With the help of two fantastic Junior Research Fellows (Amit Cherian and Greeshma Pradeep S) we have now build several laser combiners specific for some of the systems that were set up in the Mayor lab. The later versions have taken inspiration from the NicoLase system (check that one out here).
Our first fully home-build optical splitter. It is set up around a Nikon TiE body + Prime95B sCMOS camera and is based on an original design from A Kumar at MBL. Great efforts from Charitra Senthil Kumar and Greeshma Pradeep S. We have learned a lot as we got building.
With two optical systems we put together from existing components we also redesigned the original Mayor lab microscope room. India poses some challenges because of extreme particle counts (>10E6) and resilient fungal growth. Together with the architect team lead by Savitha K S and the AC electrical team lead by Vipin V we had set up a room with laminal flow, minimal particle count (<5E4) and stable temperature conditions (24±2ºC)
Two of the Mayor lab systems required an enclosure where power units and additional equipment could be kept and protected from potential (monsoon flooding) accidents. Inspired by what Xavier Menino builds for the ICFO labs and with the products available in India we came up with a heavy but working system. Lots of effort also by Amit Cherian and the local workshop heroes, Devkumar S and Santosh Chavvan.