This paper provides a general overview of Cutting Edge Optronics’ high energy laser design approach and system architecture. It then dives deeper into the technical details of example high energy DPSS laser systems installed around the world. Output pulse energies range from 0.5 J to 10 J, with average output powers of 20 W to 200 W, repetition rates from 5 Hz to 50 Hz, and output wavelengths in both green and infrared. Approved for Public Release: NG24-0127 © 2024, 2024 Cutting Edge Optronics, Inc. The post A New Age of High Energy Lasers appeared first on Cutting Edge Optronics ..read more

A team of employees from Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) in St. Charles, Missouri, united to support lifesaving breast cancer research and support services in the “Making Strides in St. Louis” American Cancer Society event in late October. They raised more than $4,750 for the cause, far surpassing their fundraising goal. Top Row (Left to Right): Kyle Crowe, Jeremiah Robinson-Lowe, Scott Mize, Kellie Bergschneider, Jessica Shoemaker, Toni Voorheis, Kaci Loggia, Patrick Johnson. Bottom Row (Left to Right): Betsy Mize, Charlene Pittman, Jenna Borton, Brandy Nugent. "Too many of my family members ha ..read more

Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) has recently experienced an increase in business in the medical laser market due to the capability and reliability of our pulsed laser modules. According to Ryan Feeler, CTO and Director of Business Development, “We’ve seen a real change in our customer base over the past ten years. A decade ago, they were mostly engaged in a lot of low-volume, development work. Now we have several customers who have moved into production with equipment used for eye surgery, vein treatment, kidney stone removal, and other applications that are beneficial to patients.  ..read more

The number of hand-held/compact portable LIDAR, medical and material analysis laser applications has seen steady growth over the past several years. Over this period, the size, weight, and power (SWAP) requirements of the hand-held systems have continued to shrink while their performance requirements have continued to increase. Whether these systems utilize laser sources such as direct laser diode or diode pumped laser materials such as Nd:YAG and Er:Glass, the need for sub-compact laser diode packaging has continued to grow. To support these hand-held applications CEO offers are wide variety ..read more

Dennis Lockwood of Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) received the Outstanding Advisory Award during the Spring Advisory Meeting on May 4th at Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) in Ottumwa, IA. Dennis has been providing support and guidance for the Lasers & Optics Technology Program at IHCC for over 20+ years. Helping Our Customers, Helping Our Future Pictured: Dennis Lockwood holding the 2023 Outstanding Advisory Award alongside Michael Shay, Instructor of the IHCC Lasers & Optics Technology Program. The Advisory Board at IHCC meets twice annually, with two advisors recognized at the spr ..read more

In the captivating world of diamond cutting, precision and finesse reign supreme. The transformation of rough stones into dazzling gemstones requires cutting-edge technology that can bring out the true brilliance and beauty hidden within. At Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO), we have harnessed the power of advanced laser technology to help revolutionize the diamond cutting process. Our state-of-the-art Iklwa/Patara lasers set new standards of excellence in diamond cutting machines, offering unparalleled performance and elevating diamond cutting capabilities to unprecedented heights. At CEO, we rec ..read more

Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) leverages automated bonders in its automation center to increase capacity and improve quality across many of its product lines. These bonders are routinely employed to build subassemblies with one or multiple diode bars which are then incorporated into CEO’s diode arrays, laser amplifiers, and DPSS lasers.  Automated Bonders According to Jeremy Junghans, CEO’s Engineering Manager for Laser Diode Production, “We have developed a wide range of die attach processes utilizing gold-tin (AuSn) solder and various CTE-matched heatsinks. We apply these processes to bui ..read more

Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) has developed the DC2P, a dual-channel laser diode driver that reduces diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser system complexity and cuts required electronics rack space in half. Many high-energy DPSS laser systems utilize multiple large amplifier modules with a significant number of pump laser diode bars required to pump the laser crystal in each module. An example DPSS laser for materials processing employs 10 of CEO’s 1” REA Power PulseTM amplifier modules with almost 500 pump laser diode bars per module, along with several smaller modules. In place of 30 stand-al ..read more

In the same year it celebrated its 30th anniversary, Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO) set record achievements across multiple business categories. Annual external shipments were at an all-time high, increasing by nearly 70% over the past two years. “This strong performance and growth was achieved through the dedicated efforts of our talented and customer-focused team at CEO,” said Scott Mize, CEO General Manager. “Each and every employee contributed to these record results and is committed to serving our customers.” Cutting Edge Optronics Headquarters, St. Charles, MO CEO entered 2023 well-positio ..read more

Cutting Edge Optronics (CEO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Mize to the role of General Manager, reporting to Frank Bernas, Vice President of NGC’s Space Components and Strategic Businesses BU. In his more than 21-year tenure at the company, Mize has previously held the positions of Chief Operating Officer (COO), Director of Engineering, and Engineering Programs Manager, among others. Scott Mize, General Manager Mize brings a wealth of operations and engineering management experience along with strong business ..read more