We implement a multi-color laser engine with silicon nitride photonic integrated circuit technology, that combines four fluorophore excitation wavelengths (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 640 nm) and splits them with variable attenuation among two output fibers used for different microscope imaging modalities. With the help of photonic integrated circuit technology, the volume of the multi-color laser engine’s optics is reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to its commercially available discrete optics counterpart. Light multiplexing is implemented by means of a directional coupler based device and variable optical attenuation as well as fiber switching with thermally actuated Mach-Zehnder interferometers. Total insertion losses from lasers to output fibers are in the order of 6 dB at 488 nm, 561 nm, and 640 nm. Higher insertion losses at 405 nm can be further improved on. In addition to the system level results, spectrally resolved performance has been characterized for each of the developed devices.

We are reporting on a Multi-Color Laser Engine (MLE) multiplexing four wavelengths (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 640 nm) by means of a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) with Silicon Nitride (SiN) waveguides. Multiple building blocks are tested that allow manipulating the light in the waveguides to achieve fiber switching and variable optical attenuation. To slow down facet degradation and extend chip lifetime at near Ultra-Violet (UV) wavelengths (405 nm), a lateral endcap is implemented on chip and tested for reliability. Reasonable coupling and on-chip losses have been achieved in view of a practical use of the technology.

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A large number of discrete optical components could be replaced by a photonic integrated circuit in a multi-color laser engine for the visible spectral range. The photonic integrated circuit is based on silicon nitride waveguide technology. We report on the use of silicon nitride (SiN) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in high-value instrumentation, namely multi-color laser engines (MLEs), a core element of cutting-edge biophotonic systems applied to confocal microscopy, fluorescent microscopy - including super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy - flow cytometry, optogenetics, genetic analysis and DNA sequencing, to name just a few. These have in common the selective optical excitation of molecules - fluorophores, or, in the case of optogenetics, light-gated ion channels - with laser radiation falling within their absorption spectrum. Unambiguous identification of molecules or cellular subsets often requires jointly analyzing fluorescent signals from several fluorescent markers, so that MLEs are required to provide excitation wavelengths for several commercially available biocompatible fluorophores. A number of functionalities are required from MLEs in addition to sourcing the required wavelengths: Variable attenuation and/or digital intensity modulation in the Hz to kHz range are required for a number of applications such as optical trapping, lifetime imaging, or fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Moreover, switching of the laser between two fiber outputs can be utilized for example to switch between scanning confocal microscopy and widefield illumination modes, for instance, for conventional fluorescence imaging.