are identical to the larger-sized 4-Watt Paladin model.

The new Paladin Compact 355-4000 builds on the success of hundreds of other Paladin lasers already in the field. However, based on the reduced maintenance costs of its components, it now costs less to purchase and less to own. In particular, the Paladin Compact 355-4000 requires only a single, long-lived pump diode (the main consumable in this type of laser), rather than two pump diodes.

The Paladin Compact 355-4000 excels at applications in the Laser Direct Imaging (LDI) of high-density printed circuit boards, as well as semiconductor wafer inspection. In both of these applications, overall system size, cost of ownership, reliability characteristics and beam quality are essential in order to meet the performance and cost requirements of end users. This unmatched set of performance parameters also make the Paladin Compact 355-4000 the smart choice in other markets, such as semiconductor processing or glass scribing.

Founded in 1966, Coherent, Inc. is a Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 company and a world leader in providing laser-based solutions to the commercial and scientific research markets. Please direct any questions to Torsten Rauch, product manager, Diode-Pumped Solid-State Business Unit, at (408) 764-4000, in Europe at 49 173 2493934. For more information about Coherent, including product and financial updates, visit our website at www.Coherent.com.

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