SEveral of the confocal vendors are offering a new option (or are about
to...) which should significantly help with laser lifetime. They can now
enable computer control of laser power such that it is only brought up to
the desired value directly prior to scanning: otherwise it stays in idle.
Since the Kr/Ar stabilizes in about one ms, you can cycle it back and
forth between idle and active without significant disaster. I know that
both Zeiss and Leica are bringing this new cability on-line for the
Omnichrome 643 series Ar/Kr. I do not know if the BioRad's ILT laser will
also have the same capability.
 
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  Chip Montrose
   Johns Hopkins University     tel: 410-955-9681
    Ross 930                      FAX: (410) 955-9677
     720 Rutland Avenue            email: [log in to unmask]
      Baltimore, MD 21205
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