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Press Release Detail: Thorlabs Introduces Broadband Light Sources for the Visible to Infrared Spectral Range Newton, NJ – October 8, 2013 - Thorlabs has released two new fiber-coupled, broadband tungsten light sources (SLS201/SLS202), extending its broadband light sources product offering to spectroscopy for chemical, medical, and biological analysis. The sources come in two versions, both featuring a constant intensity blackbody radiation spectrum that ranges from either 300 nm to 2600 nm (Tungsten-Halogen) or 450 nm to 5500 nm (Tungsten). The light sources have a built-in removable filter holder, allowing easy placement of standard Ø1” spectral filters into the light path. The internal feedback system of SLS201 and SLS202 stabilizes the light power variation to within 0.05% and significantly reduces the power drift to 0.01% per hour compared to the standard 0.3% per hour typical of other tungsten-halogen light sources. This improvement allows the user to work for longer periods of time without needing to take another reference measurement. The broadband spectral power distribution expands the applications for these light sources to the Near-IR or Mid-IR spectral range. These tungsten-halogen light sources provide constant-intensity high-power output, with the fiber-coupled power being several times higher than similar products. The superior performance of Thorlabs' stabilized light sources makes them ideal for experiments that require high accuracy and stability, such as transmittance and reflectance measurements. Thorlabs’ broadband light sources are ideal for use in research involving optical or spectral measurements, such as analysis of spectral lines in histology, spectral interferometry, fiber-optic detection of chemicals, and surface plasmon resonance to name a few. Alternatively, the removable filter holder can be used as a sample holder for material analysis; simply insert the sample between the two glass plates. For more information on these new light sources, please see the complete product presentation by visiting http://www.thorlabs.com/Tungsten. About Thorlabs:Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. As that market has grown and expanded into new research areas, Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to consistently serve its industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organization’s highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of VCSEL lasers that are being integrated into OCT systems, fiber towers for drawing both silica and fluoride glass optical fibers, brushless DC motor technology for advanced microscopy positioning stages, advanced thin film deposition capabilities, and optomechanical and optoelectronic shops.