Products
ALBA:
On-chip Brillouin spectrometer
ALBA is the first worldwide fully integrated Brillouin spectrometer on a silicon photonics chip.
The extreme miniaturization allows for virtually no extra space in lab environments, while the complete absence of physical optical components makes this device intrinsically alignment-free without compromising speed, spectral resolution and dynamic range, ensuring rapid spectral acquisition.
With optical connectivity secured by a standard single-mode PM fiber, ALBA is fully compatible and easily integrated in conventional spectroscopy setups and microscopes, extending their capabilities with all-optical, label-free Brillouin elastography for 3D mechanical analyses.
Why choose Alba?
Fully integrated on a chip
Alignment-free and plug & play
subGhz spectral resolution
Fast spectral acquisition
High dynamic range
Compatible with standard microscopes
Temperature stabilized
Miniaturized and portable
Fully integrated on a chip
Alignment-free and plug & play
subGhz spectral resolution
Fast spectral acquisition
High dynamic range
Compatible with standard microscopes
Temperature stabilized
Miniaturized and portable
Key specifications
- Operating wavelengths 532 nm; 660 nm
- Spectral resolution <0.6 GHz (<0.02 cm⁻¹)
- Dynamic range >90 dB
- Rayleigh background suppression >60 dB
- Free spectral range 30 GHz (1 cm⁻¹)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)* @15mW, 100ms >10
- Signal-to-Background Ratio (SBR)** @15mW, 100ms >50
- Insertion loss (typical) <3 dB
- Optical input SM PM fiber
- Device dimensions 12 x 14 x 10 cm³
- Weight 2.3 kg
- Operating temperature -10ºC / 40ºC
- PC connection USB-c
\[*\mathrm{SNR} = \dfrac{I_{\mathrm{mean}}}{\delta I_{pk}}\]
\[**\mathrm{SBR} = \dfrac{I_{\mathrm{mean}}}{\delta I_{bg}}\]
Biology Applications
Intracellular biomechanics
Measure local elasticity inside living cells and track changes during mitosis, drug exposure and liquid-to-solid phase transitions.
Organoids and 3D culture models
Monitor mechanical changes during growth and differentiation and evaluate drug efficacy based on stiffness changes
Tissue engineering and biomaterials
Quantify polymerization dynamics, monitor scaffold remodelling without damaging the sample, characterize co-culture systems.
Tumor microenvironment and extracellular matrix
Generate full 3D mechanical maps of tumors and ECM to reveal heterogeneity and mechanobiology drivers.
Multilayered/complex/native tissues
Assess viscoelasticity in multilayered tissues and detect alterations linked to pathology or treatment response.
ALBA will ease these applications with a fully integrated, ultra-compact and alignment-free platform enabling rapid 3D mechanical imaging