Photonicsspectra 201206

Hyperspectral
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Improves Food Inspection
June / 2012
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Hyperspectral
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Improves Food Inspection
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June 2012
t
TABLE OF CONTENTS
16 | TECH NEWS
Photonics Spectra editors curate the most significant photonics research
and technology headlines of the month and take you deeper inside
the news. Featured stories include:
Elementary quantum network realized
Superradiant laser holds bright future
Plasmonic material bridges photonics, electronics gap
28 | FASTTRACK
Business and Markets
Innovate responsibly to weather tough economic times
Convention contest shines light on Israeli startups
41 | GREENLIGHT
Spinach may hold key to understanding photosynthesis
Sweet spot could help bring organic solar cells to market
Ultrathin solar cells for stretchable applications
10 | EDITORIAL
74 | PEREGRINATIONS
Laser swarm could swat asteroids away
NEWS & ANALYSIS
COLUMNS
65 | BRIGHT IDEAS
71 | HAPPENINGS
73 | ADVERTISER INDEX
DEPARTMENTS
THE COVER
David Bannon and Christopher Van Veen of
Headwall Photonics Inc. discuss hyperspectral
imagings evolving role in the food and
agriculture sector, beginning on page 44.
Design by Senior Art Director Lisa N.
Comstock. Images courtesy of Headwall
Photonics Inc.
16
41
Photonics Spectra June 2012 4
612Contents_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:23 PM Page 4
PHOTONICS: The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant
energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The range of applications of photonics extends
from energy generation to detection to communications and information processing.
Vol ume 46 I ssue 6
www. phot oni cs. com
44 | HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING GETS STAMP OF APPROVAL
FOR FOOD PROCESSING
by David Bannon and Christopher Van Veen, Headwall Photonics Inc.
A technology that began as a reconnaissance tool has moved into the sphere of food
processing and inspection, remote sensing of agricultural land, and plant studies.
50 | LEDs LOWER COSTS, BOOST CROPS INSIDE GREENHOUSES
by Lynn Savage, Features Editor
Compared to incandescent lighting, LEDs offer more wavelength-specific
operation, longer life, lower temperature and cost, and design flexibility.
54 | MODELING IMPROVES FIBER AMPLIFIERS AND LASERS
by Rdiger Paschotta, RP Photonics Consulting GmbH
For developing active fiber devices with the best performance for the lowest cost,
numerical modeling is essential.
57 | FEL PULSES AND ULTRAFAST LASERS TEAM UP
TO EXPLORE NEW FRONTIERS
by Alan R. Fry, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Marco Arrigoni, Coherent Inc.
Free-electron x-ray laser sources in tandem with ultrafast optical lasers
enable ground-breaking experiments in atomic, molecular and materials science.
60 | INTERFEROMETER KEEPS OPTICS SHOP ON TRACK
by Mike Zecchino, 4D Technology Corp.
The vibrations from a new streetcar line will not disrupt the testing
and assembling of optics on the University of Arizona campus,
thanks to dynamic interferometry.
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50
FEATURES
612Contents_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:23 PM Page 5
Photonics Spectra June 2012
Group Publisher Karen A. Newman
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor Laura S. Marshall
Senior Editor Melinda A. Rose
Features Editor Lynn M. Savage
Editors Caren B. Les
Ashley N. Paddock
Copy Editors Judith E. Storie
Patricia A. Vincent
Margaret W. Bushee
Contributing Editors Hank Hogan
Gary Boas
Marie Freebody
Creative Staff
Senior Art Director Lisa N. Comstock
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Designer Janice R. Tynan
Director of Publishing Operations Kathleen A. Alibozek
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e
EDITORIAL COMMENT
F
it to eat and plenty of it are two characteristics universally desired of the food we eat,
but they often go unmet around the world. Now, a growing number of technologies
rooted in photonics are ripe and ready to support demands for a safe and sufficient
food supply for the worlds 7 billion inhabitants.
Meeting the repast requirements of a hungry world requires both a great deal of space and
adequate growing conditions. Where growing seasons are short, some specialty crops can
be produced under artificial lighting such as incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Features
editor Lynn Savage tells us that, although both have been used, they are inefficient and
costly, and they emit undependable spectra. State-of-the-art LED lighting, however, is
gaining traction in crop production, especially in remote areas without dependable year-
round sunlight or where specialty crops are in demand. In the article LEDs Lower Costs,
Boost Crops Inside Greenhouses, beginning on page 50, we look at how LED lighting is
being used all over the globe and even beyond.
Although LED lighting addresses the issue of quantity, an inspection method evolved from
military satellites and reconnaissance technology is being applied to food quality concerns.
In the article Hyperspectral Imaging Gets Stamp of Approval for Food Processing, be-
ginning on page 44, David Bannon and Christopher Van Veen of Headwall Photonics de-
fine the promise of hyperspectral imaging across many applications, including in-line pro-
cessing and inspection of everything from strawberries and apples to poultry and seafood.
Also in this issue
In the short time of their existence as open-source research tools, free-electron x-ray
lasers such as the Linac Coherent Light Source have offered a versatile and powerful
means of pushing the frontiers of atomic, molecular and materials sciences, write Alan
Fry of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Marco Arrigoni of Coherent Inc.
Their article, FEL Pulses and Ultrafast Lasers Team Up to Explore New Frontiers,
begins on page 57.
Working with a numerical model is the best way to learn how fiber devices work, how
to optimize their designs and what their limitations may be, writes Rudiger Paschotta
of RP Photonics Consulting GmbH. In the article Modeling Improves Fiber Amplifiers
and Lasers, beginning on page 54, Paschotta tells us that, although fiber amplifiers and
lasers offer interesting advantages over more traditional laser types, the performance
details often are more complicated than for bulk lasers as a result of strong saturation
effects, consequences of a high laser gain and some peculiarities of quasi-three-level
laser transitions.
The Modern Streetcar Project in Tucson, Ariz., was designed to be a sustainable trans-
portation option connecting the city center, the University of Arizona, the Arizona Health
Sciences Center and several residential, historic and shopping districts, according to
Mike Zecchino of 4D Technology Corp. The project sounded good for the community
at large but worried the staff at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO).
In the article Interferometer Keeps Optics Shop on Track, beginning on page 60,
Zecchino tells how dynamic interferometry helped the NOAO optics lab beat the
vibration.
Meanwhile
Were pulling together our annual List Issue industry snapshot. We have asked for your
thoughts on essential reading for people in photonics, for the biggest eureka moment of
your career, and for the funniest thing youve ever seen in the lab your responses have
been enlightening, for sure. Look for your answers in the August issue.
Editorial Advisory Board
Dr. Robert R. Alfano
City College of New York
Walter Burgess
Power Technology Inc.
Dr. Michael J. Cumbo
IDEX Optics & Photonics
Dr. Timothy Day
Daylight Solutions
Dr. Donal Denvir
Andor Technology PLC
Patrick L. Edsell
Avanex Corp.
Dr. Stephen D. Fantone
Optikos Corp.
Randy Heyler
Ondax Inc.
Dr. Michael Houk
Bristol Instruments Inc.
Dr. Kenneth J. Kaufmann
Hamamatsu Corp.
Brian Lula
PI (Physik Instrumente) LP
Eliezer Manor
Shirat Enterprises Ltd., Israel
Shinji Niikura
Coherent Japan Inc.
Dr. Morio Onoe
professor emeritus, University of Tokyo
Dr. William Plummer
WTP Optics
Dr. Richard C. Powell
University of Arizona
Dr. Ryszard S. Romaniuk
Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
Samuel P. Sadoulet
Edmund Optics
Dr. Steve Sheng
Telesis Technologies Inc.
William H. Shiner
IPG Photonics Corp.
John M. Stack
Zygo Corp.
Dr. Albert J.P. Theuwissen
Harvest Imaging/Delft University
of Technology, Belgium
Kyle Voosen
National Instruments Corp.
10 Photonics Spectra June 2012
karen.newman@photonics.com
Impacting Our Food Supply: Good, Enough
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Welcome to
Photonics Medias industry-leading site features the latest industry news and events
from around the world.
2013 Prism Awards Call for Entries!
The Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation, a joint collaboration
between Photonics Media and SPIE, is a leading international
competition celebrating innovation and honoring new
product invention.
Applications are being accepted until
Sept. 14, 2012. Enter to win see if
your product measures up!
Join Us for a Free Webinar
2012 Webinar Series - Expert Briefings
Advances in Biomedical Photonics
Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 1 p.m. EDT/ 10 a.m. PDT/ 5 p.m.
GMT/UTC
Photonics Media will host Lihong V. Wang, PhD, Gene K.
Beare Distinguished Professor, Optical Imaging Laboratory,
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University,
St. Louis. Wang will speak on "Photoacoustic Tomography:
Ultrasonically Breaking Through the Optical
Diffusion Limit." Photoacoustic tomography
combines optical and ultrasonic waves via the
photoacoustic effect, providing in vivo multiscale nonionizing func-
tional and molecular imaging. To register, visit:
Photonics.com/Webinars
In case you missed it
2012 Webinar Expert Briefings
Novel Infrared Sensors for Medical, Industrial and Homeland Security Applications
Speaker: Dr. Hooman Mohseni, associate
professor, Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science, Northwestern University.
Learn how Northwestern's Bio-Inspired
Sensors and Optoelectronics Lab (BISOL)
developed novel IR imagers based on carrier
compression and nano-injection technology.
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The latest research on optical engineering and applications,
solar energy, nanotechnology, and organic photonics
Location
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California, USA
spie.org/aboutop
Conference dates
1216 August 2012
Exhibition dates
1416 August 2012

Conferences
- Nanoscience + Engineering
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- Organic Photonics + Electronics
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2012
Register Today
1216 August 2012
612_SPIE_Opt&Pho_Pg13_Layout 1 5/24/12 11:32 AM Page 13
n Lasers for Medical
Device Manufacturing
The medical device manufactur-
ing industry is focusing more
and more on laser sources that
enable higher throughput and
smaller feature size while reduc-
ing upfront capital cost and
cost-of-ownership over time,
and in addition offer a signifi-
cantly longer lifetime.
n Fiber Optic Components
for Medical Devices
Optical fiber processing technologies play a vital role from research to large-
volume manufacturing in optical fiber-based components for medical devices.
These components range from catheters and endoscopes to fiber optic probes
for medical imaging and laser deliveries.
n Seeing the Light with Beam Profiling
One crucial part of ensuring a quality laser process is laser characterization,
including laser power/energy measurement, spatial beam profiling and temporal
pulse shape measurement. Analyzing the data and applying it are where the full
benefit of laser characterization can be realized.
n Electronics in Modern Process Control Spectroscopy
In spectrometer process control, the detector array and the related readout
electronics are often more crucial to a successful application, and
a large signal-to-noise ratio in combination
with a high dynamic range are well
sought-after characteristics.
n Metrology for Aspheric Optics
Asphere measurements have to be
faster, switching from one technique
to another has to be done in less time,
and more readings are needed to char -
acterize more complex surfaces. Tech -
nique improvements and integration
of measurement capability into asphere
design software can help.
You'll also find all the news that affects
your industry, from tech trends and
market reports to the latest products
and media.
In the July issue of
Photonics Spectra
Check out a sample of the new digital
version of Photonics Spectra magazine
at www.photonics.com/DigitalSample.
Its a whole new world of information for
people in the global photonics industry.
612_What'sOnline_Layout 1 5/24/12 1:43 PM Page 14
612_ISPOptics_Pg15_Layout 1 5/24/12 11:32 AM Page 15
Elementary quantum network realized
ond atom. The second atom can then send
the information back to the first, or act as
a hub to any number of networked atoms.
The network consists of two coupled
single-atom nodes that transfer informa-
tion through exchanging photons. The
atoms are embedded in optical cavities
composed of highly reflecting mirrors.
Photons emitted by the atoms can
be directed and controlled in very
specific ways.
One challenge lay in trapping the atom
in the cavity, which was accomplished by
using finely tuned lasers without disturb-
ing the atom. From this, the scientists
proved that they could control the emis-
sion of the atom, store information on a
specific photon and transfer it to another
photon after a storage time. The two nodes
in the experiment were in two labs, sepa-
rated by a distance of 21 m and connected
via a 60-m optical fiber.
We are convinced that much larger dis-
tances are possible, Ritter told Photonics
Spectra. One ultimate limit, however, is
the attenuation in the optical fiber. If the
distance becomes so large that the proba-
bility for the photon to arrive at the other
node becomes small, efficient quantum
state transfer or remote entanglement be-
comes impossible.
When asked what challenges lie ahead
to achieve a quantum Internet, Ritter said
that it would depend on what one would
expect from such an Internet.
I think there is no clear definition yet,
he said. What is obvious is that, for a
large-scale quantum network, one will
need more than two nodes. Our approach
certainly supports this, as our network
nodes are universal. Nevertheless, this is a
technological challenge, considering that
the lasers, optics and electronics for con-
trolling one network node currently fill a
whole laboratory. We plan on improving
all characteristics of our single-atom net-
work nodes.
Besides improving the characteristics of
their network nodes, the scientists hope to
increase storage time.
We would like to increase the storage
time by several orders of magnitude by
transferring the atomic qubit to magnetic-
NEWS
TECH
A closer look at the most significant photonics research and technology headlines of the month
A cavity-based quantum network. In the envisaged architecture (top), many single-atom nodes are
connected by single-photon links. Here, the scientists explore the universal properties of a system produced
by connecting two nodes (middle; A and B) within this configuration. Details of the nodes and connections
are shown in the lower part of the figure. The two identical nodes are located in independent labs connected
by a 60-m optical fiber (1). Each node consists of a single rubidium atom (2) in an optical dipole trap at the
center of a high-finesse optical cavity (3). Quantum state transfer between the atoms and remote entanglement
can be achieved via exchange of a single photon (4), with the quantum information encoded in the internal
state of the atom and the polarization of the photon. Both the production of a photon (node A) and its
storage (node B) are achieved via a coherent and reversible stimulated Raman adiabatic passage.
Courtesy of Dr. Stephan Ritter, MPQ.
Left: Single atoms form the
nodes of an elementary
quantum network in which
quantum information is
transmitted by the con-
trolled exchange of single
photons. Courtesy of
Andreas Neuzner, MPQ.
GARCHING, Germany Two single-atom
nodes have been used to send, receive and
store quantum information using photons,
a quantum information-sharing milestone.
We have realized the first prototype
of a quantum network, said Dr. Stephan
Ritter of Max Planck Institute of Quantum
Optics (MPQ).
For a quantum network to be useful, the
exchange of information must be revers-
ible. This is difficult because quantum in-
formation is very fragile and cannot be
cloned. A breakthrough in solving this
problem was achieved by researchers led
by professor Gerhard Rempe of MPQ.
Their research appeared in the April 12
issue of Nature (doi: 10.1038/nature
11023).
Unlike classical bits, which are binary,
a quantum bit (qubit) can represent a su-
perposition of both a 1 and a 0 at the same
time. Information can be transmitted, qubit
by qubit, from one atom to another by
mapping its quantum state onto individual
photons. The photons travel through a
fiber optic cable and are stored in the sec-
612_Tech News_Layout 1 5/24/12 1:36 PM Page 16
field-insensitive clock states, Ritter
said. Currently, the storage time is mainly
limited by residual magnetic field fluctua-
tions.
The scientists also are working on ele-
ments of a quantum repeater scheme,
which they hope will enable the transfer
of quantum information over very large
distances.
Entanglement of two systems sepa-
rated by a large distance is a fascinating
phenomenon in itself, Ritter said. How-
ever, it could also serve as a resource for
the teleportation of quantum information.
One day, this might not only make it pos-
sible to communicate quantum informa-
tion over very large distances, but might
enable an entire quantum Internet.
Superradiant laser holds bright promise
BOULDER, Colo. A new superradiant
laser that traps 1 million rubidium atoms
into a 2-cm space between two mirrors
produces a deep-red laser beam that could
boost the performance of the most ad-
vanced atomic clocks, communications
and navigation systems, and space-based
astronomical instruments.
Scientists at JILA, a joint institute of
the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) and the University of
Colorado at Boulder, developed the proto-
type, which has the potential to be 100
to 1000 times more stable than the best
conventional visible lasers. The research
appeared in the April 5 issue of Nature
(doi: 10.1038/nature10920).
The laser we built is not particularly
stable or narrow in frequency, physicist
James Thompson of JILA/NIST told Pho-
tonics Spectra. Mainly, our system exper-
imentally demonstrates key physics that
might allow for future lasers that would be
orders of magnitude more narrow in fre-
quency than the best lasers of today.
The device synchronizes the rubidium
atoms with an engineering technique
called phase arrays, in which electro-
magnetic waves from a large group of
identical antennas are carefully synchro-
nized to build a combined wave with spe-
cial useful features that are not otherwise
possible. The scientists cooled the rubid-
ium atoms to 20 K with a laser and levi-
tated them using a one-dimensional stand-
ing wave of light between two finesse
mirrors, Thompson said.
One set of 780-nm lasers was used to
optically pump the atoms into a particular
quantum state that is very stable if nothing
else is done. When a second laser was in-
troduced, the atoms decayed from this sta-
ble state to a lower state with the emission
of photons into a mode of the optical cav-
ity formed by the mirrors.
The key is that the photons escape very
quickly from the mirrors before they have
a chance to act back on the atoms too
much, he said. If they stick around for
too long, vibrations of the mirrors can
cause the frequency of the laser to become
smeared out the same limiting factor on
the most frequency narrow lasers that can
be built.
Because the atoms are constantly ener-
gized and emit synchronized photons, on
the average very few less than one pho-
ton, in fact stick around between the
mirrors.
This average, calculated by the scientists
based indirectly on the laser beams output
power, is enough to maintain an oscillating
electric field to sustain the atoms synchro-
nized behavior. Almost every photon es-
capes before it has a chance to bounce
around the mirrors and disrupt the syn-
chronized atoms, which in standard lasers
causes laser frequency to wobble.
The idea of operating at less than one
photon was to really hammer home the
idea that one can build a laser in which
nearly all of the phase information is
stored within the atoms (or gain medium),
Thompson said. When this happens, the
lasing frequency becomes highly inde-
pendent of the frequency of the optical
cavity. This might be key for reducing
the impact of fundamental thermal mirror
noise on the worlds most narrow fre-
quency lasers at JILA, NIST and other
places around the world.
Just as important, he added, is the fact
that such lasers could be moved out of the
vibration-controlled laboratory and into
real-world applications.
This was just the first step and is
really a physics model of what you would
really like to build in a system such as Jun
Yes strontium atomic clock system here
at JILA, he said. Such a laser might im-
prove the stability and accuracy of the best
atomic clocks by several orders of magni-
tude.
Superradiant lasers also may enable pre-
cise measurements at very long distances.
For instance, a millihertz linewidth
laser would have a coherence length of
order the Earth-sun separation, while the
best lasers we have now only have coher-
ence lengths of order the Earth to moon
separation, Thompson said. One can
dream of looking for Einsteins gravity
waves or even using the long coherence
length to synchronize distant optical tele-
scopes like Hubble in order to build tele-
scopes with unprecedented angular resolu-
tion, such as might be helpful in searching
for planets.
For the superradiant laser design to
reach its full stability potential and to be
of practical use, Thompson stresses that it
JILAs superradiant laser traps 1 million rubidium
atoms in a space of about 2 cm between two mir-
rors. The atoms synchronize their internal oscilla-
tions to emit laser light. Courtesy of Burrus/NIST.
will need to be re-created using different
atoms, such as strontium or ytterbium,
which both have very long-lived excited
optical states that are better suited for ad-
vanced atomic clocks.
Next, the scientists will explore whether
it is possible to build hybrid passive and
active optical atomic clocks that are highly
adaptable to changing vibration environ-
ments while still maintaining accuracy.
We also would like to further under-
stand the intrinsic stability properties of
these lasers, he said. There are also in-
teresting questions related to using this
technique for realizing special nondestruc-
tive measurements that might operate at or
near the standard quantum limit on quan-
tum phase measurement.
t
70 Years
of Optical
Innovation
1942 - 2012
TECHNEWS
Plasmonic material bridges photonics, electronics gap
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. A thin film of
titanium nitride was coaxed into transport-
ing plasmons, becoming the first nonmetal
to be added to the short list of surface-
plasmon-supporting materials and bridging
the gap between photonics and electronics.
The nonmetal could pave the way to a
new class of optoelectronic devices that
have unprecedented efficiency and speed.
Until recently, the best candidates for
plasmonic materials were gold and silver.
However, these noble metals are not com-
patible with standard silicon manufactur-
ing technologies, limiting their use in
commercial products. Of the two metals,
silver has the best optical and surface plas-
mon properties; however, it forms semi-
continuous or grainy thin films and de-
grades in air, which results in optical sig-
nal loss. Because of these properties, its
application in plasmon technologies is
limited.
Now, researchers at Purdue University
are studying the plasmonic capabilities of
titanium nitride, a ceramic material used
to coat metal surfaces such as medical im-
plants or machine tooling parts. Titanium
nitride was chosen as a test material be-
cause it is easy to manipulate in manufac-
turing, and it can be easily integrated into
silicon semiconductor devices. The non-
metal also can be grown one crystal at a
time, allowing it to form highly uniform,
ultrathin films.
When we started to think about alter-
native plasmonic materials, we turned
to several promising candidates, among
which are highly doped oxides (but these
will be operating in the near-infrared, not
visible, region) and intermetallics, Alex-
andra Boltasseva, the lead researcher, told
Photonics Spectra. The choice of tita-
nium nitride as the first studied material
was not accidental. This material is known
to have a golden luster. And since it looks
like gold, we expected to find optical
properties that resemble those of gold.
To measure its plasmonic capabilities,
Boltassevas team laid a very thin film of
titanium nitride evenly over a sapphire
surface and discovered that titanium ni-
tride transmits plasmons about as well as
gold does, but not as efficiently as silver
under ideal conditions. The scientists are
now seeking to improve the performance
of titanium nitride using molecular beam
epitaxy, a manufacturing technique that
enables the crystal-by-crystal growth of
superlattices.
The investigators believe that titanium
nitride could outperform noble metals in
certain devices based on transformation
optics and metamaterials, such as those
with hyperbolic dispersion, in the visible
and near-IR regions.
Titanium nitride could provide per-
formance that is comparable to that of
gold for plasmonic applications (including
plasmonic waveguides and nanoparticles)
and can significantly outperform gold
and silver for transformation optics and
some metamaterial applications in the
visible and near-infrared regions, Boltas-
seva said.
Next, the scientists plan to move from
material to devices to better understand
metamaterial structures that have optical
performance acceptable for real-life appli-
cations and that are compatible with stan-
dard semiconductor processing lines,
she said.
We have found that titanium nitride is
a promising candidate for an entirely new
class of technologies based on plasmonics
and metamaterials, Boltasseva said. This
is particularly compelling because surface
plasmons resolve a basic mismatch be-
tween wavelength-scale optical devices
and the much smaller components of inte-
grated electronic circuits.
The research appeared in Optical Mate-
rials Express (http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1364/
OME.2.000478).
t TECHNEWS

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(a) Excitation by light of a surface plasmon polariton on a thin film of titanium nitride. (b) Atomic force
microscopy image of the surface of titanium nitride film. (c) Scanning electron microscopy image of titanium
nitride thin film on sapphire. Courtesy of Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University/Optical Materials Express.
VIENNA A new method of Raman spec-
troscopy uses laser light to detect chemi-
cals inside a container from a distance of
more than 100 m.
Laser light is scattered in a very specific
way by various substances. This is the
basis of Raman spectroscopy and can be
used to analyze the contents of a nontrans-
parent container without opening it.
Scientists at Vienna University of Tech-
nology (TU Vienna) used the technique to
see what was in certain containers, irradi-
ating samples with a laser beam. When
the light was scattered by the molecules
of the sample, it changed its energy; e.g.,
the photons transferred energy to the mol-
ecules by exciting molecular vibrations,
changing the wavelength of the light and,
thus, its color. By analyzing the color
spectrum of the scattered light, the re-
searchers determined what kind of mole-
cules scattered it.
Until now, the sample had to be placed
very close to the laser and the light detec-
tor for this kind of Raman spectroscopy,
said Bernard Zachhuber of TU Vienna.
His technological advancements en-
abled measurements to be made over long
distances.
Among hundreds of millions of pho-
tons, only a few trigger a Raman-scatter-
ing process in the sample, he said.
These light particles scatter uniformly in
all directions. Only a tiny fraction of them
travel to the light detector, and as much in-
formation as possible must be extracted
from this very weak signal. This can be
done using a highly efficient telescope and
extremely sensitive light detectors.
The scientists collaborated with private
companies and with partners in public
safety, including the Spanish Guardia
Civil, to apply their method to the ex-
treme. With the help of the Austrian mili-
tary, they tested frequently used explosives
such as TNT, ANFO and RDX on their
testing grounds.
The results proved successful. Even at
a distance of more than 100 m, the sub-
stances could be detected accurately and
reliably, said researcher Engelene H.
Chrysostom of TU Vienna.
And when the scientists hid a sample in
a nontransparent container, the laser beam
was scattered by the container wall, but a
small portion of the beam still penetrated
the box, exciting Raman scattering pro-
cesses inside the sample.
20
t TECHNEWS
Lasers find distant hidden explosives
Bernhard Zachhuber mounts optical elements of the
spectrometer. Courtesy of TU Vienna.
The challenge is to distinguish the
containers light signal from the sample
signal, said scientist Bernhard Lendl.
This can be done using a simple geo-
metric trick: The laser beam hits the con-
tainer on a small, well-defined spot. The
light signal emitted by the container stems
from a very small region, while the light
that enters the container is scattered into a
much larger region. If the detector tele-
scope is not aimed exactly at the point at
which the laser hits the container, but
rather just a few centimeters away, the
characteristic light signal of the contents
can be measured, instead of the signal
coming from the container.
The researchers new method could
make security checks at airports a lot eas-
ier, but they believe that applications are
broader than that. It could be used wher-
ever it is hard to get close to the subject of
investigation for studying icebergs or for
geological analysis on a Mars mission, for
example, or for a host of chemical indus-
try applications.
Isolate...
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The Raman spectroscope at TU Vienna.
Cold atoms in an optical lattice simulate graphene
ZURICH The creation of a tunable sys-
tem of ultracold atoms within a honey-
comblike structure similar to that found in
graphene may help identify the electronic
properties of materials that have yet to be
discovered.
Professor Tilman Esslinger of the
Institute of Quantum Electronics at ETH
Zurich and his team loaded ultracold
potassium atoms into a special lattice
structure made of laser light. Using a set
of orthogonal and precisely positioned
laser beams, they created a variety of
two-dimensional light field geometries, in-
cluding graphenes honeycomb structure.
They cooled several hundred thousand
potassium atoms inside a vacuum chamber
to temperatures just above absolute zero,
which brought the atoms to rest, then
placed the optical lattice over the cloud
of atoms.
Designing a structure like this with
laser beams is similar to creating a beauti-
fully regular pattern in a lake by simulta-
neously throwing several pebbles in at
carefully chosen positions, Esslinger said.
Shortly after the discovery of graphene,
scientists raised the question as to what
would happen if the lattice structure of
graphene could be modified. Researchers
have tried to simulate graphene in experi-
ments, but until now had been unsuc-
cessful.
The behavior of electrons in the vicinity
of the so-called Dirac point is central to
understanding the special properties of
graphene. At the Dirac point, the valence
and conduction band of graphene touch in
a linear crossing, where electrons behave
like massless particles traveling at the
effective speed of light.
Esslinger and his team reproduced
graphenes distinctive Dirac points in a
2-D honeycomb lattice by criss-crossing
the laser beams. The lattice contained potas-
sium atoms, which played the role of elec-
trons in graphene.
Once the potassium atoms were trapped
in an optical lattice, they began to act
like electrons in the crystal structure of
graphene. Upon accelerating the atoms
with a magnetic field gradient, the re-
searchers could identify Dirac points in
the optical lattice. They observed that the
atoms behaved like massless particles near
the Dirac points, just as the electrons did
in graphene, and that they can move from
the valence to the conduction band, since
the bandgap vanishes.
It is this transition to the higher band
that the researchers observed in time-of-
flight measurements. Once they switched
off the laser beams, the optical honeycomb
lattice disappeared, and the atoms flew
through the vacuum.
A short time afterward, an absorption
image of the atomic distribution was
taken, which reconstructed the atomic tra-
jectories.
Using the flexibility of the optical lat-
tice setup, Esslingers team played with
the Dirac points, moving and merging
them until they suddenly vanished. They
also observed that a slight change to the
lattice symmetry restored the mass to
the atoms.
Using this method, it may become pos-
sible to simulate the electronic properties
of materials long before they can be physi-
cally realized, he said.
The work was described in Nature (doi:
10.1038/nature10871).
What is left to be answered, however, is
what is going to happen if there are strong
interactions between the atoms, a situation
that has not yet been attained for the elec-
trons in graphene.
22
t TECHNEWS
The density distribution of the potassium atoms measured after acceleration through Dirac points
(left and center) and without Dirac points (right). The upper row shows the corresponding regions
of the calculated band structure. Courtesy of Tilman Esslingers Research Group/ETH Zurich.
Laser built on a silicon chip
SINGAPORE A laser with a novel micro-
loop mirror design fabricated on a silicon
chip uses III-V semiconductor materials
a step forward for high-speed optical com-
munications and interconnects on elec-
tronic chips.
Active optical fibers with silicon pho-
tonic chips carry much more information
for data interconnects than copper cables.
Silicon could be the material of choice for
wiring lab-on-a-chip devices but for its
poor ability to emit light.
Now, scientists at A*Star Data Storage
Institute have built a laser on top of a
silicon chip, bonding III-V semiconductor
materials to the device to provide optical
gain. Compared with conventional feed-
back mirrors based on device facets,
the new design promises enhanced
operation.
Integrated Si/III-V lasers can take
advantage of low-loss silicon waveguides
while addressing the problem of low light-
emission efficiency that silicon devices
Scanning electron microscope image of the silicon-based microloop mirror. Light entering the waveguide from
the left is guided around the loop and directed back into the laser structure. The inset shows the laser spot
photographed with an infrared camera. Courtesy of A*Star.
typically have, said researcher Doris
Keh-Ting Ng.
Attaching a Si/III-V laser atop silicon
requires some difficult fabrication tech-
niques, and device performances can
weaken as a result. And because lasers
require mirrors to maintain lasing action,
such designs typically rely on the interface
between air and the semiconductor the
facets of the chip. Unfortunately, such
mirrors are not perfect and further reduce
operation efficiency.
To improve on the drawbacks associ-
ated with mirrors, the team designed the
microloop mirror, which guides light emit-
ted from one end of the laser along the
waveguide, around a narrow bend and
back into the device. The mirror at the
other end of the device is still formed by
the interface with air so that laser radiation
can exit. The scientists achieved a light
reflection efficiency of 98 percent with
this design.
More than 30 delicate, high-precision
fabrication steps were needed to build the
device. The researchers plan to further
enhance the laser by miniaturizing the
device.
Further improvements, for example,
at the interface between the mirror and
the lasing structure itself could lead to
even better performance, Ng said. A
laser with lower threshold and higher
output power can possibly be achieved,
leading to a potential solution to develop
high-speed and low-cost optical communi-
cations and interconnects on electronics
chips.
The work appeared in Applied Physics
Letters.
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t TECHNEWS
Many-body system beats computer in simulating
quantum dynamics
MUNICH A recent experiment has
shown that a many-body system of ultra-
cold atoms can be used as a quantum sim-
ulator for experiments where classical
computers fail. This also allows physicists
to have a better understanding of how par-
ticles tunnel, and it opens up new avenues
of study in condensed matter physics.
A group led by Immanuel Bloch of Max
Planck Institute of Quantum Physics and
of Ludwig Maximilians University Mu-
nich has demonstrated that a quantum sys-
tem can outperform classical calculations
by confining a gas of supercooled rubid-
ium atoms to an optical lattice and follow-
ing the relaxation behavior of the system
on a much larger timescale than any clas-
sical method could handle.
An optical lattice formed by counter-
propagating laser beams created a spatially
periodic polarization pattern through the
interference of the beams. The rubidium
atoms were trapped in the dark and light
areas of the lattice and became aligned in
a regular pattern.
The atoms in the lattice were then
grouped in pairs into an optical superlat-
tice by adding another light field with
twice the spatial period of the original lat-
tice. This created a density wave state far
from the systems equilibrium point. The
atoms were allowed to tunnel along the
spatial direction of the superlattice and to
collide with one another on their way back
to thermal equilibrium, creating compli-
cated many-body dynamics.
(a) Schematic shows how the atoms in an optical lattice relax from an excited density wave to a quasi-steady
state. (b) The experimental data (blue circles) is very much in line with the simulations data (black line).
However, the experiment could track the systems behavior for a much longer period of time. J = strength
of tunnel coupling, t = time. Courtesy of Max Planck Institute of Quantum Physics.
After the system returned to equilib-
rium, as with a plucked string returning
to rest, the systems local density, tunnel
currents and observable properties were
probed for a variety of lattice heights and
evolution times. They showed a rapid re-
laxation back to quasi-steady-state values
and were in excellent agreement with pre-
viously computed numerical simulations.
Classical computers can track many-
body dynamics for a short period, and this
provided a benchmark for the quantum ex-
periment. The timescale of the experiment
was much greater than that of the classical
simulators predictions and could track the
evolution of the system for far longer, giv-
ing much more precise data for a longer
period of evolution.
24
t TECHNEWS
Laser mixing generates multifrequency light
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. A ground-
breaking laser mixing technique can ma-
nipulate electron-hole collisions to create
many frequencies of light simultaneously.
This mechanism for ultrafast light modula-
tion has potential applications in high-
speed optical communications.
Researchers at the University of Cali-
fornia use a free-electron laser aimed at a
gallium arsenide nanostructure semicon-
ductor to create a quasiparticle called an
exciton, a bound electron-hole pair, in the
material. Excitons occur when a semicon-
ductor absorbs a photon. The excess
energy excites an electron, causing it to
jump into another energy level and to
leave behind a positively charged hole in
the energy level it left. The electron and
hole are bound because of their mutual
attraction.
Normally, the exciton would have a
smaller energy than the original electron
and hole, but the researchers use a second
laser with a lower frequency to smash the
electron back into the hole with a greater
energy than that with which it left. As a
result, the electron-hole recombination
emits photons at different frequencies than
those it absorbed.
Its fairly routine to mix the lasers and
get one or two new frequencies, said Mark
Sherwin, the lead researcher, a professor at
Benjamin Zaks (left) and Mark Sherwin.
Courtesy of UCSB.
Artists rendition of electron-hole recollision. Near-
infrared (amber rods) and terahertz (yellow cones)
radiation interact with a semiconductor quantum
well (tiles). The near-IR radiation creates excitons
(green tiles) consisting of a negative electron and a
positive hole (dark-blue tile at center of green tiles)
bound in an atomlike state. Intense terahertz fields
first pull the electrons (white tiles) away from the
hole and then push them back toward it (electron
paths represented by blue ellipses). Electrons period-
ically recollide with holes, creating periodic flashes
of light (white disks between amber rods) that are
emitted and detected as sidebands. Courtesy of
Peter Allen, UCSB.
UCSB and director of the universitys In-
stitute for Terahertz Science and Technol-
ogy. But to see all these different new
frequencies, up to 11 in our experiment, is
the exciting phenomenon. Ive never seen
anything like this before.
Each frequency generated by the elec-
tron-hole recollision phenomenon corre-
sponds to a different color, he added.
In terms of real-world applications, the
technique can be used to transmit more in-
formation at a faster rate by sending data
through multiple channels multiplexing
or it can be used for high-speed fre-
quency modulation for a faster Internet.
Think of your cable Internet, said
Benjamin Zaks, a doctoral student at
UCSB and lead author on a paper about
the work. The cable is a bundle of fiber
optics, and youre sending a beam with a
wavelength thats approximately 1.5 mi-
crons down the line. But within that beam,
there are a lot of frequencies separated by
small gaps, like a fine-toothed comb. In-
formation going one way moves on one
frequency, and information going another
way uses another frequency. You want to
have a lot of frequencies available, but not
too far from one another.
Because the laser currently used is the
size of a building, the researchers are
forced to come up with a more practical
way to implement these findings. One
solution is to use a transistor that modu-
lates in the near-infrared to produce strong
terahertz fields akin to those of the free-
electron laser.
Sherwin hopes that his discovery opens
up more electron-hole recollisions research.
We have a unique tool ... which gives
us a big advantage for exploring the prop-
erties of fundamental materials. We just
put it in front of our laser beams and
measure the colors of light going out.
Now that weve seen this phenomenon,
we can start doing the hard work of put-
ting the pieces together on a chip, he
said. I want to continue working on it,
but Id like to see a lot of other people
join in.
Also contributing to the research, which
appears in the online issue of Nature, is
R.B. Liu of The Chinese University in
Hong Kong.
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t TECHNEWS
Apparatus used for electron-hole recollision experi-
ments. Large flat and curved mirrors guide and
focus terahertz radiation, emitted in a different room
by one of the UCSB free-electron Lasers, through a
round cryostat window onto the sample (not visible).
Smaller flat mirrors guide near-infrared radiation
from the left, through a small hole barely visible at
the center of the curved mirror surface, through a
round cryostat window to the sample (not visible).
Near-IR laser and sidebands caused by recollisions
in the sample exit through a second cryostat window
(hidden), are reflected by the small round mirror on
the right and directed to a spectrometer (not visible).
Courtesy of Alison McElwee, UCSB.
Thermal cloak hides heat
PARIS In a new approach to invisibility
cloaking, French researchers propose iso-
lating or cloaking objects from sources of
heat essentially thermal cloaking.
The method, developed by Sebastien
Guenneau and his colleagues at Centre
National de la Recherche Scientifique
(CNRS), taps into some of the same prin-
ciples as optical cloaking. Ultimately, it
could lead to novel ways to control heat in
electronics.
Our key goal with this research was to
control the way heat diffuses in a manner
similar to those that have already been
achieved for waves, such as light waves or
sound waves, by using the tools of trans-
formation optics, Guenneau said.
Until now, cloaking research revolved
around manipulating wave trajectories,
such as electromagnetic (light), pressure
(sound), elastodynamic (seismic) and hy-
drodynamic (ocean) waves. Guenneaus
study of heat, he points out, focuses on the
physical phenomenon of diffusion, rather
than wave propagation.
Heat isnt a wave it simply diffuses
from hot to cold regions, he said. The
mathematics and physics at play are much
different. For instance, a wave can travel
long distances with little attenuation,
whereas temperature usually diffuses over
smaller distances.
The CNRS team designed its cloak so
that heat diffuses around an invisibility re-
gion, which is protected from heat. The re-
searchers also can force heat to concen-
trate in a small volume, which will then
heat up rapidly.
The ability to shield an area from heat
or to concentrate it is highly desirable for
a range of applications. Shielding nano-
electronic and microelectronic devices
from overheating, for example, is one of
the biggest challenges facing the electron-
ics and semiconductor industries; thermal
cloaking could have a tremendous impact
on these sectors. As for the ability to con-
centrate heat, this could prove useful to
the solar industry. On a larger scale and
far into the future, thermal cloaking could
be helpful for protecting large computers
and spacecraft.
Guenneaus team is working to develop
prototypes of its thermal cloaks for micro-
electronics, which are expected to be
ready within the next few months.
The method appears in OSAs open-
access journal Optics Express.
t TECHNEWS
Ashley N. Paddock
ashley.paddock@photonics.com
This figure shows that the object in the center of the cloak (letters OSA) stays cold, while the heat diffuses
elsewhere. The source of the heat, which is at a constant temperature of 100 C, is on the left-hand side,
while the material inside the invisibility region remains cold. Courtesy of Sebastien Guenneau, Institut
Fresnel, CNRS/AMU.
612_Coherent_Meterless_Pg27_Layout 1 5/24/12 11:33 AM Page 27
Innovate responsibly
to weather tough economic times
I
nnovation doesnt wait for the econ-
omy to get better and neither does
the competition. New products provide
new revenue sources for businesses as
they look to continue growth following
the great recession.
The economic ups and downs of the
past few years have been enough to force
any technology manufacturing business
into making difficult choices about how
to spend its money. The agonizingly slow
pace of recovery has boardrooms around
the world worrying about the next quar-
ters sales never mind the next new
product coming from R&D or product
development.
At times like this, it is easy to drastically
cut back on new-product budgets in the
name of riding through the rough patches,
but smart companies are taking advantage
of this time to leapfrog the competition and
position themselves for better economic
days to come. They know that innovation
and the market that follows it dont wait
for the economy to pick up.
Think long-term
Product development is one of several
business processes that take time. Turning
off investment will save expenses this
quarter but will cause potentially ruinous
results when business begins to take off
again in future quarters. It is crucial for
corporate management to think long-term
when considering decreasing investment
in new products because neglect will re-
sult in an extended downturn for the busi-
ness, while innovative companies will
benefit from building new offerings today.
Additionally, technology manufactur-
ing companies that placed value on main-
taining their technical staff through the
great recession already have the per-
sonnel infrastructure in place to continue
product innovation. Maintaining product
innovation keeps your engineering staff
engaged and ready to tackle the growth
that undoubtedly will occur.
Much of the development process
can be done with minimal expense,
and product managers can work closely
with R&D and finance to identify less-
expensive ways to develop products.
Continual advances in communication
tools mean better collaboration between
groups, and new software tools for mod-
eling, development and simulation as
well as rapid prototyping speed up design
cycles while lowering residual costs.
Innovate responsibly
Responsible product development
means focusing efforts around specific
opportunities, backed by clear customer
feedback and market data. Although the
occasional wildcat idea may be consid-
ered, product managers must prioritize
development efforts around projects with
clear customer demand and strategic ben-
efit. What products is the company miss-
ing that are currently offered by the com-
petition? What is missing that could put
this company ahead? What technology
improvements do customers require to
address the needs of their own customers
and competition?
Given limited resources and ever-
decreasing development time, the prod-
uct development department must work
closely with sales and marketing to
clearly define customer needs. It must
take advantage of its sales forces experi-
ence and customer network and work
with marketing to identify trends in its
TRACK
FAST
Leveraging sales and customer data, exploring innovative
engineering and manufacturing techniques, and taking
advantage of an international supply chain are just a
few of the factors involved in new product development
in todays optics and photonics markets.
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customer interactions. Companies must
mine their databases and transaction his-
tories for concrete customer behavior
data. In todays crowd sourcing world,
customers can even actively participate
in product development through surveys,
online forums and other direct methods
for soliciting feedback. One thing no
company can afford is to make product
decisions in the dark.
Responsible product development
comes with a price. At Edmund Optics,
our team is constantly focusing on new
products, and we have continually ex-
panded our offerings over the past several
years. Although we benefit from being
mostly a components company, our chal-
lenge comes from responsibly expanding
our inventory to meet the same service
requirements on new products (roughly
2000 every year) as we have for all our
products (which number above 26,250).
To achieve this balance, our team
focuses on the following initiatives:
Growth in market segments As with
most photonics companies, we benefit
from optical applications in a variety of
industries, including the life sciences,
machine vision, materials processing and
research/academics. By introducing prod-
ucts that address several industries, such
as filters and imaging lenses, we take ad-
vantage of growth trends in some, such
as the life sciences, while hedging against
30
f
FASTTRACK
Initiatives important
for responsible product
development during
down times:
Growth in market
segments
Coordination with
supply chain
Identifying manufac-
turing efficiencies
declining trends in others, such as de-
fense and semiconductors. Our team also
is doing more to work with sales to make
sure that our new products have the right
pre- and postsales technical support for
the industries and applications. For exam-
ple, our product line managers are spend-
ing more time searching our opportunity
database to identify volume sales projects
that could use a technical expert to assist
in closing the deal.
Coordination with supply chain
Developing the right products is only part
of the product managers job; forecasting
demand and working with purchasing to
have the right amount of stock on the
shelves is another full-time job. This is
especially true for our business because
of our large and varied catalog, but given
todays tighter economy, all businesses
must be cash-conscious. Tying too much
into one product means missing out on
other opportunities, but not investing
enough means disappointing prospects
for a new product.
Fortunately, we were largely unaffected
by the recent flooding in Southeast Asia,
but the dramatic increase in rare-earth
material costs has pushed us to work with
our supply-chain organization to leverage
our vendor and supplier networks.
Identifying manufacturing efficien-
cies The booms and busts of recent years
have wreaked havoc on manufacturing,
both in our own factories and in those of
our suppliers. Without careful coordination
between product management and manu-
facturing, new products can amplify the
waves of an already stormy sea. As new
products come online, be sure to work
closely with your manufacturing engineers
and technicians to identify best practices
for streamlined production. Companies
with flexible practices and prototyping cells
can quickly incorporate new products into
their mix, while still meeting any and all
existing product demand.
The root of the Technology Age rests
in the fact that people want to do more
with less, and they want to do it faster and
more cheaply than they did last year. For
photonics companies, new products mean
new sales, new markets and new market
share both now and in the boom times
to come.
Meet the author
Todd Sierer is director of product marketing
at Edmund Optics in Barrington, N.J.; email:
tsierer@edmundoptics.com.
RAMAT GAN, Israel Small Israeli start-
ups with technologies for retinal imaging,
3-D wavefront analysis and particle analy-
sis took the top prizes in the new 2012
Startup Contest, held during the Optical
Engineering 2012 conference. The confer-
ence and the contest were put on by the
Optical Engineering chapter of SEEEI (the
Society of Electrical and Electronics Engi-
neers in Israel) at Bar-Ilan University in
late March.
Applicants had to represent companies
or startups less than 5 years old that are
registered in Israel and that have no more
than $6 million in funding. In the first
stage of the competition, applicants sub-
mitted a short business plan summary;
each submission was reviewed by several
evaluators, who then selected the finalists.
The second stage started with a plenary
session where each finalist had just seven
minutes to introduce the startup. This in-
troduction was followed by a typical ele-
vator pitch. The startups also got to dis-
play posters during the conferences
morning plenary session, and interested
participants and the evaluators could ask
questions and discuss the proposals with
the entrepreneurs.
Scores were calculated using four crite-
ria: surveys, in which conference atten-
dees selected the startup with the highest
success potential; official referee evalua-
tion of the elevator pitch and the poster
presentation; evaluation of the technology
behind the venture and related strategic
planning; and the business model and
strategy. The scores were approved by an
evaluation committee and announced dur-
ing a special contest awards session.
The six finalists were Kayon Technolo-
gies Inc., with its FiveSite laser diamond
evaluator; PML-Innovative Particle-Moni-
toring Technologies, with its particle moni-
toring technology; OWLinx, with its free-
space optical communications system;
AdOM Advanced optical technologies Ltd.,
with its retinal imager; Acrylicom, with its
Ethernet over plastic optical fiber technol-
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Convention contest shines light on Israeli startups
The 2012 Startup Contest award ceremony panel, from left: professor Gabby Sarusi of Ben Gurion University,
professor David Mendlovic of Tel Aviv University and Core Photonics, professor Liora Katzenstein of ISEMI
Entrepreneurship College in Israel, Hananel Kvatinsky of Orbotech, Yossi Tendler of Ernst & Young, and
Dr. Rami Finkler of SEEEI. Images courtesy of SEEEI.
ogy; and JeruLux, with its WaveImager,
which makes 3-D measurements of trans-
parent and specular objects.
AdOM won first place, JeruLux took
second, and PML came in third.
Retinal imaging
Internal eye diseases mainly age-
related macular degeneration, glaucoma
and diabetic retinopathy are currently
irreversible in the sense that once vision
cells are damaged, their condition cannot
be restored, said Yosi Weitzman, founder
and chief operating officer of AdOM. For
this reason, and since blindness causes
enormous suffering and costs, early detec-
tion of such conditions is highly valuable,
considering there are various surgical and
medication therapies that are able to slow
down or even stop the progress of the dis-
ease, once properly diagnosed.
Nevertheless, the current technology for
proper diagnosis of those diseases opti-
cal coherence tomography [OCT] is too
costly and lacks the availability required
for reaching the growing population.
AdOMs multimodal retinal imager uses
next-generation OCT technology to extend
to the larger market of optometrists, gen-
eral ophthalmologists and screening cen-
ters the diagnostic capabilities that cur-
rently are available only to retinal experts.
Spectral domain technology presents
important improvements over traditional
OCT, but OCT remains limited and costly,
according to the companys contest pro-
posal. AdOMs technology is a new OCT
engine that is based on the same funda-
mental physical principles as OCT, but
new implementation extends its perform-
ance. A conventional fundus camera can
be equipped with a structural imaging
module for less than 20 percent of the
end-user cost of a modern OCT system,
but the performance remains competitive.
OCT uses raster-scanned images;
AdOMs retinal imager combines full-field
images with oximetry, producing a wide
field of view, high resolution, high-speed
structural imaging and vasculature exami-
nation, eliminating angiography.
The technology is in the proof-of-
concept stage. We plan to release a pre-
clinical version next year that will support
regulatory requirements in the US and
EU [European Union], and start sales
when the product is approved, [an] esti-
mated six months later, Weitzman said.
The company plans to incorporate meta-
bolic imaging into the basic structural im-
aging product to enhance early detection
of eye disorders.
3-D wavefront analysis
The WaveImager from JeruLux is a new
3-D analysis method that enables contact-
less, precise measurement of the wave-
front (3-D slopes) exiting transparent
objects and specular surfaces, using color
coding inside classical 2-D imaging sys-
tems. The method is patent-pending.
It allows simultaneous wavefront analy-
sis and object imaging at relatively low cost
with no moving parts or interferometry.
The real-time image processing is straight-
forward (color = 3-D slope). The devices
spatial X,Y resolution is equal to the cam-
eras image sensor resolution, and its slope
resolution equals the image sensors dy-
namic range. It offers high resolution for
continuous surfaces down to nanometer
scale and a large depth of focus.
It is basically a wavefront analyzer but
with specific characteristics that make it
attractive to applications without satisfying
solution today, said Elie Meimoun of Jeru-
Lux in Jerusalem. Among other features,
Meimoun added, the technology enables
simultaneous object imaging and wavefront
analysis, which allows mechanical features
and their optical properties to show up;
also, high spatial (X,Y) and angular resolu-
tion is possible, because classical imaging
data and wavefront data both are contained
in each of the pixels. [It is] applicable to
area sensing as well as to line scanning; no
other technology is capable of measuring
full 3-D data with a line sensor.
Target markets include ophthalmology
and image sensor fabrication, but the
startups plans do not stop there. The
technology can be successfully integrated
into diverse markets, from tiny objects
(MEMS, microlens arrays) to ophthalmic
products (progressive lenses, IOL, cornea)
and even to the huge mirrors used in the
thermo-solar industry, Meimoun noted.
Particle analysis
PMLs automatic continuous online
particle analyzer offers information on
particle-size distribution down to the
nanoscale, particle concentration and
particle clustering. It was designed for
inspection and monitoring in liquids and
gases for use in air and water monitoring,
cleantech environments, cement manu-
facturing, and the pharmaceutical and
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FASTTRACK
Contest entrants displayed posters featuring their proposals.
Dr. Meir Teichner, CEO
of PML-Innovative Particle-
Monitoring Technologies
Ltd., accepts the third-place
award on behalf of his
company.
food industries. Future applications include nanoparticle-based
sensors for the automobile industry.
The analyzer is based on a patented method of interaction be-
tween particles and a unique structured non-Gaussian dark laser
beam. The compact system automatically differentiates types of
particles clay, carbon, algae, germs, parasites, submicron viruses
and more according to their optical properties. The system,
which can withstand harsh conditions, also offers high sensitivity
and resolution in a wide particle size and concentration range.
Laser-based methods are the prevailing technologies for in-
process particle size analysis, said Dr. Meir Teichner, CEO of
PML. These methods fall into two groups laser diffraction and
laser scanning but these have some pitfalls in terms of resolu-
tion, robustness and speed, he added, and PMLs technology over-
comes those.
The technology has been patented in the US, Australia and
Israel, and is pending in the European Union; PML already has
begun to sell systems in 2012 to teaching and design partners, a
desalination plant and a medical device company.
The markets that will want to adopt the technology first are the
cement and pharmaceutical (dry medium), Teichner said. In both
markets, the need is relatively high. However, those markets [pose]
relatively high technological challenges and, therefore, the com-
pany has addressed first the wet applications (particles in water).
Contest committee
Professor Gabby Sarusi of Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva
chaired the contest. Until recently, Sarusi was the chief scientist
of Elop (Elbit Systems). Eliezer Manor, president and founder of
Shirat Enterprises Ltd., chaired the evaluations committee.
The contest committee comprised serial entrepreneurs, optics
professors, business managers, financial companies and R&D
managers from leading industries.
First prize was a mentoring session with an expert team from
Ernst & Young Israel. Second prize was a review of the com-
panys IP policy by professionals from Orbotech.
Optical Engineering 2012 is a photonics networking event,
bringing together practicing engineers, researchers, technology
providers, scientists and students. It offers updates on the photonics
community as well as a place to exchange information and present
papers, posters and technical information.
f
FASTTRACK
Fabrinet Contracts for Transceivers OneChip Photonics of Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada, has selected Fabrinet as the contract manufacturer
for its photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-based passive optical network
transceivers. Under the agreement, Fabrinet will provide a range of
manufacturing services for OneChip, including optical component at-
tachments for the companys bidirectional optical subassemblies, and
final integration and testing of its fully packaged optical transceivers.
Cayman Islands-based Fabrinet, a vertically integrated precision optics
and electronics manufacturer, will use the operations of its Pinehurst
campus in Thailand. Privately held OneChip manufactures optical
transceivers based on monolithic PICs in indium phosphide for access
networks and other mass-market broadband applications.
BUSINESSBRIEFS
Laura S. Marshall
laura.marshall@photonics.com
Companies Expand Partnership Hamilton
Thorne Ltd. of Beverly, Mass., a provider of
laser devices and imaging systems for the fertil-
ity, stem cell and developmental biology re-
search markets, has expanded its distribution
partnership with Leica Microsystems of Wetzlar,
Germany, a microscope and scientific instru-
mentation supplier. The collaboration will give
the German company access to Hamiltons cur-
rent portfolio of laser products as well as select
pipeline products. The new multiyear agreement
provides Leica with nonexclusive rights to mar-
ket and distribute Hamilton products in Spain,
Portugal and Italy, in addition to the North
American market. The companies will continue
to collaborate on technical product integration.
Luxtera, STMicroelectronics Join Forces
STMicroelectronics of Geneva has announced
an agreement with Luxtera Inc. to produce sili-
con complementary metal oxide (CMOS) prod-
ucts using the latters intellectual property and
knowledge. The products will be developed at
STs 300-mm semiconductor wafer facility in
Crolles, France. The collaboration enables the
companies to produce low-cost, high-volume
solutions for silicon photonics components and
systems, which could have applications in high-
speed computing and communications. It also
grants STMicroelectronics the right to use Lux-
teras silicon photonics technology, which will
be implemented in the new ST photonics
process. ST will provide the Carlsbad, Calif.-
based Luxtera with a suitable supply chain.
In other news, Luxtera announced that it has
closed a $21.7 million C round of growth capi-
tal financing to support design win opportunities
and market adoption of silicon CMOS photon-
ics. Participation in the C round includes inside
investment for New Enterprise Associates, Au-
gust Capital, Sevin Rosen Funds and Lux Capital
as well as new investment from Tokyo Electron
and personal investment from an industry titan,
the company said.
GigOptix Books $1.8M Order GigOptix Inc.
of San Jose, Calif., has secured a $1.8 million
purchase order for its 100G Mach-Zehnder
modulator (MZM) quad-driver, a customized
version of the GX62451, for a Tier 1 telecom
100G dense wavelength division multiplexing
networking system. The GX62451 100G dual-
polarization quadrature phase shift keying (DP-
QPSK) driver is a four-channel MZM designed
for 100G DP-QPSK long-haul optical transmit-
ters. The device is GPPO-connectorized and is
plug-in-compatible with industry-standard 100G
MZMs and multiplexors. The systems address
the bandwidth demands generated by smart-
phones and cloud-based services. The order
was scheduled for delivery during the first quar-
ter of 2012, with additional orders to follow.
Quarles Named CEO B.E. Meyers & Co. Inc. of
Redmond, Wash., has named current president
and chief operating officer Dr. Gregory Quarles
as its new CEO. He replaces CEO and founder
Brad Meyers, who will assume the role of CEO
emeritus. Joining the company in 2010, Quarles
used his electro-optics market experience to
garner it a US Army Green Laser Interdiction
System award. Previously, he served as director
of corporate research, development and tech-
nology for II-VI Inc. of Saxonburg, Pa. B.E. Mey-
ers is an ISO 9001:2008-certified manufacturer
of optoelectronic devices for defense and law
enforcement applications.
Laser Targeting System Is Soldier Bound
London-based BAE Systems received a $23 mil-
lion contract from the US Army to provide light-
weight handheld Laser Target Locator Modules
(LTLMs). BAE Systems TRIGR system enables
soldiers to quickly and accurately identify target
locations while on foot, both in daylight and at
night, and in obscured-visibility conditions such
as smoke or fog. For production of the LTLM
systems, the company initially was awarded
a $72 million contract in 2009 from the US
Armys Program Executive Office Soldier. Work
under the new contract will be performed at the
companys Lexington, Mass., Nashua, N.H., and
Austin, Texas, facilities.
Block MEMS Garners SBIR Contract Block
MEMS LLC has received a US Army Small Busi-
ness Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II en-
hancement contract for its LaserScan analyzer.
The award will allow it to enhance the Laser-
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FASTTRACK
Scans capabilities through the development of
chemical recognition algorithms. The algorithms
will enable the system to detect liquid and solid
chemical warfare agents and other emerging
chemical threats from a standoff distance on a
variety of substances, said Petros Kotidis, CEO
of Block MEMS. LaserScan is a next-generation
spectrometer that incorporates widely tunable
mid-IR quantum cascade lasers. Applications
include the detection of explosive materials,
chemical and biological agents, and toxic
industrial chemicals.
Company Grows in Latin America Ocean
Optics of Dunedin, Fla., has appointed Marcio
Siqueira as regional sales manager for Brazil.
Based in So Paulo, he will work with customers
and distributors throughout Brazil and Latin
America, offering educational and sales support
for the companys product line, including spec-
trometers, chemical sensors, analytical instru-
mentation and metrology equipment. He also
will facilitate the growth of the company in
these territories and will continue to develop
its distributor network. Before joining Ocean
Optics, Siqueira worked at Hanna Brasil Imp.
e Exp Ltda as sales manager for Brazil.
Zecotek Files Patent Suit Zecotek Imaging
Systems Pte Ltd., a subsidiary of Zecotek Photon-
ics Inc. of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada,
has filed a patent suit in the US against Saint-
Gobain Corp. and Philips for infringing its US
Patent No. 7,132,060. The patent covers the
substances and chemical formulations used to
grow lutetium fine silicate (LFS) scintillation crys-
tals. The lawsuit alleges that Saint-Gobains
LYSO crystals infringe Zecoteks patent, and that
Philips infringes by using those crystals in the
positron emission tomography scanners it sells.
Zecotek is joined by its exclusive licensee for
certain LFS crystals, Beijing Opto-Electronics
Technology Co. Ltd., as co-plaintiff.
OKI Develops Light Source Telecommunica-
tions company OKI Electric Industry of Tokyo
has announced its development of a quantum
entangled light source that offers the highest
purity level achieved to date. The source is
based on cascaded nonlinear optical effects
using a proprietary periodically poled lithium
niobate ridge waveguide device operating at
room temperature. Research led by professor
Shuichiro Inoue at the Institute of Quantum
Science at Nihon University confirms a signal-
to-noise ratio more than a hundredfold better
than that of optical fiber light sources. OKI will
continue to refine the light source. Its goal is to
achieve a practical quantum cryptography com-
munications system.
REO Names President, CEO Photonics industry
veteran Paul Kelly has been appointed president
and CEO of REO of Boulder, Colo., a high-vol-
ume precision optical solutions manufacturer.
Kelly has more than 25 years of experience man-
aging and growing high-technology businesses.
Before joining REO, he served as president of
machine vision solutions provider Microscan.
Paul has unmatched knowledge, skill and expe-
rience in directing companies whose products
are based in photonics technology, said Robert
Knollenberg, REO founder. REO expects that
Kelly will be able to further accelerate the growth
it has experienced over the past 10 years.
Phone Microscope Accessory Developed
A pocket-size accessory that turns an ordinary
camera phone into a high-resolution microscope
can accurately obtain images with resolution of
0.01 mm. Scientists at VTT Technical Research
Centre of Espoo, Finland, have developed a mi-
croscope that attaches to a mobile camera lens
with a magnet. It can examine various surfaces
and structures in microscopic detail and can take
high-resolution images that can be forwarded as
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). It has ap-
plications in the security, health care and print-
ing industries. VTT and KeepLoop Oy of Tam-
pere, Finland, are exploring the commercial
potential of the device. The first industrial appli-
cations and consumer models were expected to
be released in early March 2012.
Imra, Disco Collaborate Femtosecond fiber
laser manufacturer Imra America Inc. of Ann
Arbor, Mich., a subsidiary of Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd.
of Kariya, and Disco Corp. of Tokyo have teamed
to develop lasers and processing systems for
35
f
From science to surveillance, Toshiba
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With the widest variety of high denition cameras on the market, Toshiba has
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When clear imagery is as critical as your operation, let Toshiba bring your project to
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Aviation
Industrial / Inspection
Specialty Broadcast
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Specializing in high resolution video cameras for
Scientic, Industrial, Broadcast, and Research markets
High-def solutions for
high-priority applications.
FASTTRACK
dicing of semiconductor materials. The compa-
nies will provide solutions that use the capabili-
ties of femtosecond lasers, which feature mini-
mal thermal effects in materials processing.
Imra is the exclusive licensee of US Patent No.
5,656,186 by the University of Michigan, essen-
tial for femtosecond and picosecond laser mate-
rials processing, which it licenses to its cus-
tomers. Disco manufactures precision cutting,
grinding and polishing machines.
Companies to Build 3-D Microscopy System
Toshiba Imaging Systems Div. of Irvine, Calif.,
and ISee3D Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada, will develop a 3-D microscope digital
video system using Toshibas IK-HD1 three-
chip-CCD high-definition camera. ISee3Ds
patented optical switch technology and its cus-
tomized interface to the IK-HD1 camera will
result in 3-D microscope images with highly
magnified object detail. The system, which will
use a single camera, can be integrated into new
systems or adapted to the installed base of
microscopes for use in clinical, surgical and in-
dustrial microscopy applications. Finalization
of a commercial system is expected this year.
Stockholders OK UTC Buyout Goodrich Corp.
shareholders have approved the acquisition of
Goodrich by United Technologies Corp. (UTC).
Goodrich investors will receive $127.50 in cash
for each share of common stock they own, a
47.4 percent premium to the closing stock price
in September, when news of the acquisition
reached the market. The transaction is valued at
$18.4 billion, including $1.9 billion in net debt
assumed. Upon completion of the acquisition,
Goodrich will become a wholly owned sub-
sidiary of the Hartford, Conn.-based UTC, and
its operation will remain at its base in Charlotte,
N.C. The merger is set to be completed by mid-
year.
Riber, Imec Extend Collaboration Molecular
beam epitaxy supplier Riber SA of Bezons,
France, and R&D company imec of Louvain,
Belgium, will continue work on epitaxy process
technologies for next-generation III-V CMOS de-
vices. In the new project, Ribers 300-mm ultra-
high-vacuum (UHV) chamber, equipped with in
situ tools for surface analysis and clustered with
300-mm silicon CMOS production equipment,
will be evaluated for the production of CMOS
devices based on high-mobility germanium and
III-V channels. Through the collaboration, imec
said it can integrate the power of UHV systems
into state-of-the-art semiconductor production
equipment on large-diameter wafers.
JK Lasers Appoints Manager Michael Haase
has been appointed JK Lasers new German
sales manager to support its growing German
presence. A mechanical engineer with more
than 10 years of experience in the laser indus-
try, he will provide sales and technical support
to JK Lasers customers throughout Germany.
He is based in Planegg, near Munich. Prior to
joining JK Lasers, Haase established the laser
company H2B Photonics, which was acquired by
Rofin-Baasel Lasertech. Afterward, he became
its solar industry sales manager. Based in
Rugby, UK, JK Lasers, part of the GSI Group,
manufactures fiber lasers, Nd:YAG lasers and
process tools that operate around the clock in
industrial environments.
UC-Boulder Technique Optioned The Univer-
sity of Colorado at Boulder has completed an
exclusive option agreement with Double Helix
LLC, also of Boulder, to develop the universitys
3-D superresolution imaging technique. Devel-
oped by Rafael Piestun, a professor at Boulder
who founded Double Helix, the technique com-
bines 3-D optics and a signal postprocessing
method used for quality improvement in image
processing. It provides multifunctional 3-D
superresolution imaging capability to cellular,
molecular biology and biophysics laboratories.
We are looking forward to bringing this tech-
nology to the market, initially in microscopy
and, later, to more markets, including metrol-
ogy and digital optics, said Leslie Kimerling, a
founding partner of Double Helix.
Global Lighting Association Formed To rep-
resent the more than 5000 lighting manufactur-
ers and $50 billion in annual sales, the global
lighting industry has formed the Global Lighting
Association. Founded in 2007 as the Global
Lighting Forum, the new association represents
the same members but with a renewed focus
and commitment to shaping how the world is
illuminated. Its goal is to share information,
within the limits of competition law, on scientific,
social, environmental, political and business
issues related to the industry. The association
will focus its efforts in 2012 on energy efficiency,
LED performance quality and innovation.
Novaled Registers for IPO Novaled AG of
Dresden, Germany, has filed a Form F-1 regis-
tration statement with the US Securities and
Exchange Commission for a proposed initial
public offering (IPO) of its American depository
shares (ADSs). It also will apply to have its ADSs
listed on the NASDAQ Global Market or the
New York Stock Exchange. Goldman, Sachs &
Co. and Deutsche Bank Securities are acting as
joint book-running managers for the offering.
Acting co-managers include Canaccord Genuity,
Commerzbank, Cowen and Co. and JMP Securi-
ties. Novaled develops technologies and materi-
als that enhance the performance of organic
LEDs and organic electronics.
Laser Research Lab Opened In France, ultra-
fast laser specialist Amplitude Systmes of Bor-
deaux and Laboratoire Charles Fabry have es-
tablished a joint research laboratory that will
support 10 scientists working on high-perfor-
mance lasers. Called DEFI, the new lab is based
at the Institut dOptique in Palaiseau and will
focus on diode-pumped ultrafast lasers. The
team will work on emerging concepts and pro-
totype laser development for the next genera-
tion of ultrafast sources. Amplitude has worked
on ytterbium ultrafast lasers with Laboratoire
Charles Fabry since 2006, a collaboration that
has demonstrated results including shortest du-
ration from oscillators and regenerative ampli-
fiers and sub-100-fs high-energy fiber lasers.
Oclaro Outsourcing Operations Optical com-
munications and laser components provider
Oclaro Inc. of San Jose, Calif., is outsourcing its
Shenzhen, China-based final assembly and test
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operations to Venture Corp. Ltd.s Malaysia fa-
cility. The transfer, expected to take three years,
will free up more than $35 million, Oclaro said.
During the transition period, Oclaro will con-
tinue to operate its Shenzhen manufacturing
facility and will retain its employees. Several of
Ventures operational personnel will relocate to
Shenzhen to provide support to Oclaro. They
will oversee the transfer and ensure that prod-
ucts transitioned to the Malaysia facility are fully
qualified by customers before they are phased
out of the China facility.
Company Signs Distributors Laser diode man-
ufacturer Laser Operations LLC of Sylmar, Calif.,
has expanded its sales organization in Europe
and the Asia-Pacific market through two distribu-
tion agreements and the appointment of an
in-house consultant. Michael Wang, who was
named in-house consultant for China, will advise
the company on business opportunities there and
on managing local distributors. Soliton GmbH
has been named a nonexclusive distributor for
Germany, Austria, the German-speaking portion
of Switzerland and Poland and will focus on the
companys nonmedical market. Indeco has been
appointed a nonexclusive distributor in Japan.
$1M Endoscope Order Received Optical in-
struments maker Precision Optics Corp. Inc. of
Gardner, Mass., has announced a $1 million
order for its Microprecision-based endoscopes.
Details of the agreement were not disclosed.
The endoscopic medical devices deliver optical
and mechanical specifications that are among
the most challenging in the industry, the com-
pany said. They rely on proprietary Micropreci-
sion technology for fabrication and assembly of
lenses and prisms with sizes <1 mm. The order
is contingent upon the successful validation test-
ing of prototype units and the execution of an
acceptable supply agreement delivery schedule.
Excelitas Expands Harlid Capacity In response
to the growing demand for protection against
laser designation and ranging systems, optoelec-
tronics maker Excelitas Technologies of Waltham,
Mass., has completed its investment in state-of-
the-art automation to expand production capac-
ity for its proprietary Harlid (high angular resolu-
tion laser irradiance detector). The device is used
in laser warning receiver systems for ground ve-
hicles, naval vessels, fixed or rotary wing aircraft,
and static perimeter facilities. It also is used to
detect and provide angle-of-arrival information
from direct and indirect scattered light from laser
rangefinders and target designators, and from
active electro-optic systems.
Hamamatsu to Resell Visiopharm Products
Visiopharm of Hrsholm, Denmark, and Hama-
matsu of Hamamatsu City, Japan, have an-
nounced a nonexclusive worldwide OEM agree-
ment and reseller partnership for Visiopharms
quantitative digital pathology (QDP) solutions.
Under the agreement, Visiopharm will serve as
an OEM for Hamamatsus NDP.Analyze soft-
ware, a research tool for tissue image analysis
that is fully compatible with Visiopharms suite
of QDP solutions. Hamamatsu will market and
sell the suite of QDP solutions, including Cloud-
Analysis, DeployedAnalysis, Stereology and Ap-
plication Protocol Packages from Visiopharms
new APPCenter. Hamamatsu, which is known
for its NanoZoomer Digital Pathology (NDP)
whole slide scanners, will expand its offering
to include quantitative digital pathology.
Lee Named EPIC Director General Carlos
Lee has been appointed director general of
the Paris-based EPIC, the European Photonics
Industry Consortium. He succeeds Thomas
Pearsall, who has led the association since its
founding in 2003. Lee is the current director
general of SEMI Europe, the Semiconductor
Equipment and Materials Industry Association,
where he leads the advocacy program. He has
more than 15 years experience in industry
association management, including building
membership value through standardization,
collaboration, networking platforms and events,
and through other activities of collective interest
that benefit the industry at large.
Modulight Receives Contract Laser manufac-
turer Modulight Inc. of Tampere, Finland, has
designed, integrated and CE-certified an OEM
medical laser system for PCI Biotech of Oslo,
Norway, for a novel cancer therapy process.
Under a multiyear OEM manufacturing agree-
ment, Modulight will deliver a seven-channel
medical laser system solution to PCI Biotech for
its PCI (PhotoChemical Internalisation) patented
photochemical drug delivery technology used
for cancer therapy and other diseases. PCI is a
technology for light-directed drug delivery by
triggered endosomal release. It was developed
to introduce therapeutic molecules in a biologi-
cally active form specifically into diseased cells.
RPO Officially Opens Facility Rochester Preci-
sion Optics (RPO) of Henrietta, N.Y., held a rib-
bon-cutting ceremony April 11 to celebrate its
newly expanded 107,500-sq-ft facility. RPO
began the $10.7 million expansion project at its
headquarters in June 2011 by adding 43,000
square feet of space to its pre-existing 64,500-
sq-ft facility. The expansion adds more than 150
new jobs while retaining the 180 positions cur-
rently filled in the company. Formerly Kodak
Optical Imaging Systems, a unit of Eastman
Kodak, RPO manufactures optical components
and assemblies for commercial, military and in-
dustrial systems. The company also has facilities
in New Hampshire and overseas in Shanghai.
Emcore Secures Solar Panels Contract Em-
core Corp. has been awarded a $6 million, two-
year contract by Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corp. of Boulder, Colo., to design, manufacture,
test and deliver solar panels for a new space-
craft. The panels will be populated with Em-
cores ZTJ multijunction, space-grade solar cells,
which deliver a beginning-of-life conversion ef-
ficiency nearing 30 percent, with the option for
a patented, onboard monolithic bypass diode.
Production of the solar cells and panels will take
place at the companys Albuquerque, N.M.,
manufacturing facilities.
Power Technology Appoints Distributor To
expand its business and to serve its growing
customer base in Israel, Power Technology Inc. of
Little Rock, Ark., has appointed New Technology
S.K. Ltd. of Ramat Gan, Israel, as its new distri -
butor. Israel is an exciting market for Power
37
Fermionics
4555 Runway St. Simi Valley, CA 93063
Tel (805) 582-0155 Fax (805) 582-1623
w w w . f e r m i o n i c s . c o m
Opto-Technology
Analog bandwidth to 8 GHz.
FC, SC, and ST receptacles.
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FASTTRACK
Technology because it represents an important
and fast-growing scientific and industrial market
for our laser and photonics products, said Walter
Burgess, vice president of sales and engineering.
New Technology, part of integrated technologies
and service provider Elul Tamarynd Ltd., repre-
sents global suppliers of lasers, optics and elec-
tro-optics components to the Israeli electro-optics
industry and research centers.
Corning to Acquire Labware Unit Specialty
glass and ceramics manufacturer Corning Inc.
of Corning, N.Y., plans to buy the majority of
Becton, Dickinson and Co.s Billerica, Mass.-
based Discovery Labware division later this year
for approximately $730 million in cash. When
completed, the acquisition will expand Corn-
ings global market access and enhance its life
sciences portfolio in the areas of drug-discovery
tools, bioprocess solutions and laboratory re-
search instruments.
EOS Files Patent Suit Laser-sintering systems
manufacturer EOS of Krailling, Germany, filed a
patent lawsuit March 5 against Phenix Systems
of Riom, France, for infringing two US patents
for its dental product lines, the company an-
nounced. The lawsuit alleges infringement of US
Patent Nos. 5,753,274 and 6,042,774 through
the manufacture, sale and use of the PXL, PXM,
PXS and PXS Dental product lines from Phenix in
the US. During the second half of 2011, Phenix
publicly announced the commercial manufac-
ture, sale and use of exactly these product lines,
even though EOS had apprised Phenix of its
patent portfolio several times, EOS alleges.
Space Systems/Loral, NASA Collaborate
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) of Palo Alto, Calif.,
will partner with NASAs Goddard Space Flight
Center to host a laser communications relay
demonstration on a commercial satellite to be
launched in 2016. NASAs Space Technology
Program selected Goddards mission proposal
to use the SS/L satellite platform to help enable
the next era of space communications. Optical
communications uses an uncongested portion
of spectrum compared with radio-frequency
communications currently used to transmit data
from space. For commercial satellites, laser
communications could provide even faster rates
than radio frequency, with much less power and
mass the typical constraints of satellite design.
Norman Edmund Inspiration Award
Launched Optical components manufacturer Ed-
mund Optics of Barrington, N.J., has established
the Norman Edmund Inspiration Award to honor
the contributions made by founder Norman Ed-
mund toward advancing the science of optics.
The $5000 product award will be presented to
one of the three 2012 first-place prize recipients
of the companys worldwide higher education
grant program. It will be given to the college or
university optics program in science, technology,
engineering or mathematics that best embodies
the legacy of Norman Edmund, who died earlier
this year. The winner will be announced Oct. 10.
Illumitex Secures Funding, Hires CEO LED
maker Illumitex Inc. of Austin, Texas, has se-
cured an additional $9.3 million in funding to
develop its lighting fixture product lines and to
provide ongoing support for the development
of proprietary precision beam packaged LEDs.
Investors participating in the funding round in-
clude NEA, Morgan Creek Capital, Mousse Part-
ners, Apex Venture Partners, DFJ Mercury and
Syngenta Ventures. Illumitex also has hired
Chris Hammelef as chief executive officer. He is
the former vice president and general manager
of outdoor lighting company Hadco Group, a
division of Philips. Illumitex is now focusing on
lighting fixtures as its main product offering.
Companies Ink Display Engine Agreements
Projection display technology company Micro-
Vision Inc. of Redmond, Wash., has signed defin-
itive agreements with Pioneer Corp. of Kana-
gawa, Japan, to manufacture, distribute, license
and supply its HD PicoP Gen2 display engine
technology using direct green lasers. Under the
agreements, Pioneer will produce PicoP Gen2
display engines for its own automotive aftermar-
ket products and will pay MicroVision royalties
from sales of these products. Pioneer plans to
release its first aftermarket head-up display later
this year. It also will manufacture and supply key
display engine subsystems to MicroVision for
consumer, industrial and other applications.
38
f
FASTTRACK
Coming July 19, 2012
Advances in Biomedical Photonics
2 0 1 2 W E B I N A R S E R I E S
Expert Briefings
In-depth presentations and interactive
Q&A featuring top industry experts.
For more information, visit:
www.Photonics.com/Webinars
To become a sponsor, contact your sales
representative at (413) 499-0514, or email
advertising@photonics.com.
Photonics Media will host Lihong V. Wang, PhD,
Gene K. Beare Distinguished Professor, Optical
Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis.
Wang will speak on "Photoacoustic Tomog -
raphy: Ultrasonically Breaking Through the
Optical Diffusion Limit."
SEPTEMBER Solar
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612_WebinarAd_BioMed_Pg39_Layout 1 5/24/12 11:34 AM Page 39
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orty-two years ago, Zygo set out on a very
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Today, Zygo continues that innovation with veteran
master optical technicians like Ed Gowac, who has
been reinventing optical manufacturing technology
for over 37 years. And Ed has seen it all, from multi
spectral reconnaissance windows, to meter
class laser fusion amplifers to semiconductor
lithography stages.
And, like most of Zygos manufacturing technology,
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Zygo has used these machines to produce some of
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612_Zygo_Pg40_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:26 PM Page 40
GreenLight
Spinach may hold key
to understanding photosynthesis
P
hotosynthesis is vital to the continued
survival of life on Earth because it
produces most of Earths supply of
oxygen. For a long time, scientists have
been convinced that if they could com-
pletely understand how photosynthesis
works, they could apply it to synthetic
systems to create clean energy from water
and sunlight, with the only emissions
being oxygen and hydrogen.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Tech-
nology have shown the importance of a
hydrogen bonding water network in the
photosynthesis substructure called photo-
system II. They extracted photosystem II
from ordinary spinach and replaced water
with ammonia to test the idea that a net-
work of hydrogen-bonded water molecules
would provide a catalyst for the process
that produces oxygen.
By substituting ammonia, an analog
of the water molecule that has a similar
structure, we were able to show that the
network of hydrogen-bonded water mole-
cules is important to the catalytic pro-
cess, said Bridgette Barry, a professor at
Georgia Techs School of Chemistry and
Biochemistry. Substituting ammonia
for water inhibited the activity of the
photosystem and disrupted the network.
The network could be re-established by
addition of a simple sugar: trehalose.
Photosynthesis is controlled by the
chloroplasts of green plants. Oxygen is pro-
duced through the illumination of calcium
and manganese ions in the oxygen-evolving
complex (OEC) of the chloroplast. Short
laser flashes can be used to step through the
reaction cycle, which involves four sequen-
tial light-induced oxidation reactions. For
the oxygen to separate from the OEC, it
forms an electrostatic network with the ions
in the OEC and a protein called amide
carbonyl (C=O). Oxygens hydrogen bonds
are used as a catalyst component to split
off the oxygen.
The researchers used Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy to observe how the
hydrogen-bonded network reacted to pulses
from an Nd:YAG laser. After each pulse,
they analyzed the photosystems transition
and measured the bond strength of the C=O
groups, which were, in turn, used as mark-
ers of hydrogen bond strength. With the
flash, there was an observed increase in
C=O hydrogen bond strength; however,
when ammonia was added, the C=O hydro-
gen bonds weakened. Trehalose blocked the
ammonias effects.
This research helps to clarify how
ammonia inhibits the photosystem, which
is something that researchers have been
wondering about for many years, Barry
said. Our work suggests that ammonia
can inhibit the reaction by disrupting this
network of hydrogen bonds.
Barry hopes that her research can be
used to harness or imitate energy and
oxygen production.
We are only looking at a single part
of the overall reaction now, but we would
like to study the entire cycle, in which
oxygen is produced, to see how the inter-
actions in the water network change and
how the interactions with the protein
change, Barry said. The work is an-
other step in understanding how plants
carry out this amazing series of photosyn-
thetic reactions.
The research was published in the
April 2 online edition of Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences. l
Georgia Tech graduate student Brandon Polander
prepares for a Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy experiment. The green laser light
is used to photoexcite the spinach photosystem II
sample. Courtesy of Gary Meek.
Sweet spot could help bring
organic solar cells to market
A
better fundamental understanding of
how to optimize performance in or-
ganic solar cells could bring this
type of cell closer to market.
Prototype solar cells made of organic ma-
terials currently lag far behind conventional
silicon-based photovoltaic cells in terms of
electricity output. However, if efficient or-
ganic cells could be developed, they would
have distinct advantages: They would cost
far less to produce than conventional cells,
could cover larger areas and, conceivably,
could be recycled far more easily.
Now, scientists at the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) and
the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
are studying cells made up of hundreds of
stacked thin layers that alternate between
two organic materials zinc phthalocya-
nine and C
60
, the soccer-ball-shaped
carbon molecules known as buckyballs.
When light strikes the multilayered film,
all of the layers are excited, causing them
to give up electrons that flow between the
612_Greenlight_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:34 PM Page 41
buckyball and phthalocyanine layers and
creating an electric current.
When the researchers varied the thick-
ness of each layer each only a few nano-
meters thick they discovered that the
amount of electrical current the overall cell
puts out changes dramatically. In this sense,
determining the ideal thickness of the lay-
ers is crucial to making the best-performing
cells, said NIST chemist Ted Heilweil.
In essence, if the layers are too thin,
they dont generate enough electrons for a
substantial current to flow, but if too thick,
many of the electrons get trapped in the
individual layers, he said. We wanted
to find the sweet spot.
To find that sweet spot, they explored
the relationship between layer thickness
and two aspects of the material. Although
the layers generated an initial spike in cur-
rent when struck with light, the current de-
cayed fairly quickly. The ideal cell would
generate electrons as steadily as possible.
The researchers discovered that changing
the layer thickness affects not only the ini-
tial decay rate, but also the overall capacity
of the material to carry electrons.
They set out to find the optimum combi-
nation of these two factors by measuring
a number of films grown by Paul Lane
of NRL that had layers of varying thick-
ness. They found that layers approximately
2 nm thick give the best performance.
Heilweil said the results have encouraged
him to think that prototype cells based on
this geometry can be optimized, although
one engineering hurdle remains: finding
the best way to get the electricity out.
Its still unclear how to best incorpo-
rate such thin nanolayers in devices, he
said. We hope to challenge engineers
who can help us with that part.
The findings appeared in Physical
Review Letters (doi: 10.1103/PhysRev
Lett.108.077402). l
GreenLight
Light that strikes this organic solar cell causes electrons to flow between its layers, creating an electric current.
Measurements made by the NIST/NRL research team determined the best thickness for the layers, a finding
that could help optimize the cells performance. Courtesy of NIST.
A
n ultrathin flexible organic solar cell less than
2 m thick could have implications for the
design of future flexible electronic devices.
Scientists from Johannes Kepler University Linz
and the University of Tokyo developed the stretch-
able cells which can generate 10 W/g based on
an ultrathin polymer substrate.
They maintain their performance after being
stretched repeatedly, displaying power conversion
efficiency equal to that of their glass counterparts.
They could be used in applications such as robotics,
synthetic skin or e-textiles.
In all these areas, it is important that the cells
are not only powerful, but also light and flexible,
said Dr. Martin Kaltenbrunner of the Institute of
Experimental Physics. [In] many things, you
cannot install rigid cells.
Follow-up projects are being conducted at
Johannes Kepler University.
The basic system is also applicable to electrical
circuits, Kaltenbrunner said. This is of course
extremely interesting for the industry.
The research was published in Nature Communi-
cations (doi:10.1038/ncomms1772). l
43
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GreenLight
Ultrathin solar cells for stretchable applications
An ultrathin organic solar cell also can be
used for surface-conforming electronics.
The cell pictured is glued to a prestretched
elastomer, biaxially compressed and then
pushed out of plane by a plastic tube.
It is important that the cells are not only
powerful, but also light and flexible.
Dr. Martin Kaltenbrunner, Institute of Experimental Physics
An ultrathin organic solar cell is so
flexible that it can be used for stretchable
applications. The cell pictured is glued to
a prestretched elastomer. The random
network of wrinkles that form upon
relaxation allows for repeated stretching
under continuous operation. Images
courtesy of Martin Kaltenbrunner.
Hyperspectral Imaging Gets Stamp
of Approval for Food Processing
BY DAVID BANNON AND CHRISTOPHER
VAN VEEN, HEADWALL PHOTONICS INC.
H
yperspectral imaging holds so much
promise across so many applica-
tions, and companies specializing in
this technology are working to drive out
complexity and cost, which will make it a
more mainstream inspection technology
for improving food safety and quality.
Three primary areas of food and agri-
culture have adopted hyperspectral imag-
ing. The first is in-line processing and
inspection of everything from specialty
(high value) crops such as strawberries
and apples to meat products such as poul-
try and seafood. The second is remote
sensing of agricultural areas; with this
technique, data-rich analysis of crops and
farmlands can be performed from an air-
borne platform. The third is an emerging
category of plant research and crop sci-
ence incorporating plant phenotyping and
genomics. Here, hyperspectral imaging
can assist research efforts to analyze gene
functions that become key elements in
plant breeding, with the goal of optimizing
growth and disease protection. In this
market, advanced imaging technology
enables a new class of agricultural re-
search and in-line, high-throughput in-
spection of food products.
Not just for the lab
Hyperspectral sensing is not a new
technology, per se it has been around
for about 20 years. Long favored in de-
fense and reconnaissance circles, it was
seen as complex and dedicated to airborne
applications. These characterizations were
not entirely untrue, but over time, the
ability to see and classify objects based
on the inherent chemical composition or
spectral signature became a value proposi-
tion that could not be ignored by all sorts
of commercial endeavors, especially the
inspection of foods on high-volume
processing lines.
From a regulatory perspective, very few
industries depend on rigorous inspection
more than food processing. Governmental
oversight is more rigid than ever, which
A technology that evolved from the cloaked secrecy of military
satellites and reconnaissance technology is finding its way into
poultry- and produce-processing facilities.
Green apples whiz by on an inspection line. Images courtesy of Headwall Photonics Inc.
612_Food Sensors_Layout 1 5/24/12 1:48 PM Page 44
means that these companies cannot simply
operate with systems and processes to
their liking. Disease, contaminants and
other health-related conditions must be
identified quickly and completely, whether
a company is processing specialty crops,
seafood or poultry. Passing muster means
labor-intensive inspection processes, some-
times on a continual basis and across mul-
tiple facilities. Under such tight regulation,
private-sector companies feel continual
pressure to somehow remain efficient and
profitable.
Because of this pressure, food-process-
ing companies invest in spectral imaging
instruments to make the inspection side
of their operation more than pay for itself.
After all, rejected products cost much
more the later they are found. Occasion-
ally, contaminated products do reach store
shelves; the financial cost, coupled with
the public relations backlash, can cripple
a brand for years or even result in closure
of operations.
One way for food-processing companies
to invest in new technologies while seeing
a demonstrable return on investment is to
make sure the inspection processes are
rapid, accurate and repeatable. High
throughput is key, because the faster a
facility can inspect its products, the more
efficient the operation becomes.
Any increase in speed must not dimin-
ish safety or quality, however, so the US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
thoroughly investigating new ideas and
technologies in limited pilot programs
across the country. For example, the de-
partment is planning to fundamentally
change the way poultry products make
their way to the American dinner table.
If new automated technologies can help
reduce manual labor costs while quicken-
ing the inspection process, consumers
benefit from food products that not only
are safer but also more affordable.
Hyperspectral sensing has an advantage
in food inspection because it can see
things that other machine-vision technolo-
gies cannot. Because every object has its
own unique spectral signature, a hyper-
spectral sensor can noninvasively and
rapidly scan products for anomalies.
Fecal and chemical contamination, disease
conditions and foreign objects can be red
flagged once these triggers have been
properly cataloged with the right spectral
signature. Equipped with these unique
spectral libraries, the sensors go about
their business of determining good product
from bad.
The Hyperspec data processing unit from Headwall
Photonics analyzes spectral and spatial imaging
data cubes, which can grow to several gigabytes in
size; extremely rapid data acquisition and analysis
are needed to extract spectral features of interest.
Disease conditions, contaminants and other health-related concerns must be identified quickly
and completely, whether a company is processing poultry, seafood or specialty crops.
How in-line high-speed hyperspectral sensing works: (a) As the product moves under the sensor, a visual
image of the sample is rendered by unique signatures; (b) the full spectra are captured for any position
in the field of view; and (c) the visual image of the sample at any wavelength is captured.
Spectral bands of interest comprise
everything from UV (250 to 600 nm) all
the way up to SWIR (950 to 2500 nm),
and include VIS (380 to 825 nm), visible
and NIR (380 to 1000 nm), and NIR (900
to 1700 nm). A poultry-processing facility,
for example, may have a very distinct set
of anomalies for which it checks. Each
condition will therefore fall into one of
these spectral bands, and the hyperspectral
instrument will look for these.
Although the technology behind hyper-
spectral sensing is generally well under-
stood, adapting it to the rigors of hot, wet,
noisy and unappealing conditions is a
challenge requiring experience with harsh
environments. First, the imaging systems
must be reliable and affordable. Instru-
ment reliability is a factor derived from
the imaging performance as well as the
spectral and spatial resolution of the hy-
perspectral instrument.
Here, the use of aberration-corrected
diffractive optics representing the heart-
beat of the instrument is a distinguishing
characteristic. Headwall Photonics, for ex-
ample, manufactures in-line hyperspectral
sensors that are corrected for aberrations.
This patented design allows the sensor to
inspect a scene across a very wide process
conveyor line without image distortions
that could affect the measurement. Aberra-
tion correction also yields higher signal-
to-noise ratios, and levels of spectral and
spatial resolution. In practical terms, a
precisely engineered grating leads to a
precisely engineered hyperspectral sensor;
a food inspection line, for example, will
see fewer false-positives if the spectrome-
ter uses aberration-corrected gratings.
To gain full processing line coverage, a
wide field of view is important in a hyper-
spectral sensor. These systems are built
upon the push-broom architecture, with
food products passing by the hyperspectral
inspector. For each moment in time (each
frame capture by the sensor), the scene
observed by the fore lens is imaged
through a tall slit aperture within the in-
strument. The scene that fills this slit aper-
ture is then dispersed through the spec-
trometer (containing the grating), with the
resulting spectral and spatial information
imaged onto a two-dimensional focal
plane array (FPA) using silicon CCD, In-
GaAs or HgCdTe arrays. One axis of the
FPA (pixel rows) corresponds to the im-
aged spatial positions within the field of
view all along the slit height. The slit
height determines the overall field of
view. The second axis (spectral for pixel
columns) corresponds to the spectral
wavelength that is linearly dispersed and
calibrated. Each 2-D image (or frame cap-
ture) is digitized by the FPA to build a
data set representing the hyperspectral
scan that comprises all the spectral and
spatial information within the scene or
field of view of the sensor.
The user can evaluate any point or pixel
within the field of view for its chemical
spectral signature while maintaining the
integrity of the spatial information ob-
tained. Hyperspectral sensors also can
interrogate spectral signatures of interest,
based on the defined algorithms. When
these algorithms are used on the process-
ing line, accept or reject decisions
can be passed to robotic arms or air knives
for product removal. Headwall Photonics
has worked very closely with USDA re-
searchers to establish algorithms and
spectral libraries for a wide number of
agricultural products.
Sensing from above
One interesting use of hyperspectral
sensors is in precision agriculture,
where small, lightweight sensors are
deployed aboard airborne platforms rang-
Hyperspectral Imaging
(a) Spectral analysis of specialty fruit identifies contaminants: wood (blue), metal (green) and
disease (orange). (b) In-line process inspection of contaminated, diseased fruit. (c) Visible and
NIR (400 to 1000 nm) analysis finds bruised and unbruised strawberries.
ing from Cessna aircraft to unattended
aerial vehicles.
In the same way that food-processing
lines are evolving from straightforward
machine-vision systems to hyperspectral
sensors, many growers and agriculturists
also are moving to hyperspectral imag-
ing. The richness of the data collected
can give farmers a sense of what and
where to plant, and when to fertilize and
harvest. High-value crops such as pecans,
grapes and walnuts must be managed
with precision. Nutrient levels, ripeness
and disease can be seen by hyperspec-
tral sensors in much the same way that
food-processing lines can be seen. Be-
cause these sensors are deployed aboard
aircraft, hundreds of acres can be sur-
veyed quickly and the data-processing
power coupled to these sensors means
that more useful information can be ob-
tained. The result is better overall crop
management across the globe.
VineView Scientific Aerial Imaging of
St. Helena, Calif., uses high-resolution
aerial imaging and scientifically calibrated
data products to assist in crop uniformity
optimization, irrigation management and
harvest planning. VineView has used in-
frared sensors for the most part, but the
company now is going beyond IR to hy-
perspectral.
Adding hyperspectral data allows us to
provide more specific actionable informa-
tion to our clients who manage high-value
crops, said Dr. Matthew Staid, the com-
panys president. The hyperspectral sens-
ing technology means that VineView not
only can map vigor or stress within crops,
The USDA is investigating new technologies to fundamentally change the way poultry products make
their way to the table. Automated technologies can reduce labor costs and speed inspection, resulting
in healthier, more affordable food products.
but also can better identify the specific
causes of those stresses. The presence of
leaf roll, weeds and invasive species will
be mapped as VineView aircraft patrol
orchards and crop fields.
At the Instituto de Agricultura Sosten-
ible in Crdoba, Spain, small, unmanned
aircraft outfitted with high-resolution sen-
sors look down on crop fields and or-
chards to make precision planting and har-
vesting decisions. Because the sensors
weigh less than 2 lb and exhibit excellent
spatial and spectral resolution, they are
perfectly suited to giving farmers and agri-
culturists a wealth of previously unseen
spectral information from altitudes of
1000 to 15,000 ft.
Although the sensor technology is there
to see what is on the ground, hyperspectral
data processing can be processor-inten-
sive. Fortunately, data-processing horse-
power is similarly increasing in capability
while costs continue to go down or at least
moderate. Headwall Photonics, for exam-
ple, offers its Hyperspec data processing
unit, which focuses on the analysis and in-
terrogation of the spectral and spatial im-
aging data cubes. Hyperspectral data
cubes can grow to several gigabytes in
size, and they require extremely rapid data
acquisition and analysis to extract spectral
features of interest. They also depend on
specific algorithms and the classification
or search for certain threshold conditions
within the scene.
Plant phenotyping, crop science
The ability of hyperspectral sensing to
see beyond the visible also makes it a
valuable tool in plant phenotyping and
crop science research. In simple terms, a
phenotype is a composite of an organisms
observable characteristics or traits. These
can include its morphology, development,
biochemical or physiological properties,
phenology and products of behavior.
The practical application of phenotyp-
ing is to assist in plant breeding: identify-
ing traits such as disease resistance, en-
hancing growth and development charac-
teristics, and more. Seed companies, for
example, can use this science to introduce
higher-quality, hardier specimens for cer-
tain environments and regions, and to
standardize growth conditions more accu-
rately than ever.
Wrselen, Germany-based LemnaTec
GmbH has been a pioneer in the science
of phenotyping since 1998. The company
uses Headwalls Hyperspec Inspector in its
harsh greenhouse environments to ana-
lyze the chemical composition, overall
structure and specific traits of plants pass-
ing within the field of view. Hyperspec
Inspector is the same type of point and
stare system that food-processing facili-
ties use, but it is optimized for specific
spatial and spectral resolutions.
The advantage of hyperspectral imaging
systems is that, although the basic funda-
mentals are the same from one system to
the next, key parameters such as spectral
bands, resolution, signal to noise and
lighting conditions can be modified to suit
each specific application. And because
these systems are deployed in environ-
ments where humidity, moisture, vibra-
tion, heat and chemicals are often the
norm rather than the exception, the enclo-
sures are very protective of the instru-
ments contained within.
Meet the authors
David Bannon is CEO of Headwall Photonics
Inc.; email: dbannon@headwallphotonics.com.
Christopher Van Veen is in marketing at Head-
wall; email: cvanveen@headwallphotonics.com.
The latest in photonics for researchers,
engineers, product developers, clinicians
and others in medicine, biotechnology
and other life sciences.
Subscribe at www.Photonics.com/Subscribe
From the publisher of
Photonics Spectra magazine.
MICROSCOPY
SPECTROSCOPY
IMAGING
OPTICS
LASERS
612_BIO_HouseAD_Pg49_Layout 1 5/24/12 11:35 AM Page 49
BY LYNN SAVAGE
FEATURES EDITOR
M
aximizing food resources in
large-scale operations may be
the best way to bring sustenance
to those without, but doing so does not
come cheaply. There is increasing interest
around the world not only in boosting
food production, but also in controlling
the associated costs.
One way that horticulturists look at the
problem is to try to take control of plant
biology. Tweaking the photosynthesis
mechanisms of plants or refining the way
in which they use various wavelengths of
light delivered at different times of the day
are two such methods. And LED-based
lighting gives scientists a good shot at
controlling these factors and more.
Sunlight is the standard for growing
crops, of course. Its been around forever
and isnt going away anytime soon. How-
ever, sunlight contains every visible wave-
length known and many outside that
range. The amount of available sunlight
varies with season, climate and weather as
well, making it one of the least control-
lable factors in agriculture.
Bringing plants indoors and shining the
light from incandescent lamps is common,
but not really that much better. You get the
yellow, red and far-red wavelengths that
plants desire for good growth, but you also
get a lot of thermal energy, which trans-
lates into heat that must be exhausted from
a greenhouse or other growing chambers,
or from indoor plant factories.
Growers are always interested in
reducing their input costs, said Erik S.
Runkle, associate professor of horticulture
and a floriculture extension specialist at
Michigan State University in East Lans-
ing. One of the ways this can be accom-
plished is by reducing electrical consump-
tion. Potential benefactors of our research
include growers of flowering plants (for
low-intensity lighting applications) and
young plant and vegetable crop growers
(for high-intensity lighting applications).
Low-intensity applications include
crops that require long photoperiods, or
blocks of daylight. High-intensity applica-
tions include plants that thrive best when
their photosynthetic processes are boosted
over short time spans.
LEDs Lower Costs, Boost Crops
Inside Greenhouses
Cooler, longer-lasting and more wavelength-specific than incandescent
bulbs, far-red LEDs will be the green future of horticulture.
Researchers at Michigan State University are
testing the ability of LED systems to promote
plant growth inside greenhouses. Courtesy
of Erik S. Runkle.
612_Feat_Crops_Layout 1 5/24/12 1:55 PM Page 50
The light-intensity range required for
boosting plant growth depends upon the
location, time of year, crop, temperature
and CO
2
content in the air surrounding the
plants, Runkle said. Given those vagaries,
the common light intensities used to in-
crease photosynthesis range from 50 to
200 mol/m
2
/s or approximately 4100 to
16,400 lx from high-pressure sodium
lamps. Horticulturists measure intensity in
molar units rather than lux because the lat-
ter is defined by how light is perceived by
human vision.
Growers of day-length-sensitive crops
(many bedding plants and herbaceous
perennials) can benefit from low-intensity
photoperiod lighting, Runkle said.
People who grow plants in completely
enclosed environments can also benefit
from LED lighting, such as a tissue-
culture facility.
Greenhouse production of flowers,
potted plants and vegetables has clear
advantages over field production, where
crops are exposed to the vagaries of
weather and other environmental condi-
tions, said A.J. Both, associate extension
specialist at Rutgers University in New
Brunswick, N.J. Because modern green-
houses require significant initial and on -
going investment and consume a lot of
energy, he added, it is important to use
any resource as efficiently as possible.
LEDs offer the potential to reduce
electricity consumption, while maintaining
or even improving plant growth and devel-
opment, he said.
Orbital Technologies Corp. (Orbitec) of Madison, Wis., is a key
supplier of lighting systems for the greenhouse LED consortium
based out of Michigan State University. Working with terrestrial
systems, however, was not the companys starting point. The
following is an interview with the companys bioproducts and
bioproduction systems head, Robert C. Morrow:
What is Orbitecs purpose in making LED lighting systems?
Morrow: We began making LED systems as part of our work
developing plant research systems for space, and we began to
expand that into traditional agricultural and research applications.
In addition to LED systems, Orbitec develops aerospace life-
support-system technologies and propulsion-related technologies.
Who is your typical customer, and how do you impress them
with the benefits of LED lighting systems?
Morrow: Most of our LED systems are currently developed as
custom systems to support university and government research.
These customers generally are interested in the ability to individ-
ually control multiple spectral bands independently, and the
ability to provide high photon flux levels. Much of our work
has resulted from collaborative projects or word of mouth.
We work with the customer to understand their requirements,
determine what is feasible, and then design and fabricate the
system.
What cooling systems do you recommend for LED lighting
systems in greenhouse environments? Does this differ between
celestial and space-based systems?
Morrow: We primarily use forced convection (fans) for both
our terrestrial and flight systems. For very high output arrays,
we use a chilled water cooling system.
Is there an advantage to moving the LED light sources across
the plant canopy?
Morrow: For some agricultural applications, this can reduce
hardware costs. We make custom systems that do this and are
working on future products that would use this technique.
LEDs That Fit Agriculture on Earth and Beyond
C. Michael Bourget of Orbitec and Celina Gmez and Cary Mitchell of Purdue University adjust the red-to-blue
ratio and total photon flux on an overhead LED array that minimizes shading of solar irradiance throughout
the day in the greenhouse. Courtesy of Robert C. Morrow, Orbitec.
Advantages of LEDs
in Greenhouses
Lower heat output, permitting

proximity to plants
Highly selectable wavelengths
Lower cost of use
Longer life than incandescent

lighting
Compact device size
Flexible design options for

horizontal or vertical lighting
and for moving fixtures
Potentially higher quantum

efficiency
Supplementing Sol
Plants contain phytochromes proteins
that react to light in the way that the rods
and cones in eyes do. Phytochromes may
preferentially react to various wavelengths,
and the proportion of proteins that react to
red and far-red wavelengths in any given
plant type helps determine how much sup-
plemental lighting will affect the plant. A
consortium of research institutions, includ-
ing Rutgers, has, for example, reported that
more far-red than red tends to help most
plants grow faster, while more red than
far-red can suppress growth.
Horticultural LED investigators also
have noted that far-red light is particularly
useful to plant growth and development,
with 735 nm being the sweet spot for
many crop plants. Far-red light particu-
larly helps the development of plant
stems, including the hypocotyls that mark
the early stage of seedling development.
It also enhances later leaf production and
overall growth rates. Improving the devel-
opmental speed of hypocotyls helps espe-
cially with grafting operations, including
increasing speed and enhancing the gen-
eral health of hybrids.
Supplementing the amount of light that
plants receive at the end of the day can
positively affect stem growth, which gen-
erally happens at night for many plant
types. Adding far-red LED light for a
short period after daylight helps promote
stem, hypocotyl and leaf growth during
the night following.
LEDs can be made to emit highly spe-
cific wavelengths; e.g., keeping plants
happy with a continuous 735-nm bath.
Unfortunately, the availability of far-red
LEDs is very low.
At the University of Arizona in Tucson,
for example, Chieri Kubota and her col-
leagues found that greenhouse-grown leaf
lettuce experienced more than 25 percent
improvement in growth when exposed to
far-red light for 3.3 minutes at the end of
each growing day at an intensity of 46
mol/m
2
/s.
Whereas the sun has a well-defined
trace across the sky, LED devices could
be placed in the most optimal spots. Un-
like with incandescent lamps, proximity
of LEDs to leaves and stems does not
cause burning or dehydration of plants.
However, LED placement is still not well
determined, and there may yet be a dis-
tance that defines too close. Studies
are ongoing at Arizona, Michigan State,
Rutgers and other institutions to find out
where the truth lies.
Another open question is whether
adding motion to the light source might
aid growth conditions indoors. Passing
a bank of LED emitters over an array of
young plants seems in some cases to
enhance hypocotyl growth and to inhibit
it in others.
The main goal is to provide the light
where it is most needed, Both said. As
plants grow and develop, their size and
configuration change. As a result, it may
LEDs for Crops
Cuttings of herbaceous New Guinea impatiens are propagated under red and
blue supplemental lighting from LEDs, shortly after sunset at Purdue University.
Reprinted from Chronica Horticulturae, Vol. 52, No. 1 (2012). Courtesy of
International Society for Horticultural Science.
Young tomato plants receive supplemental lighting from LED towers. While the
plants are small, only the lower portion of the LED array must be lit, thus saving
electricity. Reprinted from Chronica Horticulturae , Vol. 52, No. 1 (2012).
Courtesy of International Society for Horticultural Science.
LED Research Consortium
Michigan State University
Orbital Technologies Corp.
(Orbitec)
Purdue University
Rutgers University
University of Arizona
be more efficient to deliver the light at dif-
ferent locations of what we call the crop
canopy.
Whether moving light sources over the
canopy or even between rows is practical
or economically feasible remains to be
determined. Both said that stationary
LED sources likely will turn out to be
preferential.
More challenges
Dousing greenhouse crops in specific far-
red or other wavelengths may be great for
the plants themselves, but not so much for
the people tending to them. Low-intensity
far-red light may not lead to accidents, but it
certainly would color workers perceptions
of plant health come inspection time.
Based on the absorption of light by
plants, they are most efficient in convert-
ing blue and red light in the process called
photosynthesis, Both said. But under
blue and red light, plants look very differ-
ent when observed by the human eye.
Therefore, additional colors may need to
be added to improve human perception
during the production process.
Many companies advertise LED sys-
tems for plant lighting, but few systems
have been tested extensively in commer-
cial applications, Both said. In addition,
claims about spectral output, intensity,
lamp life, lamp decay, efficiency and other
aspects have been difficult to verify.
The LED research consortium we
started under the leadership of Dr. Cary
Mitchell of Purdue University is attempt-
ing to develop some standards and mea-
surement procedures that the greenhouse
industry can use to determine what sys-
tems are most appropriate for their spe-
cific applications, Both said.
The consortium thus far has worked
with Orbital Technologies Corp. of Madi-
son, Wis., and the Regensburg, Germany-
based Osram Opto Semiconductors AG to
develop LED systems in a range of wave-
lengths.
Because LEDs are a relatively new
technology for plant-lighting purposes,
LEDs for Crops
Lynn Savage
lynn.savage@photonics.com
Masters student Daedre Craig of Michigan State works with several plant species that receive various ratios
of red and far-red wavelengths from overhead LEDs during night-interruption studies of floral induction and
development. Courtesy of Erik S. Runkle.
Both said, much research is still needed to
determine their best use and application.
It is very likely that the best use of
LEDs differs from crop to crop and even
during the different life stages of a particu-
lar crop, he said. Artificial light has
been used for plant growth applications
for over a hundred years, and we are still
discovering novel aspects as we learn
more about plant physiology, light
sources, control strategies, etcetera.
It likely will take some time before
researchers sufficiently understand the
advantages and challenges associated with
LEDs used for plant lighting, Both said,
adding that rapid developments in LED
technology continue to present new obsta-
cles to research and applications.
LEDs offer the potential to
reduce electricity consumption
while maintaining or even
improving plant growth and
development.
A.J. Both, Rutgers University
The use of LEDs for plant lighting is
just getting started, and there are many
questions left unanswered about this appli-
cation, Both said.
Our research hopes to contribute to our
collective understanding of plant lighting
and the benefits and challenges of LED
lighting, he added.
Modeling Improves
Fiber Amplifiers and Lasers
BY RDIGER PASCHOTTA
RP PHOTONICS CONSULTING GMBH
F
iber amplifiers and lasers offer
interesting advantages over more
traditional laser types, including pos-
sible cost savings. However, the perform-
ance details often are more complicated
than for bulk lasers as a result of strong
saturation effects, consequences of a high
laser gain and some peculiarities of quasi-
three-level laser transitions. The design
of such devices requires more than a
few back-of-the-envelope calculations.
A trial-and-error approach easily can
lead to time-consuming and costly itera-
tions and nonideal results, not exploiting
the full performance potentials. In most
cases, the most efficient approach starts
with numerical modeling, which allows
the designer to analyze and solve prob-
lems and optimize the design quickly
before buying any expensive parts or
spending substantial lab time. Diagnosing
problems is much faster with a numerical
model than in the laboratory because a
model, unlike a real amplifier or laser, is
fully transparent. It allows inspection
of optical powers and excitation densities
anywhere within the fiber and at any time,
and the effects of considered design modi-
fications can be simulated quickly.
Laser-active ion behavior
First, consider a single laser-active ion
at some location in the fiber core being
exposed to some number of optical fields
(pump and signal waves, amplified spon-
taneous emission) with known intensities.
Broadband amplified spontaneous emis-
sion (ASE) can be considered as a set of
optical channels with various wavelengths.
All these optical fields can drive transi-
tions between electronic levels (more
precisely, Stark level manifolds) of the
ions, namely by absorption (from the
ground state or from excited states) and by
stimulated emission. Additional transitions
can occur as a result of spontaneous emis-
sion and nonradiative effects such as multi-
phonon emission and energy transfers be-
tween ions.
Figure 1 shows the simple example of
an Er
3
ion, subject to a pump and signal
wave, ignoring excited-state absorption
and upconversion effects. Because the
nonradiative transition from level 3 to 2
is very fast, it often may be considered as
instantaneous, leading to a zero population
density of level 3. The model may then
include only the levels 1 (ground state)
and 2 (upper laser level), and pumping
is considered as transferring ions directly
into level 2.
The dynamics are governed by wave-
length-dependent effective transition cross
sections and the upper-state lifetime, apart
from the optical intensities, and can be
described with a set of rate equations.
Powerful simulation software can even
solve nonlinear rate equation systems for
sophisticated systems; for example, with
multiple metastable levels and energy
transfers between various types of ions.
Some fiber manufacturers supply com-
prehensive spectroscopic data for their
fibers, and as the industry matures, this
will become the standard. Customers often
hesitate to work only with guesses or trial
and error, or to set up their own spectro-
scopic measurements. Ideally, directly
usable data sets for various commercial
fibers are provided together with simula-
tion software, or they can be produced
on demand within the user support.
Local gain or loss
Once the level populations have been
calculated from the local optical intensi-
ties, the local gain or loss coefficient for
the optical waves can be calculated. This
also depends on the doping concentration
profile of the fiber and the optical inten-
sity profiles, which may be wavelength-
dependent. The software should be able
to calculate these intensity profiles with a
mode solver or to work with profiles given
by the fiber manufacturer. The fiber also
may have some background loss, although
this is negligible in many cases.
As an example, consider a signal and
pump wave in a double-clad fiber. Figure
2 shows that the signal wave has a strong
Developing active fiber devices based only on experimental tests
is highly inefficient, often leading to time-consuming, expensive
iterations in the laboratory. Working with a numerical model is the best
way to learn how fiber devices work, how to optimize their designs
and what their limitations may be.
Signal Absorption
and Stimulated
Emission
Multiphonon
Emission
Pump
Spontaneous
Emission
Figure 1. Simplified level scheme of Er
3
ions
exposed to a pump and a signal wave. Images
courtesy of RP Photonics Consulting GmbH.
Er
3
-Doped
Fiber Core
Signal
Pump
Figure 2. Transverse profiles of the intensities
of signal and pump in a double-clad fiber.
612_Modeling Feat_Layout 1 5/24/12 1:56 PM Page 54
overlap with the single-mode fiber core,
whereas the pump wave fills the whole
undoped inner cladding, having only a
small overlap with the doped core. The
inner cladding actually supports a large
number of modes, having substantially
different overlap.
Precise modeling requires one to con-
sider all modes separately, but in many
cases it is sufficient to consider the whole
pump wave as a single optical channel
with a top-hat intensity profile at least
when strong mode mixing can be as-
sumed; for example, resulting from a D
shape of the inner cladding or from tight
bending. As a result of the low core over-
lap in a double-clad fiber, the coupling of
the pump wave to the ions often is much
weaker than that of the signal wave, even
if the pump cross sections are larger than
the signal cross sections. This aspect has
important implications for the perform-
ance details.
Dynamic simulations
In some cases, the dynamic behavior of
the system is of interest. In principle, this
is relatively straightforward to simulate.
Consider a simple case, where a signal
pulse is amplified in a single pass through
a fiber. Here, it often is not relevant for
the model that various parts of the fiber
see the signal pulse at different times.
Propagation times can then be ignored.
It is sufficient to numerically divide the
pulse into small temporal slices and the
fiber into small pieces, and then to propa-
gate each temporal slice through all fiber
pieces. When one slice travels through one
fiber piece, it is amplified to some extent,
and at the same time it extracts some of
the stored energy; i.e., it changes the level
populations. Later slices may thus obtain
a reduced power gain, which can lead to
pulse distortions.
In other cases, the propagation times
cannot be ignored; e.g., they are essential
for pulse formation in a Q-switched fiber
laser. Here, one can use a numerical tech-
nique where each time step corresponds
to the time required by light to propagate
further by the length of one fiber piece.
In each time step, the total field distribu-
tion in the laser resonator is moved for-
ward by one fiber piece. Time delays
outside the doped fiber also must be taken
into account. Technically, this is more
demanding, and such simulations often
require more computation time because
the method enforces the use of rather
short time steps.
Figure 3 shows the result of an example
simulation for an actively Q-switched
fiber laser. Instead of a smooth pulse
envelope, as is common for a bulk laser,
the fiber laser emits a series of spikes
because the lasing begins with amplified
spontaneous emission, which is very un-
evenly distributed in the resonator because
of the high gain. For the simulation,
Q switching with a very fast modulator
was assumed, but it would be easy to
study the effects of slower switching,
both on the temporal shape and on the
power efficiency. Such simulations often
create surprising results because it is
difficult to anticipate all relevant details
and effects before the simulation.
Steady state
Efficient calculation of the steady state
for an amplifier or laser with constant
input powers can be substantially more
demanding than a dynamic simulation
because the distributions of optical powers
and ionic excitation densities influence
each other. Therefore, a self-consistent
solution is required.
Figure 3. Temporal evolution of output power and averaged ionic excitation
in a Q-switched fiber laser, simulated with the software RP Fiber Power.
The separation of the spikes corresponds to one resonator round trip.
Figure 4. Distribution of steady-state pump and signal powers and the upper-state population in a fiber
amplifier with a signal coming from the left side and a counterpropagating pump wave.
First, we consider the simple case of an
amplifier with a co-propagating pump and
signal light and with negligible ASE. We
already know all optical intensities at the
input end, so we can calculate the excita-
tions at this point. From that, we can cal-
culate the local gain, which allows us to
propagate the pump and signal power
through a first short fiber piece. Step by
step, we can propagate the powers and
excitations all the way to the other fiber
end. High precision is obtained simply by
using small enough fiber pieces, and the
computation time for a single-pass propa-
gation can be very short, even when using
1000 pieces.
A more complicated case is that of an
amplifier with a counterpropagating pump
and signal. Here, we know only the local
pump intensity at the pump input end, and
only the local signal intensity at the oppo-
site end. At no position do we initially
know all optical powers. However, there
is a relatively simple method to solve this
problem, called the shooting method.
We begin at the signal input end; for
example, with an initial guess for the
residual pump power at this point. Then
we propagate signal and pump through the
fiber, using the fact that pump power rises
in a backward direction according to the
calculated level of pump absorption. At
the pump input end, we will generally not
obtain the true input pump power, but we
can compare the propagated and the true
pump input power and correct our guess
accordingly. An appropriate one-dimen-
sional root-finding mechanism allows us
to find an accurate solution within a few
iterations. Figure 4 shows the power dis-
tributions in an example case. The method
also can be adapted to a linear fiber laser,
where the backward-propagating signal
wave is initially not known. Of course,
the forward and backward signals must be
made consistent with the end reflectivities.
Although the shooting method is simple
and efficient in the aforementioned cases,
it is not practical in other cases, where we
have multiple or even many backward-
propagating fields. Here, we essentially
would have to do a multidimensional root
finding, which is substantially more diffi-
cult particularly for high-gain cases,
where we can have exponential dependen-
cies. Because such cases often occur, it is
desirable to have a method that can cope
with them.
The basic principle can be that of a
relaxation method. The simplest approach
is to perform a sequence of steps, where
one always first calculates the optical
powers resulting from the currently as-
sumed ionic excitations and then updates
the excitations according to the local
optical intensities. The problem is that
the convergence properties depend
strongly on the situation.
Although one may fine-tune an algo-
rithm to be efficient in a specific situation,
it is challenging to obtain reliable and
efficient convergence in all situations,
including high- and low-gain amplifiers
(or amplifiers with different gain for dif-
ferent signals), ASE sources and lasers.
However, it is possible to achieve this goal
with a very refined algorithm. Elements
of that can be to introduce some numerical
damping to the calculated optical pow-
ers and to automatically adjust various
numerical parameters according to the
observed convergence properties. RP
Photonics RP Fiber Power software
makes that approach applicable to a vast
range of situations. The user does not have
to deal with the iterative procedure but
can just enjoy the fast convergence.
Learning by playing
The results of fiber amplifier and laser
simulations often exhibit surprising fea-
tures. In one example, shown in Figure 5,
a single pump wave at 920 nm (and no
signal) was injected into an ytterbium-
doped fiber with no end reflections. Here,
the distributions of pump power and
upper-state population have quite surpris-
ing shapes because of ASE. Backward
ASE becomes quite strong on the left side,
extracting more than 40 percent of the
pump power. It substantially pulls down
the upper-state population, leading to
increased pump absorption. The pump
absorption is weaker at positions a little
farther to the right, where ASE is weak.
Roughly in the middle of the fiber, for-
ward ASE becomes substantial, but then
drops again as it is reabsorbed (because of
the quasi-three-level nature of Yb
3
). Ad-
ditional diagrams, not shown here, would
reveal that the spectral shape of ASE at
various positions and traveling in different
directions can be extremely different.
The behavior of the system can change
profoundly when changing the fiber length
or the pump wavelength. It would be very
hard to fully understand and reliably pre-
dict the behavior of such a system without
numerically simulating it. Even extensive
measurements in the lab would not reveal
the important role of forward ASE, as that
has substantial power at positions only
within the fiber, which are hardly accessi-
ble. Further, the behavior can be substan-
tially more complicated when additional
signal channels and/or end reflections are
added.
Only numerical modeling can lead to
quantitative understanding of device per-
formance and, thus, is key to reaching
high performance with the least possible
development effort.
Meet the author
Dr. Rdiger Paschotta is founder and president
of RP Photonics Consulting GmbH in Bad Dr-
rheim, Germany; email: paschotta@rp-photon
ics.com.
Fiber Device Design
Figure 5. Distribution of pump and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) powers and the upper-state
population in an ytterbium-doped fiber pumped at 920 nm. RP Fiber Power software iteratively calculated
a self-consistent solution of optical powers and ionic excitations. Less refined numerical algorithms could be
plagued by convergence problems or require extensive computation time in such cases.
FEL Pulses and Ultrafast Lasers
Team Up to Explore New Frontiers
BY ALAN R. FRY, SLAC NATIONAL ACCELERATOR
LABORATORY, AND MARCO ARRIGONI,
COHERENT INC.
I
n the short time of their existence
as open-source research tools, free-
electron x-ray lasers such as the
Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)
have offered a versatile and powerful
means of pushing the frontiers of atomic,
molecular and materials sciences. Many of
these applications rely on using a combi-
nation of the femtosecond x-ray pulses
from the free-electron laser (FEL) and the
femtosecond optical pulses from advanced
Ti:sapphire lasers.
An FEL such as the recently developed
LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Lab-
oratory can produce millijoule femtosec-
ond pulses at x-ray wavelengths with un-
matched brightness. Diverse types of
pump-probe experiments currently are
being performed by using the FEL output
in conjunction with that of an ultrafast
femtosecond laser.
Pump-probe overview
In the brief time that the LCLS has pro-
vided scientists with access to ultrafast x-
ray pulses (the LCLS was commissioned
for this purpose only in 2009), a broad
range of experiments have been proposed
or completed that use ultrafast optical
pulses as well. For example, an ultrafast
laser pulse can be used to promote a mo-
lecular system into an excited state that
may last for only tens of femtoseconds.
The x-ray pulse is then used to probe the
structure of the sample while in this tran-
sient state.
In biochemistry, it may be possible to
use this approach to study the unfolding
of proteins in real time. These experiments
are possible because the FEL pulses are
1 billion times brighter than conventional
x-ray sources, and single pulses can pro-
duce diffraction patterns from small sam-
ples that are bright enough for analysis
and structure determination. This can en-
able studies of samples such as nanocrys-
tals, where the entire crystal is simultane-
ously analyzed and vaporized by the
intense pulse.
In condensed-matter physics experi-
ments, a sample is irradiated with an ultra-
fast pulse to cause lattice compression or
melting, while the x-ray pulse observes
the compression and relaxation in real
time, again relying on x-ray diffraction,
absorption or scattering. In another broad
range of experiments to study dynamic
properties of crystal lattices, a laser-gener-
ated terahertz pulse changes the magnetic
and electronic properties of samples that
are then probed with ultrafast x-rays from
the FEL.
1
Molecular alignment applications
A particularly innovative class of exper-
iments using these lasers involves molecu-
lar alignment. Here the ultrafast laser is
used to align molecules in the lab frame.
The aligned molecules are then probed by
polarized x-ray pulses from the FEL (see
Figure 1). A very successful example of
this has been examining how Auger elec-
trons are emitted relative to the molecular
frame (principal axes).
2
In Auger spectroscopy, high-energy
photons or electrons remove an electron
from the inner core of an atom. As shown
Free-electron lasers are uniquely
bright sources of extremely
short x-ray pulses that can be
combined with synchronized
ultrafast laser pulses to perform
cutting-edge experiments in
physics and chemistry.
Electron Time
of Flight
M
X-ray
Polarization
Linac Coherent
Light Source
Half-Wave
Plate
800-nm
Alignment
Pulse
Figure 1. Schematic of a typical laser pump/x-ray probe experiment showing how the pulses are
overlapped in the sample and analyzed. (In this case, the resultant data signals are Auger electrons
whose energy is analyzed via their time of flight. Figure reprinted with permission from J.P. Cryan et al,
Phys Rev Lett, 105 (2010), 083004. Copyright 2010 by the American Physical Society.
612_Feat Coherent_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:35 PM Page 57
in Figure 2, this eventually causes an outer
shell (valence) electron to be ejected. In
molecular systems, the kinetic energy dis-
tribution of this electron contains fine de-
tails related to the chemical bonds in the
molecule. For example, a nitrogen atom
bonded to a carbon atom will produce a
pattern different from that of a nitrogen
atom bonded to another nitrogen atom.
The availability of femtosecond x-ray
pulses thus offers the potential to use
Auger spectroscopy to probe changing
chemical conditions on the femtosecond
scale; i.e., on the timescale of the bond
formation during a chemical reaction.
Scientists using the LCLS FEL recently
advanced this research in two ways that
enable novel measurements of molecular
dynamics.
2
First, they used the high inten-
sity of the FEL pulses to remove two core
electrons from nitrogen (N
2
) molecules
(Figure 2). Second, they used an intense,
800-nm polarized pulse from a Ti:sapphire
laser to drive coherent Raman interactions
with the rotating N
2
molecules. The Raman
interaction changes the rotational quantum
state of the molecule while also aligning
the axis of rotation of a significant popula-
tion of the N
2
molecules to the polariza-
tion direction of the laser beam. As a re-
sult, the axes of the molecules under
examination are no longer randomly
arranged but are preferentially aligned to a
laboratory-fixed direction. This direction
can be switched at will simply by rotating
the polarization direction of the ultrafast
laser beam.
A polarized FEL pulse then drives the
Auger process before any collisions or
other mechanisms can destroy the align-
ment. The first published results from this
landmark experiment show that, as ex-
pected from theory, the intensity of Auger
electrons emitted using lower x-ray ener-
gies is dependent on the orientation of the
molecules relative to the polarization of
the x-rays (Figure 3).
Matter in extreme conditions
High-energy-density physics is con-
cerned with matter in states of extreme
pressure and temperature, such as the
conditions found in stars, the cores of
large planets and nuclear fuel under iner-
tial confinement in fusion research. Many
unanswered fundamental questions remain
about the physics of materials in these
conditions, and ultrafast x-ray FELs now
provide unique capabilities for measuring
the dynamic properties of the short-lived
high-energy density states. For example,
whether the standard gas equation (PV =
nRT) holds under these extreme conditions
is still an open question. Since the 1970s,
pulsed lasers have been used to drive ma-
terials into these extreme conditions by
rapid heating and compression of materi-
als, and significant extension of the range
of available energy density has been en-
abled by amplified ultrafast lasers produc-
ing intensities above 1018 W/cm
2
.
The LCLS Matter in Extreme Condi-
tions instrument is being commissioned at
SLAC specifically to explore this area of
physics. The instrument comprises a large
target chamber, a suite of x-ray diagnos-
tics and several laser systems, including a
50-J, few-nanosecond Nd:glass laser and a
terawatt 150-mJ, 35-fs Ti:sapphire laser.
Examples of the experiments proposed to
take advantage of this capability include
heating materials with optical lasers and
using x-ray diffraction, scattering and ab-
sorption spectroscopy to probe the equa-
tion of state. Other experiments will in-
volve creating high-pressure matter by
driving a shock wave through a material
with an optical laser and probing the state
of the compressed lattice with x-rays. And
yet others will use x-rays to rapidly heat
materials before using ultrafast lasers for
time-resolved interferometric measure-
ment of the velocity of the surface of the
material.
Synchronizing FEL pulses, fs lasers
Taking full advantage of the temporal
resolution in experiments involving ultra-
fast and FEL pulses requires timing con-
trol of the variable delay between the
pulses on a timescale of 30 fs or less.
There are two complementary approaches
to meeting this challenge. A fundamental
requirement is active synchronization of
the ultrafast laser to the FEL master radio-
frequency oscillator. To date, however,
various sources of timing jitter in the x-ray
beam at LCLS are difficult to reconcile
and limit this synchronization to the
>100-fs (rms) level. For many experi-
ments where phenomena on the 10-fs
timescale are important, this level of jitter
is not adequate and requires a second ap-
proach: measuring the relative timing
between the laser and x-rays on a shot-by-
shot basis. The raw data is then re-sorted,
with every recorded data point re-binned
according to the measured delay between
the x-rays and the optical laser.
Obviously, this requires a method of re-
liably measuring the temporal separation
of the x-ray/ultrafast pulses on every shot.
Eventually, scientists would like the abil-
ity to see the complete temporal profile of
the x-ray pulse, which will require com-
plete temporal profile retrieval methods
such as frequency-resolved optical gating
in the x-ray domain using a physical pro-
cess that is sensitive to these x-rays and
significantly faster than 30 fs. Scientists at
SLAC and other FEL facilities have
shown that relative timing can be meas-
ured by imparting a spectral and/or spatial
chirp to the ultrafast pulse. This then re-
flects off or is transmitted through
a material whose optical properties are dy-
namically modified by the x-ray pulse.
In one such method, a small fraction of
Free-Electron Lasers
Time
E
n
e
r
g
y
E
n
e
r
g
y
P A
Figure 2. In Auger spectroscopy, a high-energy
(e.g., x-ray) photon causes an inner-core electron to
be eliminated from the target atom or molecule. A
valence electron then drops down to fill the resultant
orbital vacancy. This creates excess energy, which
is released by ejection of another valence electron
whose kinetic energy is measured by time of flight
or similar means. A detailed examination of the
kinetic energy of the released electrons from a
sample provides important information about the
local chemistry of the sample.
Figure 3. Angular yield of Auger electrons for 90,
45 and 0 (blue, green, red) with respect to the
molecular axis for double-core (two electrons)
vacancies in prealigned nitrogen molecules.
Clearly, this distribution peaks at 0 molecular
orientation. Figure reproduced with permission
from Physical Review Letters.
the ultrafast laser pulse is collimated and
reflected off a silicon nitride (Si
3
N
4
) mem-
brane at a 50 angle of incidence before
reaching a CCD camera.
3
Using this large
angle of incidence causes the time at
which the pulse reaches the membrane to
vary linearly across the collimated beam.
The collimated x-ray pulse from the FEL
passes through this membrane at normal
incidence, releasing a large population of
charge carriers and temporarily causing a
change in the membranes refractive index
and, hence, optical reflectivity. This geom-
etry effectively maps various relative ar-
rival times of the two pulses across the
profile of the ultrafast beam that can be
seen in the CCD camera output; the tem-
poral overlap between the optical laser and
the x-rays manifests as a step in the inten-
sity of the reflected ultrafast beam profile.
Because this method uses only a small
portion of the ultrafast pulse intensity, and
because more than 80 percent of the x-ray
intensity passes through the membrane,
sufficient x-ray flux is available for the
actual experiment.
In a related study, the ultrafast laser
pulse is focused into a sapphire disk to
create a supercontinuum that is chirped by
transmitting it through a few centimeters
of glass.
4
A smooth section of this contin-
uum (620 to 700 nm) is then transmitted
through a thin Si
3
N
4
membrane. Again,
this is irradiated at normal incidence by
the collimated x-ray pulse, which causes a
transient change in refractive index and, in
this case, optical transmission. The optical
pulse is then dispersed in a spectrograph
to produce a time-dependent distribution
of wavelength that is recorded with a
CCD. A step function in the intensity plot
indicates the onset of the x-ray pulse with
a measured rms accuracy of <25 fs.
Ultrafast laser system requirements
LCLS is equipped with a considerable
array of Ti:sapphire-based ultrafast laser
oscillators and amplifiers, such as Coher-
ents Vitara (oscillator) and Legend (am-
plifier), as well as various wavelength-
extension accessories. To take full advan-
tage of the FELs capabilities, the ultrafast
laser should provide state-of-the-art per-
formance and flexibility and yet be reli-
able and easy to use.
For example, many experiments require
external timing synchronization to the
FELs master radio-frequency system with
a jitter of 100 fs or better. This simplifies
data processing and eliminates the need
for pulse correlation measurements in
many applications. In addition, with an
LCLS beam time cost of more than
$30,000 per hour, 24/7 reliability and
minimum maintenance are mandatory!
The decision to purchase Coherent Vitara
oscillators was determined partly by the
fact that these next-generation flexible
lasers are one-box turnkey instruments
supporting hands-free operation over thou-
sands of hours, while also delivering state-
of-the-art performance specifications.
Other key laser requirements of the full
amplifier system include high shot-to-shot
stability, with fluctuations <0.5 percent
and straightforward flexibility in switching
between quite different wavelength do-
mains from the UV through mid-IR even
producing teraherz with appropriate user
setup.
Meet the authors
Alan R. Fry is deputy director of the Laser Sci-
ence and Technology division at SLAC Na-
tional Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park,
Calif.; email: alanfry@slac.stanford.edu. Marco
Arrigoni is director of marketing at Coherent
Inc. in Sunnyvale, Calif.; email: marco.arrigoni
@coherent.com.
References
1. M. Frst et al (December 2011). Driving
magnetic order in a manganite by ultrafast
lattice excitation. Phys Rev B, Vol. 84, Issue
24, 241104(R).
2. J.P. Cryan et al (August 2010). Auger elec-
tron angular distribution of double core-hole
states in the molecular reference frame. Phys
Rev Lett, Vol. 105, Issue 8, p. 083004.
3. M. Beye et al (March 2012). X-ray pulse pre-
serving single-shot optical cross-correlation
method for improved experimental temporal
resolution. Appl Phys Lett, Vol. 100, Issue
12, p. 121108.
4. M.R. Bionta et al (October 2011). Spectral
encoding of x-ray/optical relative delay. Opt
Exp, Vol. 19, No. 22, p. 21855.
Free-Electron Lasers
Figure 4. (a) 100 nm of continuum is generated by focusing 800-nm Ti:sapphire pulses into 1-mm-thick
C-plane cut sapphire. A reference HeNe is co-propagated with the 800-nm light. The continuum spectrum
is shown in the inset (b). The spectrometer limits the effective bandwidth to a 620- to 700-nm smooth region
that is used in this experiment. The pulses are chirped to 3 ps with 2 in. of SF11 glass. (c) The continuum then
probes the Si3N4 membrane. The x-rays change the index in the membrane, thus changing the spectral
transmission of the probe (d). Two equivalent spectra are separated into two distinct stripes, as shown in
the inset (e). The reference HeNe spectral line is seen on the right side of this image. Figure reproduced
with permission from Optics Express.
Interferometer Keeps
Optics Shop on Track
BY MIKE ZECCHINO
4D TECHNOLOGY CORP.
S
ometimes making transit run more
smoothly can create a few bumps
elsewhere. The Modern Streetcar
Project in Tucson, Ariz., was designed to
be a sustainable transportation option con-
necting the city center, the University of
Arizona, the Arizona Health Sciences
Center and several residential, historic and
shopping districts. It sounded good for the
community at large, but when personnel at
the National Optical Astronomy Observa-
tory (NOAO) heard about the plans, they
got worried.
The NOAOs Optics Shop is on the
University of Arizona campus, where it
coats, tests and assembles telescope op-
tics and systems, including optics for the
3.5-m WIYN (a consortium comprising
the University of Wisconsin, Indiana and
Yale universities, and NOAO) Telescope
on Arizonas Kitt Peak. The facility also is
situated directly along the streetcar pro-
jects proposed path. So the staff was con-
cerned that vibrations generated by the
streetcars which are scheduled to pass
the facility as often as every 10 minutes
between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. would se-
verely prohibit accurate interferometric
measurements within the facility, said
Gary Poczulp, NOAOs Optics Shop and
Coating Lab supervisor.
The facility already deals with a high
degree of ambient vibration, particularly
when traffic is heavy on nearby roads. Its
large testing rigs are not vibration-isolated,
which has required technicians to make
measurements during off-hours, with air-
handling equipment turned off.
Testing for vibration impact
There was the potential for several re-
search facilities on the University of Ari-
zona campus to be affected by the project,
both by vibration and by electromagnetic
fields generated by passing streetcars, said
Shellie Ginn, program manager for the
Tucson Modern Streetcar.
In response to the NOAO concerns, the
Modern Streetcar Project hired ATS Con-
sulting, a Pasadena, Calif.-based acousti-
cal consulting firm, to analyze the street-
cars potential impact. The firm used a
technique called vibration propagation
testing to simulate the effect of a passing
streetcar and placed accelerometers
throughout the Optics Shops coating and
fabrication areas to measure the effects.
The predicted streetcar vibration ex-
ceeds the measured nighttime ambient
vibration in the low-frequency range when
most heating, ventilation and air-condi-
tioning (HVAC) systems are turned off,
according to an ATS memorandum. The
report also noted that, because the pre-
dicted streetcar vibration exceeds the
measured nighttime ambient vibration in
some frequency ranges, streetcar opera-
tions may cause vibration levels that
Dynamic interferometry allows the National Optical Astronomy
Observatorys optics lab to avoid heavy vibration
when the city builds a streetcar line nearby.
Figure 1: Engineers faced vibration-isolation issues when it was found that the Tucson Modern Streetcar will
pass within 100 feet of NOAOs Optics Shop. Courtesy of ATS Consulting.
Figure 2: The AccuFiz interferometer was selected
to help the NOAO optics lab overcome a vibra-
tion challenge caused by a new streetcar project
near the lab. Courtesy of 4D Technology.
612_4DTech Telescope_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:10 PM Page 60
would interfere with interferometer tests
in the Optics Lab.
1
Several options for mitigating the ef-
fects of vibration were proposed and con-
sidered, including installing vibration iso-
lation for equipment in the facility and
incorporating vibration isolation into the
track design. The latter options were found
to require massive isolation structures and
to be prohibitively expensive. Relocation,
a solution employed for another university
laboratory located along the route, was not
possible for the Optics Shop because of
the massive size of its equipment. And, of
course, restricting the hours of measure-
ments in the shop would greatly limit the
facilitys productivity, while limiting the
hours of operation for the streetcar would
diminish its effectiveness and jeopardize
its fiscal well-being.
Vibration-insensitive testing
NOAO staff suggested a different ap-
proach, Poczulp said, and began investi-
gating laser-based instruments that can
perform high-precision measurement even
in the presence of vibration and motion.
In traditional phase-shifting laser inter-
ferometry, which can measure surface
shape down to nanometer levels, multiple
frames of measurement data are acquired
sequentially over hundreds of millisec-
onds. This acquisition time is very long
relative to environmental noise such as
vibration and air turbulence, particularly at
the nanometer scale. Vibration isolation is
possible but can be extremely expensive
on the large scale required by the shops
testing setup.
Over the past decade, several compa-
nies have introduced technologies that
enable laser interferometry to be used
without isolation. In one such method, dy-
namic interferometry, all measurement
data is acquired simultaneously in a single
camera frame. The entire acquisition cycle
is completed in less than a millisecond,
more than a thousand times faster than
phase-shifting interferometry. Such fast
acquisition time enables measurements to
be made despite vibration, without addi-
tional isolation. Averaging multiple meas-
urements removes the effect of air turbu-
lence as well.
Dynamic interferometry, therefore,
offered a potential solution to streetcar
vibration, and with a cost approximately
one-tenth that of other proposed mitiga-
tion methods.
Several vendors held demonstrations for
NOAO and Modern Streetcar Project man-
agement to prove the feasibility of the
method. While the city of Tucson people
had agreed in principle that a vibration-
insensitive interferometer was the way to
go, they were interested in seeing how
such a piece of equipment would be able
to mitigate our anticipated vibration prob-
lems, Poczulp said. The demonstrations
successfully showed the techniques mer-
its, and the instrument was chosen.
Poczulp said 4D Technologys AccuFiz
interferometer was selected because of its
small size, which allows the instrument to
be moved easily between test stations and
facilities, and because of the flexibility of
its software, which would enable the sys-
tem to be used for a variety of future
measurement tasks as well as for the cur-
rent projects at the facility. The interfer-
ometer also gave the shop significantly
improved resolution and precision com-
pared with its older, traditional measure-
ment equipment.
Project managers were particularly
happy that they found a solution from a
local vendor. What are the chances of
finding the solution in Tucson? That usu-
ally doesnt happen, Ginn said. We
would have found a solution to the vibra-
tion problem no matter what, but this op-
tion made the most sense. We were able to
improve the working environment [at the
Optics Shop] and at the same time support
the local economy.
The interferometer was delivered to
NOAO in December 2011 and is now in
service at the Optics Shop. The systems
vibration insensitivity has exceeded expec-
tations, Poczulp said. We are able to
measure at pretty much any time of day,
with HVAC equipment running and trucks
coming and going at our dock, he added.
For one test, the instrument was moved
to an adjacent setup to complete optical
testing for the One Degree Imager (ODI)
instrument destined for the WIYN tele-
scope. Poczulp said that the measurements
were completed quickly, and the optical
testing, a major milestone for the ODI
project, was completed on time.
The streetcar project is now in its con-
struction phase and is expected to have
minimal effect on measurements at the lab
when it becomes fully operational next
year.
Meet the author
Mike Zecchino is the marketing communication
manager for 4D Technology Corp. in Tucson,
Ariz.; email: mike.zecchino@4dtechnology.
com.
Acknowledgments
NOAO is operated by the Association of
Universities for Research in Astronomy
Inc., under Cooperative Agreement with
the National Science Foundation. 4D
Technology Corp. develops and manufac-
tures optical metrology instruments for
applications in astronomy, aerospace,
general optics and other industries.
Reference
1. Analysis of Streetcar Noise and Vibration in
NOAO Laboratories. ATS Consulting Mem-
orandum, April 7, 2011.
Figure 3: The vibration-insensitive interferometer at NOAOs Optics Shop measures components for the
WIYN Telescopes One Degree Imager. Courtesy of NOAO and the Association of Universities for
Research in Astronomy Inc.
612_4DTech Telescope_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:10 PM Page 61
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(585) 657-6663
sales@toptica-usa.com
www.toptica.com
Nanopositioning Stages, Motors and Sensors, and Hexapods
PIs precision positioners, piezo actuators, flexure guided stages and
capacitive sensors combine subnanometer stability with submillisecond
responsiveness.
1- to 6-axis stages with many digital control options
Ultrasonic motors for high-speed automation
Piezo stepping linear motors for high-force, high-precision applications
Hexapods for optics alignment
Hybrid linear translation stages for long travel and nanometer precision
(508) 832-3456
info@pi-usa.us
www.pi-usa.us
BeamMic, Entry-Level Laser Beam Analysis
Spiricon, global leader in precision laser measurement equipment
and a Newport Corporation brand, has announced BeamMic
, a new
laser beam analyzer that combines the essentials for monitoring laser
performance in a low-cost entry-level system.
(866) 755-5499
sales@us.ophiropt.com
www.ophiropt.com/photonics
Making Life Easier for Photomultiplier Users
Using photomultipliers is now even easier with the new HV2520 series
of compact, low noise, low power HV Bases. Incorporating socket, voltage
divider and HV supply, this series of HV Bases operates from low-voltage
DC and is compatible with a wide range of 25mm and 30mm diameter
photomultiplier types in analog, pulse counting or photon counting
applications. Being very efficient, the HV Bases can support high signal
currents while avoiding the heat dissipation issues associated with resistive
voltage dividers. They can also be integrated into the QL30 series of
photomultiplier housings.
(800) 399-4557
sales@electrontubes.com
www.et-enterprises.
com/about-us/news
New sCMOS Camera
The new Zyla 5.5-megapixel scientific CMOS (sCMOS) camera is ideal
for research and OEM usage. Zyla sCMOS offers a 100-fps rate, rolling
and snapshot (global) shutter modes, and ultralow noise performance
in a light, compact and cost-effective design. Zyla achieves down to
1.2-electron rms read noise and can read out the 5.5-megapixel sensor at
a sustained 100 fps through a 10-tap Camera Link interface. A highly cost-
effective 3-tap version is also available, offering up to 30 fps.
(800) 296-1579
info@andor.com
andor.com/zyla
InSb Infrared Camera
Telops Inc. has released the TEL-1000 MW, an InSb
cooled infrared camera that covers the 3.6- to
4.9-m range. It can be customized to cover a
range from 1.5 to 5 m, combining good spatial
resolution and a high frame rate. It captures up to
200 fps at full frame (640 512 pixels) and up to
600 fps when windowing (320 256 pixels) is
used. The camera features patent-pending real-
time processing and real-time temperature calibra-
tion algorithms, providing either raw or thermally
calibrated data in real time without the need for
external blackbodies. It also can be equipped with automatic exposure control to adjust the
exposure time according to the scenes dynamic temperature variations. It facilitates observation
of dynamic events by combining real-time temperature calibration, real-time processing and
nonuniformity correction into one imaging tool.
Telops Inc.
vincent.marcoux@telops.com
High-Speed Camera
Photron Inc.s high-speed Fastcam SA-X camera
delivers 12,500 fps at full 1024 1024-pixel reso-
lution and features 64-GB onboard memory and
a 12-bit dynamic range. It permits short exposure
times and is used in materials science, fluid dynam-
ics, defense and aerospace research, ballistics
imaging, combustion research, and shock wave
and detonation applications. With a 20-m pixel
size and a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (Bayer
system color, single sensor), it includes a dual high-
speed Gigabit Ethernet interface, a fast hardware
trigger and flexible frame synchronization to exter-
nal devices. Camera control is provided by an op-
tional keypad or via Photron Fastcam Viewer soft-
ware. The capping shutter facilitates automated
image calibration, and the software development
kit enables integration with user-specific software
as well as wrappers for MatLab and LabView.
Photron Inc.
image@photron.com
IDEAS
BRIGHT
High-Power IR Emitters
Opto Diode Corp.s OD-110L GaAlAs infrared
emitters feature ultrahigh optical output with a nar-
row optical beam for night-vision and military imag-
ing applications. They are housed in a three-lead,
hermetically sealed TO-39 package to accommo-
date the 0.6604 0.6604-mm chip. There are four
wire bonds on die corners, and all surfaces are
gold-plated. Typical total power output at 25 C is
110 mW, and minimum is 55 mW with a peak
emission wavelength at 850 nm. The absolute max-
imum rating at 25 C (case) for power dissipation is
1000 mW, with a continuous-forward-current rating
of 500 mW. Lead-soldering temperature (
1
16 in.
from the case for 10 s) is 260 C. Storage and oper-
ating temperatures range from 40 to 100 C,
making them suitable for use in harsh environments
and for integration into illuminators, markers, and
systems using night-vision goggles and cameras.
Opto Diode Corp.
sales@optodiode.com
Plastic Linear Polarizers
Edmund Optics TechSpec high-contrast plastic linear
polarizers feature a good extinction ratio and high trans-
mission of unpolarized light from 400 to 700 nm. They im-
prove contrast by reducing glare, rendering them suitable
for applications such as edge detection, and they can be
used with cameras employing small-aperture lenses. When
unpolarized light enters a linear polarizer, light polarized
perpendicular to the polarization axis is absorbed, while
light parallel to the polarization axis is transmitted. The
plastic linear polarizers use a proprietary stretched
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film to create the polarization
axis. For increased protection and durability, the PVA film
is laminated between two plastic plates. The polarizers
are available, unmounted, in 12.5- to 300-mm diameters.
Edmund Optics
sales@edmundoptics.com
Copper Laser Mirrors
A line of oxygen-free high-thermal-conductivity
copper mirrors is being offered by Laser Research
Optics, with or without water cooling, for high-
power multikilowatt CO
2
laser systems. They are
available in polished, uncoated versions or with
plasma gold coatings. Providing >99.6% reflec-
tivity at 10.6 m with /4 surface accuracy, they
are designed for laser beam delivery and beam
shaping. Available in 1- to 3-in. outside diameter
sizes, the mirrors feature a clear aperture of 90%
of the diameter and are effective for beam bend-
ing in all beam paths and beam guidance sys-
tems, from simple measurement setup to
high-performance lasers.
Laser Research Optics
scott@laserresearch.net
Single-Frequency CW Green Laser
Spectra-Physics, a Newport Corp. brand,
has launched the Millennia Edge single-
frequency, continuous-wave green laser.
The 532-nm industrial-grade laser features
ultralow optical noise of <0.02% rms, good
beam quality with M
2
<1.1, and pointing
stability of <2 rad/C in a compact pack-
age. It is suitable for pumping Ti:sapphire
and other lasers, including carrier-envelope-
phase stabilized systems, and for holography an d interferometry applications.
The rugged instrument outputs 5 W of single-longitudinal-mode CW green power.
Spectra-Physics
kim.abair@newport.com
612_BrightIdeas_Leads_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:27 PM Page 65
Small Laser Modules
Laser Components GmbHs LC-LMD series small
laser modules measure 7 mm in length. Laser
modules designed for the consumer market
are often, for lack of space and finances, self-
assembled. Laser diodes, collimators and drive
electronics are commonly assembled. The LC-
LMD series offers an alternative: complete laser
modules with a small design. High demand has
led to production of additional types. Modules
that have a diameter of 3.3 mm, focusable
modules and coaxially aligned lasers are en-
abling additional applications. Besides the 650-
nm types that already have been introduced,
versions are offered at 635, 780 and 850 nm.
They are available as individual devices as well
as in large production volumes.
Laser Components GmbH
info@lasercomponents.com
Laser Beam Steering Correction
A laser beam steering correction system intro-
duced by New Focus, the Picomotor mirror-
mount-based GuideStar II, controls laser point-
ing and position drift. It includes two indepen-
dent Picomotor-actuated motorized mirror
mounts to provide manual and active four-axis
control. Two miniature CMOS cameras provide
position sensing and continuous tracking of
laser beam positions and profiles. A patented
control algorithm ensures alignment of the laser
beam in X and Y, and in the near and far fields.
The controller can be connected to cameras and
to a Windows computer via USB, making it easy
to view beam profiles, position and shape data
in real time, or track, store and analyze the
data later. The DVD software and setup menu
guide users through installation. Intuitive set-
tings menus permit user control of camera and
beam stabilization parameters. The system is
suitable for research, laboratory and industrial
applications.
New Focus
Long-Life Fiber-Pigtailed Lasers
Coherent Inc. has expanded its OBIS family
of plug-and-play laser modules with a fiber-
pigtailed option at 405, 488 and 640 nm.
The devices offer 1 m of single-mode, polariza-
tion-preserving fiber, terminating in an FC/APC
connector and simplifying integration into OEM
instruments. The compact, self-contained lasers
produce low noise and can be directly modu-
lated. Their output beam delivers low drift to
maintain efficient coupling, and a telecom-type
architecture yields drift-free optomechanical
coupling. The modules have longer lifetimes
because they address facet damage caused by
the high power density at the fiber facets. Appli-
cations span the life sciences, metrology and
inspection, where fiber delivery is used for
miniaturization. Examples include fluorescence-
based techniques such as flow cytometry, confo-
cal microscopy and array readers for drug dis-
covery. The wavelength scalability of the OBIS
platform enables optimum excitation of target
fluorophores.
Coherent Inc.
tech.sales@coherent.com
Mirror Mounts
Newport Corp. has unveiled the stainless steel
Suprema SN200 series mirror mounts for
50.8-mm-diameter optics. The clear edge mir-
ror mounts are compact, enabling unencum-
bered access to the edge of the mirror. They are
available in either right- or left-handed versions
for situations where the mirrors have to touch
or be in proximity. The mounts are available
with two or three locking actuators, rendering
them suitable for demanding research applica-
tions. The precision mounts use micropolished
carbide pads and 100-thread-per-inch adjust-
ment screws, which enable smooth, high-reso-
lution alignment and good stability.
Newport Corp.
High-Power NIR Light Source
Ocean Optics Vivo near-infrared compact tung-
sten halogen light source for VIS-NIR spec-
66
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BRIGHT IDEAS
612_Bright Ideas_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:33 PM Page 66
troscopy across the 360- to 2000-nm range is
compatible with the companys spectrometers,
optical fibers and sampling accessories. It deliv-
ers powerful output for reflection and other
measurements. The high-power light source is
suitable for near-infrared analysis of pharma-
ceuticals, grains and oils, and for food safety
applications. Its four tungsten halogen bulbs,
arranged for reflection measurements at a 90
angle to the detection fiber, can be turned on
and off for precision control. The powerful bulb
output enables spectrometer integration times
of 1 ms. To ensure accuracy, an inner cooling
fan reduces the risk of overheating the sample.
The light source can be attached to the com-
panys RTL stage or other standard for stability
and control. Powered by an included universal
supply, its tungsten halogen bulbs are rated for
a 2000-h lifetime.
Ocean Optics
info@oceanoptics.com
Automation Machine Controller
Aerotech has introduced a motion control
industrial computer for its Automation 3200
multiaxis automation machine controller. The
panel- or rack-mount (1U or 4U) computer has
front and top connections that simplify installa-
tion with panel-mount devices, while the 183
183 70-mm enclosure saves space. Optional
FireWire, USB and serial ports, dual Ethernet
and solid-state storage enhance operation. The
controller includes active cooling, full functional-
ity on a single printed circuit board, optional
SSD and advanced motherboard watchdog
technology. Features include a 2-GHz proces-
sor, a 12-VDC or 120-VAC power adapter,
audio, integrated graphics, and a Windows XP
PRO or Windows 7 operating system. Applica-
tions include semiconductors, data storage,
medical laser processing, automotive and ma-
chine tools. A software-only motion controller
offers 32 axes of synchronized motion control.
Aerotech
sales@aerotech.com
Thermoelectric Temperature Controller
ILX Lightwave, a Newport Corp. brand, has
launched the LDT-5940C, a thermoelectric tem-
perature controller for testing laser diodes. It
features 60 W of temperature control, an intu-
itive front panel, and IEEE 488.1 general-pur-
pose interface bus and USB 2.0 remote inter-
faces. With a digital proportional integral deriv-
ative (PID) control loop, it achieves temperature
stability of <0.003 C with output current
noise and ripple of <2 mA rms. It incorporates
preset PID values and an autotune PID mode
that determines optimal values. It is compatible
with thermistors, resistance temperature detec-
tors, and LM335 and AD590 integrated circuit
sensors. The linearized thermistor sensor mode
achieves 0.2 C accuracy from 30 to 85 C
with a standard 10-K thermistor. Interlocks
connect the controller to a laser diode driver
and will disable the laser output if the controller
is over the user-configurable temperature limit.
LabView drivers are available for download
from the companys website.
ILX Lightwave
Fluorescence Imaging Light Sources
The PhotoFluor II and PhotoFluor II NIR light
sources for quantitative fluorescence imaging
have been unveiled by 89 North. With a 1600-
h-lifetime prealigned lamp and extended-UV
(PhotoFluor II) or extended-NIR transmission
(PhotoFluor II NIR), they operate from 360 to
800 nm. The PhotoFluor II provides enough
power in the UV for DAPI and Hoechst imaging.
The metal halide sources DC power supply sta-
bilizes lamp output over time for minimal fluctu-
ation during time-sensitive experiments. The
software control interface allows operators to
adjust the shutter, choose filter position, ad-
vance the filter wheel, change settings and
rename wheel contents. Liquid light coupling
minimizes vibration at the microscope, and the
liquid lightguide maximizes output. Applications
include cyan, green and yellow fluorescent pro-
tein; mCherry, Texas Red, MitoTracker Red,
FITC, TRITC, Di-4-ANNEPS, Fluo-4, Fura Red,
Cy7, IRDye 800, AlexaFluor 750 and iRFP.
89 North
info@89north.com
67
b BRIGHT IDEAS
FIB-SEM Workstation
Carl Zeiss Auriga system combines the Auriga
CrossBeam focused ion beam/scanning electron
microscope (FIB-SEM) workstation with a pulsed
microfocus laser for ablation of materials and
for examining samples where the target struc-
ture is buried under material layers that must
be removed. The laser beam does not damage
the sample. The Trumpf nanosecond pulsed
diode-pumped solid-state scanning laser oper-
ates at 355 nm. To protect the workstation and
detectors from debris, the system has a separate
chamber for laser operation. After the structure
is prepared, the sample is transferred to the
main chamber for SEM examination or FIB pol-
ishing. CAD software controls the scanner head,
enabling the user to predefine complex patterns
of the sample structure. Applications include ex-
amination of next-generation nanotechnology
processors and thin-film solar cells, semiconduc-
tor manufacturing, photovoltaics, polymer elec-
tronics, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and mate-
rials research.
Carl Zeiss
wiederspahn@nts.zeiss.com
Bright LED Line-Scan Illuminator
ProPhotonix Ltd.s Cobra Max, an addition to
the patented Cobra machine vision lighting illu-
minators, delivers increased power and func-
tionality. A compact line-scan illuminator with a
modular form factor, it produces a uniform line
up to 5 million lx and offers field-adjustable op-
tics for selecting the optimum lens position for
a specific application. It is available in lengths
up to 5 m and in a range of power levels and
wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the visible
and infrared. It uses chip-on-board technology
to ensure high brightness and uniformity. Op-
tions include a strobing function and onboard
Ethernet control. Applications include web and
line-scan inspection of foil, plastic film, printed
circuit boards, semiconductors, flat panel dis-
plays, paper, currency and glass.
ProPhotonix Ltd.
sales@prophotonix.com
Electrostatic Actuator IC
Teledyne Dalsa Semiconductor has announced
its DH9685AB electrostatic actuator integrated
circuit (IC). Using proprietary high-voltage
CMOS/diffusion metal oxide semiconductor
technology, it is designed for next-generation
high-density small-footprint systems using mi-
croelectromechanical or micro-optoelectro-
mechanical systems activation with electrostatic
forces. It offers low power consumption and
ball-grid-array packaging, and it achieves inte-
gration with the smallest footprint area per
channel. It has 96 high-voltage channels up to
240 V in a 17 17-mm package and is RoHS-
compliant. It operates through a digital three-
wire interface. Features include a 16-bit digital-
to-analog (D/A) converter with sample and
hold; power consumption <500 mW; 24 selec-
table quads of four high-voltage channels pro-
grammable with four low-voltage 16-bit D/A
converters; an adjustable output range; single-
polarity low-voltage power supplies; stable
high-voltage output over time; and an internal
diode for temperature monitoring.
Teledyne Dalsa Semiconductor
sales.americas@teledynedalsa.com
NIR Streak Camera
Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd. has unveiled a
streak camera with sensitivity in the near-in-
frared up to 1650 nm. The C11293 simulta-
neously records intensity versus time versus
position (or wavelength) with high temporal res-
olution. The streak photocathode is made of
InP/InGaAs, and its sensitivity is several orders
of magnitude higher than that of S-1. To sup-
press dark current and make the device suitable
for low-light-level applications, the photocath-
ode operates at approximately 100 C by
means of liquid nitrogen cooling. The time reso-
lution of the C11293 is better than 20 ps full
width half maximum. It can run at arbitrary rep-
etition rates up to a maximum of 20 MHz, mak-
ing it easy to combine with many experimental
setups. Applications include time-resolved spec-
troscopy in semiconductor physics, quantum
dots, carbon nanotubes and other nanostructure
research, photovoltaic research and photonic
crystals.
Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd.
info@hamamatsu.eu
Dedicated Digital Reproduction Camera
Phase Ones iXR is a medium-format dedicated
digital reproduction camera for high-quality dig-
itization, including fine-art reproduction and in-
dustrial applications. Using it with proprietary
Capture One software, reproduction photogra-
phers can move from live view to capture with
the click of a mouse. The industrial design elim-
inates the mirror and viewfinder, reducing mov-
ing parts and vibration, and its aircraft-grade
aluminum alloy camera body enables perform-
ance under demanding conditions. The system
is available in 80-, 60- and 40-megapixel con-
figurations as well as in a stand-alone camera
body. It is FCC (Class A)-, CE- and RoHS-com-
pliant. Operating temperature ranges from
10 to 40 C, and the system runs on Windows
7 and Mac OS X 10.6 or later. Applications also
include machine vision and aerial photogram-
metry.
Phase One
www.phaseone.com
Laser Beam Analysis System
Ophir-Spiricon LLC has introduced BeamMic,
a laser beam analyzer that measures a beams
size, shape, uniformity and mode content. Beam
intensity profiles are displayed simultaneously
in 2- and 3-D. Statistical analyses can be per-
formed on measurement functions, and mini-
68
b BRIGHT IDEAS
mum/maximum limits can be set for pass/fail
testing. A report generator enables cutting and
pasting of results, images and settings. Displays
are zoomable and resizable, shown in satellite
windows on one or multiple monitors. The sys-
tem performs ISO measurements and test meth-
ods on beam width, diameter, power/energy
distribution and spatial orientation. Statistical
analysis can be performed on all measure-
ments, such as mean, standard deviation and
minimum/maximum. The software sets the gain
and exposure time of the camera array to maxi-
mize the beam signal while keeping it below
saturation.
Ophir-Spiricon LLC
sales@ophir-spiricon.com
Bright-Field LED Illuminator
Prior Scientific Inc. has enhanced its line of illu-
mination products for microscopy. The Bright-
Field LED illuminator is supplied in a flexible
package that can be fitted to most modern up-
right and inverted microscope systems. With
10,000 h of operating lifetime, the LED re-
places the standard lamp house and is easily
fitted to the microscope. Control of the unit is a
choice of manual, transistor-transistor logic or
on/off, eliminating the need for shutter mecha-
nisms. Intensity can be regulated manually via
a small controller for precise adjustment of the
illumination. The intensity is sufficient for
phase contrast and differential interference
contrast imaging. Illumination is even across the
field of view, and constant color temperature is
assured at all intensities. The LED can be pow-
ered from the companys ProScan and OptiScan
controllers via the shutter connections or as a
stand-alone light source with a separate power
cable.
Prior Scientific Inc.
ddoherty@prior.com
Dual-View Imaging System
Navitar Inc. has introduced a dual-view imaging
system that allows simultaneous viewing of a
single subject and image capture at multiple
fields of view. A single lens is presented to two
imaging channels that can be fixed, zoom or a
combination, and two light sources and wave-
lengths can be used. The system has a mini-
mum optical magnification range of 0.09 to
6.13, corresponding to 120-mm-diagonal
fields of view on a
2
3-in.-format sensor down to
a 0.65-mm diagonal on a
1
4-in. sensor. Maxi-
mum optical magnification ranges from 20 to
583 using a 50 objective. The system com-
prises a combination of a fixed 1 tube lens,
precise eye lens, zoom 6000 or 12 zoom lens;
a dual-view fold block; LED light sources; and
adapter tubes. Applications include camera
sensor inspection, laser beam monitoring and
thin-film transistor repair.
Navitar Inc.
info@navitar.com
Image Analysis Software
Leica Microsystems has released Tissue 1A 2.0
image analysis software for drug discovery and
for capture, management and analysis of digital
pathology images. Combining fluorescence and
bright-field analysis with cell modeling, it per-
forms immunohistochemistry (IHC) biomarker
quantification and retrieves quantitative, repro-
ducible data from tissue-based IHC studies.
Color separation and multimarker colocalization
enable measurement of multiple antigen im-
munostaining in bright-field or fluorescent sam-
ples. Cell modeling detects and quantifies dif-
ferential expression of staining in cellular com-
partments, providing insight into cytoplasmic,
membrane and nuclear biomarker localization.
Dual staining enables researchers to identify cell
69
b BRIGHT IDEAS
cohorts at the molecular level. Algorithms are
adjusted for different markers, tissue and proto-
cols. With high-throughput batch analysis, the
software processes whole slides, regions of in-
terest or tissue microarray cores, and integrates
analysis results with the users slides.
Leica Microsystems
news@leica-microsystems.com
Fiber-Coupled Optical Isolator
A polarization-maintaining optical isolator opti-
mized for 638-nm diode lasers has been un-
veiled by Blue Sky Research. The fiber-pigtailed
PSFI is designed for isolating visible laser diodes
from reflected light that may otherwise produce
instability in the source laser or induce damage
to it. It is tuned for light in the wavelength
range of 635 to 670 nm but can be optimized
to meet any application inside the visible spec-
trum. The device is designed for fiber-to-fiber
industrial applications, where polarization main-
tenance, low insertion loss and high optical iso-
lation are key criteria. The all-passive optical
design ensures reliable fiber alignment and per-
formance over a wide range of operating envi-
ronments. All fibers are polarization-maintain-
ing for their specified wavelength and may
be spliced to lasers or fitted with FC/APC con-
nectors.
Blue Sky Research
sales@blueskyresearch.com
Blue-Light Transilluminator
Syngenes UltraBright-LED blue-light transillumi-
nator safely images fluorescently labeled gels
on the bench or inside the companys G:BOX
imaging systems. It uses two high-intensity LED
arrays that produce uniform, bright excitation at
470 nm, and it illuminates dyes that excite at
420 to 480 nm. It is suitable for visualizing
small amounts of ethidium bromide and non-
toxic DNA stains, including the proprietary
UltraSafe Blue dye, SYBR Safe and GelGreen,
and SYPRO Ruby and Pro-Q Diamond protein
stains. It images fluorescent DNA gels and fea-
tures a filter that enhances band contrast. It vi-
sualizes faint bands and enables precise band
cutting and production of high-quality images
for analysis and publication. It is an alternative
to UV for work with nontoxic fluorescent dyes, is
not as harmful as UV and does not photo-nick
DNA samples.
Syngene
ussales@syngene.com
70
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JULY
2012 Astronomical Telescopes +
Instrumentation (July 1-6) Amsterdam.
Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
help@spie.org; spie.org.
Sixth International Meeting on
Developments in Materials, Processes
and Applications of Emerging Technologies
(MPA) (July 2-4) Alvor, Portugal. Contact
MPA Tech, +44 161 918 6673; info@mpa-
meeting.com; www.mpa-meeting.com.
Eighth International Conference on
Optics-Photonics Design and Fabrication
(ODF 12) (July 2-5) St. Petersburg, Russia.
Contact Eugenia Brui, +7 911 998 21 81;
odf12org@gmail.com; www.odf2012.ru.
17th Optoelectronics and Communications
Conference (July 2-6) Busan, South Korea.
Contact OECC 2012 Secretariat, +82 42 472
7461; oecc@oecc-2012.org; www.oecc-
2012.org.
XVII Symposium on High Resolution
Molecular Spectroscopy (HighRus-2012)
(July 2-7) Zelenogorsk, Russia. Contact Yurii N.
Ponomarev, V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric
Optics, +7 3822 49 20 20; yupon@iao.ru;
symp.iao.ru/en.
AM-FPD 12: The Nineteenth International
Workshop on Active-Matrix Flat Panel
Displays and Devices TFT Technologies
and FPD Materials (July 4-6) Kyoto, Japan.
Contact AM-FPD 12 Secretariat, c/o Mobara
Atecs Ltd., amfpd@atecs.co.jp; www.amfpd.jp.
XVIII International Conference on
Ultrafast Phenomena (July 8-13) Lausanne,
Switzerland. Contact European Physical Society,
+33 3 89 32 94 48; secretariat@eps.org;
www.up2012.org.
SEMICON West 2012 (July 10-12)
San Francisco. An event of Semiconductor
Equipment and Materials International. Contact
SEMI Customer Service, +1 (408) 943-6978;
semiconwest@semi.org; semiconwest.org.
39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
(July 14-22) Mysore, India. Contact COSPAR
(Committee on Space Research) Secretariat,
+33 1 44 76 75 10; cospar@cosparhq.cnes.fr;
www.cospar-assembly.org.
Lasers in Medicine and Biology Conference
(July 22-27) Holderness, N.H. Contact Holly
Tobin, Gordon Research Conferences, fax: +1
(401) 783-7644; htobin@grc.org; www.grc.org.
M&M 2012: Microscopy and Microanalysis
(July 29-Aug. 2) Phoenix. Contact Microscopy
Society of America, +1 (703) 234-4115;
registration@microscopy.org;
www.microscopy.org.
Mirror Technology SBIR/STTR Workshop
(July 31-Aug. 3) Rochester, N.Y. Contact SPIE,
+1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org;
spie.org.
AUGUST
Second International Conference on
Optical, Electronic and Electrical Materials
(Aug. 5-7) Shanghai. Contact Conference
Secretariat, +86 519 8633 4730; info@oeem.
org; www.oeem.org.
Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics
Conference (Aug. 6-9) Banff, Alberta,
Canada. Contact Megan Figueroa, IEEE
Photonics Society, +1 (732) 562-3895;
m.figueroa@ieee.org; www.mems-ieee.org.
SPIE Optics + Photonics (Aug. 12-16)
San Diego. Includes NanoScience +
Engineering; Solar Energy + Technology;
Organic Photonics + Electronics; and Optical
Engineering + Applications. Contact SPIE,
+1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org;
spie.org.
Sixth EOS Topical Meeting on Visual
and Physiological Optics (EMVPO 2012)
(Aug. 20-22) Dublin. A European Optical
Society event. Contact Julia Dalichow, EOS
Events and Services GmbH, +49 511 277
2673; emvpo2012@myeos.org;
www.myeos.org.
Fifth EPS-QEOD Europhoton Conference:
Solid State, Fibre and Waveguide
Coherent Light Sources (Aug. 26-31)
Stockholm. A European Physical Society
Quantum Electronics and Optics Division
event. Contact EPS, +33 389 32 9448;
conferences@eps.org; www.europhoton.org.
Ninth International Conference on
Group IV Photonics (GFP) (Aug. 29-31)
San Diego. Contact Rose Ann Bankowski,
IEEE Photonics Society, +1 (732) 562-3898;
r.bankowski@ieee.org; www.gfp-ieee.org.
SEPTEMBER
MIOMD-XI Infrared Optoelectronics:
Materials and Devices (Sept. 4-8) Chicago.
Contact Manijeh Razeghi, Northwestern
University, +1 (847) 491-7251; miomd-11@
northwestern.edu; miomd-11.northwestern.edu.
Speckle 2012, International Conference
on Speckle Metrology (Sept. 10-12) Vigo,
Spain. Contact Speckle 2012, Universidade
de Vigo, speckle2012@uvigo.es; speckle2012.
uvigo.es.
SPIE Photomask Technology (Sept. 10-13)
Monterey, Calif. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-
3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
Nanosystems in Engineering and
Medicine (Sept. 10-13) Incheon, South Korea.
Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customer
service@spie.org; spie.org.
XIX International Symposium on High
Power Laser Systems and Applications
(Sept. 10-14) Istanbul. Ozgur Tataroglu,
Tbitak Mam, +262 677 3133; ozgur.tataroglu
@mam.gov.tr; hplsa2012.mam.gov.tr.
International Manufacturing Technology
Show 2012 (Sept. 10-15) Chicago. Contact
AMT The Association for Manufacturing
Technology, +1 (800) 524-0475; amt@amt
online.org; www.amtonline.org.
Avionics, Fiber-Optics and Photonics
Conference (AVFOP 2012) (Sept. 11-13)
HAPPENINGS
PAPERS
SPIE Photonics West (February 2-7) San Francisco
Deadline: abstracts, July 23
SPIE is accepting papers for Photonics West. The event will encompass BiOS, focusing on areas
such as photonic therapeutics and diagnostics; LASE, addressing laser source engineering and
nonlinear optics; MOEMS-MEMS, considering micro- and nanofabricated electromechanical and
optical components; OPTO, discussing optoelectronic materials and devices, photonic integration
and other topics; and Green Photonics, including solid-state lighting and display. Contact SPIE,
+1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging (February 3-7) Burlingame, California
Deadline: abstracts, July 23
Late abstracts may be considered. Researchers are invited to submit their latest findings at Electronic
Imaging, which is sponsored by the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T) and SPIE.
The conference program areas are 3-D imaging, interaction and metrology; visualization, perception
and color; image processing; image capture; computer vision; mobile imaging; and media processing
and communication. Topics to be considered include real-time imaging and video processing, and
video surveillance and transportation imaging applications. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
SPIE Medical Imaging (February 9-14) Buena Vista, Florida
Deadline: abstracts, July 30; August 6
Check conferences for extended deadline. Papers are invited for SPIE Medical Imagings technical
conferences, which include Physics of Medical Imaging; Imaging Processing; Computer-Aided
Diagnosis; Image-Guided Procedures, Robotic Interventions and Modeling; Biomedical Applications
in Molecular, Structural and Functional Imaging; and Advanced PACS-based Imaging Informatics
and Therapeutic Applications. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
612Happenings_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:29 PM Page 71
Cocoa Beach, Fla. Contact Megan Figueroa,
m.figueroa@ieee.org; www.avfop-ieee.org.
Photonics in Switching 2012 (PS 2012)
(Sept. 11-14) Ajaccio, France. Contact
Michel Dupire, SEE, +33 1 5690 3709;
www.ps2012.net.
JSAP-OSA Joint Symposia
(73rd Japan Society of Applied Physics
Annual Meeting 2012) (Sept. 11-14)
Matsuyama, Japan. Symposia held with
Optical Society. Contact JSAP, +81 3 5802
0864; jsap-osa-js@jsap.or.jp; www.jsap.or.jp/
english.
SPRC 2012 Annual Symposium
(Sept. 17-19) Stanford, Calif. Contact
Stanford Photonics Research Center, +1 (650)
723-5627; photonics@stanford.edu;
photonics.stanford.edu.
Metamaterials 2012: Sixth International
Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic
Materials in Microwaves and Optics
(Sept. 17-22) St. Petersburg, Russia. Contact
contact@congress2012.metamorphose-vi.org;
congress2012.metamorphose-vi.org.
SPIE Laser Damage 2012 (Sept. 23-26)
Boulder, Colo. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-
3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
ICALEO, 31st International Congress on
Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics
(Sept. 23-27) Anaheim, Calif. Contact Laser
Institute of America, +1 (407) 380-1553;
icaleo@lia.org; www.icaleo.org.
IEEE Photonics Conference 2012
(Sept. 23-27) Burlingame, Calif. Contact Mary
S. Hendrickx, IEEE Photonics Society, +1 (732)
562-3897; m.hendrickx@ieee.org; www.ipc-
ieee.org.
SPIE Remote Sensing and SPIE Security +
Defence (Sept. 24-27) Edinburgh, UK. Contact
SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@
spie.org; spie.org.
Seventh International Conference on Laser
Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS
2012) (Sept. 29-Oct. 4) Luxor, Egypt. Contact
info@libs2012-niles.org; tel./fax: +202 3567
5335; libs2012-niles.org.
22nd International Symposium on Optical
Memory (ISOM12) (Sept. 30-Oct. 4) Tokyo.
Contact ISOM12 Secretariat, c/o Adthree
Publishing Co. Ltd., +81 3 5925 2840;
secretary@isom.jp; www.isom.jp.
OCTOBER
23rd IEEE International Semiconductor
Laser Conference (ISLC) (Oct. 7-10)
San Diego. Contact Rose Ann Bankowski,
r.bankowski@ieee.org; www.islc-ieee.org.
IONS-12 Naples Conference (Oct. 10-12)
Naples, Italy. An event of IONS, the
International OSA (Optical Society) Network
of Students. Contact IONS Committee,
ions@fisica.unina.it; www.ions-project.org.
Neuroscience 2012 (Oct. 13-17) New
Orleans. Contact Society for Neuroscience, +1
(202) 962-4000; info@sfn.org; www.sfn.org.
Frontiers in Optics 2012/Laser Science
XXVIII (Oct. 14-18) Rochester, N.Y. Annual
meetings of OSA and American Physical
Society/Division of Laser Science, respectively.
Contact Optical Society, +1 (202) 416-1907;
custserv@osa.org; www.frontiersinoptics.com.
22nd International Conference on Optical
Fiber Sensors (OFS-22) (Oct. 15-19) Beijing.
Contact general@ofs-22.org; www.ofs-22.org.
Photonex 2012 (Oct. 17-18) Coventry, UK.
Contact Clare Roberts, XMark Media Ltd., +44
1372 750 555; info@enlightenmeetings.com;
www.photonex.org.
72
h HAPPENINGS
For complete listings, visit
www.photonics.com/calendar
Contact your sales representative at
(413) 499-0514 or sales@photonics.com
Our popular Annual List Issue featuring the results of reader
surveys and poll questions turns the spotlight on our 95,000
qualified subscribers more than any other issue all year!
Let your company shine with an ad in this engaging compendium.
August Content Focus: Annual List Issue/Industry Focus
Spotlight: Lasers, Laser Accessories & Light Sources
Ad Action Survey
Sneak Preview: SPIE Optics &
Photonics
Ad close: June 25, 2012
September Content Focus: Transportation
& Energy
Spotlight: Imaging
Components & Systems
Photonics Showcase
Webinar: Solar
Ad close: July 25, 2012
Break through the clutter!
Sponsor Light Matters, the industrys only weekly newscast.
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612Happenings_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:29 PM Page 72
aa
ADVERTISER INDEX
Photonics Media Advertising Contacts
Please visit our website
Photonics.com/mediakit for all
our marketing opportunities.
Ken Tyburski
Director of Sales
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 101
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
ken.tyburski@photonics.com
New England, Southeastern US, FL,
Midwest, Rocky Mountains, AZ & NM
Rebecca L. Pontier
Associate Director
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 112
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
becky.pontier@photonics.com
NY, NJ & PA
Timothy A. Dupree
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 111
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
tim.dupree@photonics.com
Northern CA, AK, NV, Pacific Northwest,
Yukon & British Columbia
Joanne C. Gagnon
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 226
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
joanne.gagnon@photonics.com
Central CA, Southern CA & HI
Tracy L. Reynolds
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 104
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
tracy.reynolds@photonics.com
Eastern Canada
Maureen Riley Moriarty
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 229
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
riley.moriarty@photonics.com
Europe, Israel & South Central US
Owen Broch
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 108
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
owen.broch@photonics.com
Austria, Germany & Liechtenstein
Olaf Kortenhoff
Voice: +49 2241 1684777
Fax: +49 2241 1684776
olaf.kortenhoff@photonics.com
Asia (except Japan)
Hans Zhong
Voice: +86 755 2872 6973
Fax: +86 755 8474 4362
hans.zhong@yahoo.com.cn
Japan
Scott Shibasaki
Voice: +81 3 5225 6614
Fax: +81 3 5229 7253
s_shiba@optronics.co.jp
Reprint Services
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Mailing addresses:
Send all contracts, insertion orders
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Berkshire Common, 2 South St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
advertising@photonics.com
Andor Technology .................64
www.andor.com
Applied Scientific
Instrumentation Inc. .............34
www.asiimaging.com
Argyle International ...............20
www.argyleoptics.com
BaySpec Inc. .........................47
www.bayspec.com
Bristol Instruments Inc. ............14
www.bristol-inst.com
Cargille Laboratories ..............48
www.cargille.com
Castech Inc. ...........................36
www.castech.com
Coherent Inc. .........................27
www.coherent.com
DataRay Inc. .........................12
www.dataray.com
Directed Energy Inc. ...............43
www.ixyscolorado.com
DRS Technologies Inc. ..............9
www.drs.com
Edmund Optics .................18-19
www.edmundoptics.com
ET Enterprises/ADIT/
Electron Tubes .....................64
www.et-enterprises.com
Excelitas Technologies .........CV2
www.excelitas.com
Fermionics
Opto-Technology ................37
www.fermionics.com
Forth Dimension
Displays .............................62
www.forthdd.com
G-S PLASTIC OPTICS .............63
www.gsoptics.com
Gooch & Housego .................69
www.goochandhousego.com
Hellma USA ............................8
www.hellmausa.com
HORIBA Scientific ..................67
www.picocomponents.com
Iridian Spectral
Technologies .......................62
www.iridian.ca
ISP Optics .............................15
www.ispoptics.com
Laser Institute
of America .........................29
www.icaleo.org
LightMachinery Inc............20, 30
www.lightmachinery.com
LightWorks
Optics Inc. ............................7
www.lwoptics.com
Master Bond Inc. ...................66
www.masterbond.com
Meller Optics Inc. ..................48
www.melleroptics.com
Mightex Systems ....................70
www.mightexsystems.com
Moxtek Inc. ...........................42
www.moxtek.com
Newport Corporation .............33
www.newport.com
Novotech Inc. ........................24
www.novotech.net
Nufern ................................CV3
www.nufern.com
Ophir-Spiricon LLC ................63
www.ophiropt.com
Photonics
Media ........39, 49, 64, 70, 72
www.photonics.com
PHOTONIS USA Inc. .............63
www.photonis.com
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. ......63
www.pi.ws
piezosystem
jena GmbH .........................34
www.piezojena.com
Power Technology Inc. ...........11
www.powertechnology.com
Qioptiq Inc. ...............21, 23, 25
www.qioptiq.com
Quantum Scientific
Imaging Inc. .......................62
www.qsimaging.com
Research
Electro-Optics ...................CV4
www.reoinc.com
Ross Optical
Industries ............................26
www.rossoptical.com
Sensors Unlimited Inc. ............31
www.sensorsinc.com
Spectra Physics,
A Newport Corporation
Brand ...................................6
www.newport.com
Spectrogon US Inc. ................72
www.spectrogon.com
SPIE International Society
for Optical Engineering .......13
www.spie.org/aboutop
Stanford Research
Systems Inc. ..........................3
www.thinksrs.com
StellarNet Inc. ........................38
www.stellarnet-inc.com
Tohkai Sangyo Co. Ltd. ..........66
www.peak.co.jp
TOPTICA
Photonics Inc. ................62, 63
www.toptica.com
Toshiba Imaging
Systems Division ............35, 62
www.cameras.toshiba.com
Zygo Corp. ...........................40
www.zygo.com
612PSAdIndex_Layout 1 5/24/12 2:18 PM Page 73
p PEREGRINATIONS
Laser swarm could swat asteroids away
I
t sounds like the climactic scene from
a sci-fi thriller: A group of small satel-
lite-operated lasers flying in formation
redirects an asteroid headed for cata-
strophic collision with Earth. But this
isnt the movies; this is a technique that
could radically change asteroid-deflection
technology.
Researchers at the University of Strath-
clyde in Glasgow, UK, are exploring the
possibility that relatively small satellites
collectively could fire solar-powered
lasers at close range to a threatening
asteroid. The approach could have advan-
tages over current methods, which focus
on large, unwieldy spacecraft.
We could reduce the threat posed by
the potential collision with small- to
medium-size objects using a flotilla of
small, agile spacecraft, each equipped
with a highly efficient laser, which is
much more feasible than a single large
spacecraft carrying a multimegawatt,
said project leader Massimiliano Vasile,
a reader in the universitys mechanical
and aerospace engineering department.
Our system is scalable a larger aster-
oid would require adding one or more
spacecraft to the flotilla and intrinsically
redundant: If one spacecraft fails, the oth-
ers can continue, Vasile added.
Although large asteroids do not often
collide with Earth, the situation is not
without precedent. More than a century
ago, a meteorite believed to be about 120
ft across entered the atmosphere over
Siberia and exploded in the sky. The Tun-
guska event, named after a river in the re-
gion, devastated 800 sq miles of remote
forest felling an estimated 80 million
trees.
Smaller asteroids, which pose a lesser
threat, collide with Earth more frequently
but are likely to burn in the atmosphere.
One problem with asteroid deflection is
that, when the laser begins to break down
the surface of the object, the resulting
plume of gas and debris impinges the
spacecraft and contaminates the laser,
Vasile said. But the groups laboratory
tests proved that the contamination level is
lower than expected and that the laser
could continue to function for longer than
anticipated, he added.
A major advantage is that the laser does
not have to be fired from the ground: Hav-
ing to travel through the atmosphere
would constrain its range of action.
The laser swarm also could help control
the accumulation of space debris objects
created by humans that remain in orbit.
The lasers could lower the original orbit
of debris and reduce congestion, Vasile
noted.
While there is significant monitoring
in place to keep track of these objects,
there is no specific system in place to
remove them, and our research could be
a possible solution, he said.
The above photo, taken in an experimental laboratory, demonstrates the process of shining a solar-powered
laser onto an asteroid. At right, Strathclyde researchers Alison Gibbings and Massimiliano Vasile are develop-
ing a novel technique that would use a group of smaller satellite-operated space-borne lasers to redirect aster-
oids and manage human-created space debris. Images courtesy of University of Strathclyde photographer
Graeme Fleming.
Caren B. Les
caren.les@photonics.com
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Hyperspectral

3CCD remote head with prism block technology

Ultra-small CMOS remote head with two controller options

CMOS one-piece camera with true progressive scan

CMOS one-piece camera with selectable output

1080i, 1080p and 720p options

DVI/HD-SDI video outputs

Life Sciences / Diagnostics / Microscopy

Homeland Security / Surveillance

Lower heat output, permitting

Highly selectable wavelengths

Lower cost of use

Longer life than incandescent

Compact device size

Flexible design options for

Potentially higher quantum

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