Zecotek's green fiber laser passes U.S. National Institute of Health tests
June 4, 2008—Zecotek Photonics Inc. (Vancouver, B.C.; TSX VENTURE: ZMS, FRANKFURT: W1I) says that the National Cancer Institute recently conducted tests on its proprietary Green Fiber Laser (GFL-550) in flow cytometry applications. The results concluded that Zecotek's GFL-550 laser successfully met all of the National Cancer Institutes' performance specifications, notably emitting at a wavelength of 550nm.
Dr. William Telford, Head of the Flow Cytometry Core Laboratory at the National Cancer Institute/NIH, presented the GFL-550's performance and unique wavelength of 550nm in a paper by at the 24th International Congress of the International Society for Analytical Cytometry (Budapest, Hungary May 17-21, 2008). "Until now a 550nm solution did not exist," said Dr. Telford. "The wavelength range that Zecotek's GFL lasers provide could be ideal for this application. I think the laser confocal microscope community will also be very enthusiastic about being able to choose any wavelength in this range for their systems."
According to Dr. Faouzi Zerrouk, Chairman and CEO of Zecotek Photonics, "The 532nm solid-state laser has become the ubiquitous compromise solution in flow cytometry and confocal microscopy." And, he added, "The U.S. National Institute of Health has shown that our GFL-550 laser meets all performance criteria and therefore is well positioned as the replacement of choice for the 532nm laser."
Specific fluorescent probes can be excited more efficiently at the 550nm wavelength which improves accuracy and broadens the use of flow cytometry in immunology, hematology, transplantations and biomedical research. In addition to 550nm, Zecotek's GFL series provides wavelengths in the range 515 to 560nm which is optimal for bio-instrumentation, medical, material processing and fundamental research applications.
Earlier this year, Zecotek released its TIS/DYE-FD-08/A-scan laser spectrometer, which targets nano- and bio-technological applications.
The National Cancer Institute is a division of the National Institute of Health.