The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Picarro Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., a $492,690 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract to develop lasers for bioinstrumentation applications, such as flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and DNA sequencing. The solid-state sources are expected to improve efficiency, reduce size, and provide higher optical power and new output wavelengths.The funding follows on Picarro's Phase I project, improving the performance of its DECSL laser platform. The laser sources also are expected to help advance cellular biology. Although the program will run through Aug. 31, 2006, Picarro intends to deliver customer samples in the first half of 2005.