<p dir="ltr">The correct positioning of optical elements like lenses, mirrors, and AOTFs in optical systems can often be tedious. However, precise and reproducible alignment tools can simplify the positioning of optical elements tremendously.</p><p dir="ltr">The Microscope Breadboard Laser Alignment Tool acts as a ruler with fixed pinholes at consistent positions from the optical table to guarantee precise and reproducible beam height positioning. Furthermore, these pinholes are purposefully designed to be co-aligned with the holes in an optical table to ensure reproducible alignment and registration.</p><p dir="ltr">Examples highlighting this tool's use include: (1) the co-alignment of multiple laser beams and (2) the realignment of an optical element that has been replaced in a system. It is crucial to work with fixed and reproducible reference points to simplify these alignment tasks in both cases.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Advantages</b></p><ul><li>A simple use for checking and positioning the height of a laser beam.</li><li>Designed to work in unison with pre-existing optical tables (precise and reproducible hole registration).</li><li>Fast, precise, and reproducible beam alignment for the co-alignment of laser beams, for the alignment of optical systems after replacing or inserting optical elements, for fiber coupling, and many more applications if the researcher uses two or more alignment tools.</li><li>The magnetic base makes the tool stable and allows use on vertical systems.</li></ul><p dir="ltr"><b>Applications</b></p><ul><li>Laser beam alignment in optical systems</li></ul><p dir="ltr"><b>Use</b></p><p dir="ltr">Free to make for Non-Profit Research by downloading designs at GitHub link. <b><u>Please cite this DOI.</u></b><br>Commercial licenses are also available, contact innovation@janelia.hhmi.org and reference this DOI.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr"><b>Other</b></p><p dir="ltr"><i>Supersedes Flintbox ID:</i><i> 2021-016</i></p><p dir="ltr">Link to <a href="https://www.janelia.org/open-science/alignment-tool" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Janelia Open Science Page</a></p>
