Photonicsspectra 201212

www.photonics.
com December 2012

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4 Photonics Spectra December 2012 www.photonics.com
Content

DECEMBER 2012 www.photonics.com VOLUME 46 ISSUE 12
24 59 74
Departments & Columns
10 EDITORIAL
Dont stop thinking about tomorrow
16 LIGHT SPEED
Business and Markets
Solar woes have not eclipsed market
for lasers for solar tech
Milestone marks major optics
achievements
ESO celebrates its 50th anniversary
24 TECH PULSE
Research and technology headlines
of the month
FEL res new life into old technology
Semiconductor etching monitored
in real time
Nobel Prize in physics recognizes
quantum world experiments
59 WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW
A view from the inside
61 GREENLIGHT
Signicant ecophotonics developments
Laser pulse improves black silicons
solar efciency
65 NEW PRODUCTS
71 HAPPENINGS
73 ADVERTISER INDEX
74 LIGHTER SIDE
PHOTONICS SPECTRA ISSN-0731-1230, (USPS 448870) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Laurin Publishing Co. Inc., Berkshire Common,
PO Box 4949, Pittseld, MA 01202, +1 (413) 499-0514; fax: +1 (413) 442-3180; e-mail: photonics@photonics. com. TITLE reg. in
US Library of Congress. Copyright 2012 by Laurin Publishing Co. Inc. All rights reserved. Copies of Photonics Spectra on microlm
are available from University Microlm, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Photonics Spectra articles are indexed in the
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ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION: Scientists, engineers, educators, technical executives and technical writers are invited to contribute
articles on optical, laser, ber optic, electro-optical, imaging, optoelectronics and related elds. Communications regarding the edito-
rial content of Photonics Spectra should be addressed to the managing editor. Contributed statements and opinions expressed in
Photonics Spectra are t hose of the contributors the publisher assumes no responsibility for them.
THE COVER
Streak camera
technology
is advancing
materials research
as well as the
LED industry.
Design by
Senior Art Director
Lisa N. Comstock.
1212Contents.indd 4 12/3/12 4:11 PM
December 2012 Photonics Spectra 5
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.
46
50 54
Features
41
ISSUE FOCUS:
LEDS AT 50
42
STREAK CAMERAS IMPROVE
MATERIALS RESEARCH
by Barbara Stumpp, Science Writer
Software calibration options are rening
the analysis of zinc oxide, a potential active
material for LEDs and solid-state lasers.
46
CMOS SENSORS INCREASE
INSPECTION SPEED AND ACCURACY
by Marie Freebody, Contributing Editor
Predictions are that advances in resolution
and efciency will make the technology
as successful in line-scan applications as
in area scanning.
50
PLASTIC OPTICS
PROVIDE PRECISION
by Valerie Coffey, Science Writer
Progress in injection molding has improved
polymer optics, which have taken hold
in a wide range of everyday applications.
54
CHARGE-INJECTION DEVICES
OVERCOME RADIATION EFFECTS
by Tony Chapman, Thermo Fisher Scientic
An expert on charge-transfer-device image
sensors discusses their advantages for
surmounting radiation effects.
57
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ENABLES
24-HOUR TARGET ACQUISITION
by John Staples, Defence Vision Systems
A multidetector system uses lasers and
multiple-wavelength sensors for day-
and nighttime detection and identication.
1212Contents.indd 5 12/3/12 4:11 PM
www.photonics.com
Group Publisher Karen A. Newman
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor Laura S. Marshall
Senior Editor Melinda A. Rose
Editors Caren B. Les
Ashley N. Rice
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
BioPhotonics Art Director Suzanne L. Schmidt
Designer Janice R. Tynan
Director of Publishing Operations Kathleen A. Alibozek
Electronic Media Staff
Director Charley Rose
Multimedia Services & Marketing
Web Development Team Leader Brian L. LeMire
Web Developers Alan W. Shepherd
Brian A. Bilodeau
Editorial Offces
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Pittsfeld, MA 01202-4949
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contact you, please notify us at the main offce, and we will put you in touch
with the editorial offce nearest you.
Editorial email: editorial@photonics.com
Ad Sales email: advertising@photonics.com
More Than 95,000 Distributed Internationally
Association of
Business Publishers
www.photonics.com
1212Masthead.indd 6 12/3/12 1:56 PM
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Corporate Staff
Chairman/Founder Teddi C. Laurin
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Controller Mollie M. Armstrong
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Business Staff
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1212Masthead.indd 8 11/30/12 5:11 PM
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Today, sensors from Truesense Imaging are used in mission-critical applications
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The nice thing about tomorrow is that its, well, always a day away, and it always
brings a fresh set of opportunities to tackle and obstacles to overcome.
A perpetual challenge for this and many industries is fnding trained and qualifed
employees to fll specialized jobs today and tomorrow. The good news is that a lot of hard
work is going on to make sure there are well-qualifed people to step into demanding
technical positions, and a lot of people supporting those efforts:
In early October, Schott North America announced the selection of nine apprentices
for a pilot program at its Duryea, Pa., facility; the program offers young people a
combination of practical experience and classroom training, based on the German
apprenticeship model.
Sydor Optics, a maker of custom optics in Rochester, N.Y., has a long history with
nearby Monroe Community College. Its optical fabrication program has been an
important pipeline of trained technicians for Bausch & Lomb, Kodak and Sydor
Optics: James Sydor was himself a student in the program, and now he has commit-
ted to a generous donation to the program over the next fve years, a partial match
to a Corning grant expressly for the optics program.
Many dedicated people are working to generate student interest in optics and
photonics well before college. I attended Education Day during OSAs Frontiers in
Optics this year and saw demonstrations of projects aimed at introducing optics and
photonics to students in grades as early as kindergarten.
Curious about who is training your future employees? I invite you to read our newest
column Workforce of Tomorrow curated by two-time industry education honoree
Judy Donnelly, longtime coordinator for the Laser and Fiber Optic Technology program
at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, Conn. In this issue, Judy answers 10
questions about her work as an educator and shares her thoughts on what it will take to
build the workforce of tomorrow.
For more than 50 years, Laurin Publishing/Photonics Media have been an impor-
tant industry education resource. Beginning in 1971, The Optical Industry and Systems
Purchasing Directory the precursor to our current Photonics Buyers Guide included a
dictionary and an Application Notes section, later The Photonics Handbook. For a number
of years now, the handbook and dictionary have made their home online at Photonics.
com. This month, we are offcially relaunching web versions of these popular resources
on a new site called EDU.Photonics.com. Our online dictionary renamed Photonics
Dictionary Plus allows industry experts to update terms with, for example, new appli-
cation information and to add links to resources such as videos and articles.
In its new format and with your help, the Dictionary Plus will continue to be the
cutting-edge lexicon relied upon by thousands throughout the industry and the industry
of tomorrow!
editorial
commenT

Dont Stop Thinking
About Tomorrow
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. Anthony J. DeMaria
Coherent-DEOS LLC
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.
karen.newman@photonics.com
1212Editorial.indd 10 11/30/12 5:12 PM
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Photonics Media on Facebook

We share the latest industry news and research with
our global Facebook community each and every day.
Search for Photonics Media and join us today!
Welcome to
The online companion to Photonics Spectra
Whats Online:
Our collection of helpful resources for students, educators and researchers,
including the Photonics Dictionary+; Photonics Handbook; a list of societies,
associations, universities and research centers; interactive laser charts;
webinars; white papers; and our Light Matters weekly newscasts.
Photonics in Space Applications
Thursday, November 15, 2012 - 1 p.m. EST/ 10 a.m. PST/ 5 p.m. GMT/UTC
Photonics Media hosted:
Dr. Alexander Rubenchik,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
Livermore, Calif.,
The Promise of Pulsed Lasers
in Removing Orbital Debris.
For more information and to watch
the archived webinars, visit
Photonics.com/Webinars.
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Tony Chapman
Tony Chapman is the director
of sales and marketing for
CIDTEC cameras and imagers
at Thermo Fisher Scientifc; he
has helped advance imaging
technologies in scientifc and
radiation markets for OEMs,
military applications and
more. Page 54.
Valerie C. Coffey
Valerie C. Coffey is a freelance
science and technology writer
in Massachusetts with an MA
in astronomy. Her articles on
optics, photonics, astronomy
and physics have appeared in
various industry publications.
Page 50.
Judy Donnelly
Judy Donnelly is program
coordinator for the Laser
and Fiber Optic Technology
program at Three Rivers Com-
munity College in Connecticut.
She recently was recognized
by The Optical Society for con-
tributions to optical science
and engineering education.
Page 59.
Marie Freebody
Regular contributor Marie
Freebody is a freelance
science and technology
journalist. She has a masters
degree in physics with a
concentration in nuclear
astrophysics from the
University of Surrey in the UK.
Page 46.
John Staples
John Staples is sales director
at Defence Vision Systems in
East Sussex, UK. He has more
than 50 years of experience in
engineering, project manage-
ment and sales in the feld
of military night vision and
optical/electronic systems.
Page 57.
Dr. Barbara Stumpp
Dr. Barbara Stumpp is a
freelance journalist and PR
writer in Freiburg, Germany.
She studied physics and
mathematics and now works
on B2B enterprises in the
manufacturing and engineer-
ing areas. Page 42.
ConTriBuTorS
Photonics Spectra ...
In the January issue of
Defense
Environment
Health Care
Manufacturing
Smartphones
Economy
Youll also fnd all the news that affects your industry,
from tech trends and market reports to the latest
products and media.
n Check out a sample of the 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.
Our annual trends issue will examine the various
forces currently driving photonics innovation as well
as the ways in which photonics impacts the world.
Topics will include:
1212ContAuthors.indd 14 11/30/12 5:13 PM
1212_ResElectroOptics_Pg15.indd 15 11/30/12 5:05 PM
Europes photovoltaic (PV) market is fac-
ing challenges including cuts in govern-
ment subsidies and incentives, and those
challenges affect laser makers who supply
PV fabricators with equipment. But the
outlook isnt as cloudy as it could be. For
one thing, approximately two-thirds of
the new solar panels installed around the
world in 2011 were put up on European
soil, according to a recent report from the
European Commissions Joint Research
Center. Clearly, the market for solar wont
disappear anytime soon.
To get an inside look at the situation,
Photonics Spectra recently spoke with
representatives of two European compa-
nies that make laser equipment for PV
manufacturing: Alejandro Becker, direc-
tor of sales at InnoLas Systems in Krail-
ing, Germany, and Jrg Jetter, founder
and CEO of 4JET Technologies GmbH in
Alsdorf, Germany.
Q: How would you say the market
has been in the past few years for
PV manufacturing lasers?
Jetter: After a small dip in 2009, there
has been a tremendous investment boom
in 2010 that ended [in] early 2011. Since
then, new business is relatively fat, and
we expect the next two years to see little
in terms of capacity increases.
However, we do expect to sell further
equipment aiming at development of new
cell concepts, such as fexible and/or or-
ganic PV and line enhancement projects,
to [a] few select players as well as new
CIGS [copper indium gallium selenide]
projects.
Becker: The current market conditions
start to separate the men from the boys.
PV manufacturers have become more
demanding to get robust solutions that
work 24/7/365.
I think this is a healthy development
and only normal for a maturing market.
Q: Where do you think the market
is going?
Becker: The recent past has seen a
market consolidation, but medium-term,
there is only one way: up. Major econo-
mies like Germany and Japan are moving
away from fossil fuels and nuclear power,
and that means investments in renewable
energies like PV.
Also, we are not only talking about
new PV fabs. We are seeing a signifcant
demand for retroftting existing produc-
tion lines with advanced laser systems to
Light Speed
Laser Light Engines gets $9M to drive commercialization Space Photonics licenses communications tech to Schott
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics En-
gineers (IEEE) honored the late Elias Snitzer,
the father of fber lasers and fber amplif-
ers, with a granite plaque installed near the
former American Optical headquarters in
Southbridge, Mass., where his discoveries
were made. The IEEE Milestone, the 129th
bestowed by the institute, honors Snitzer and
colleagues, who built and operated the frst
optical fber laser in 1961 and, three years
later, the frst optical fber amplifer. Snitzers
Milestone Marks Major Optics Achievements
P
h
o
t
o
n
i
c
s

M
e
d
i
a

p
h
o
t
o
s

b
y

M
e
l
i
n
d
a

R
o
s
e
.
inventions include both neodymium- and erbi-
um-doped laser glass, and he co-developed
the frst fber optic laser amplifer with laser
glass.
Former colleagues, such as Will Hicks;
Snitzers children, and IEEE members and
others in the optics industry gathered to pay
tribute to Snitzer at the Oct. 26 ceremony.
Solar woes have not eclipsed market for lasers for solar tech
1212LightSpeed.indd 16 11/30/12 5:14 PM
increase cell effciency and productivity.
Jetter: We serve another very traditional
industry: tire manufacturing. For us, this
is an example of a mature and consoli-
dated industry with the top fve players
sharing approximately 70 percent of the
market and basically only one dominant
technology to produce an almost com-
moditized product.
Ultimately, solar will be not much
different, though it will certainly take a
decade until this is sorted out. Until then,
the race is open and even if it seems
unlikely now, we could still [see] the
dominance of crystalline silicon [dimin-
ish] somewhat.
Q: What do you see as the
next big thing in laser-based
PV manufacturing in general?
Becker: In a nutshell, effciency and
productivity. End users have understood
the importance of high effciency, so this
has become a major selling point for cell
manufacturers.
Likewise, the market is price sensitive,
and this means that productivity must be
increased to reduce manufacturing costs
and cost of ownership. Our ILS TT laser
system for contact opening is a good ex-
ample for this: It allows [users] to improve
the effciency of standard monocrystalline
cells by up to 1 percent with a throughput
of 3400 wafers per hour. This has made it
a very popular solution in the market.
Jetter: We expect that third-generation
thin-flm concepts on fexible substrates
have great long-term potential.
Q: Are you seeing any new and
exciting advances coming out of
R&D and/or university labs?
Jetter: We see signifcant progress both
in organic PV, as well as steady effciency
increases in the CIGS, CdTe and also a-Si
community.
Becker: We are cooperating closely with
a number of the leading research labs in
this market and also do extensive R&D
in our own laboratory. There are a couple
of promising new technologies that we
evaluate, but it is our philosophy to in-
troduce new concepts only when they are
production-ready.
The manufacturers do not need spec-
tacular lab results but systems that work
reliably in industrial production lines.
Q: What are the biggest challenges
to new advances in lasers for
PV manufacturing?
Jetter: The economical diffculties of the
target market.
Becker: The biggest challenge is to
develop systems that are tailored to a
specifc customers need. It is a question
of fne-tuning all components and param-
eters to perfectly match the manufactur-
ing environment.
Many customers are positively
surprised when they see the optimized
results our application engineers achieve.
Q: And which application areas would
you say are thriving and why?
Becker: We see a big demand for laser
systems catering [to] the PERC (passiv-
ated emitter and rear cell) technology to
signifcantly [increase] the effciency of
crystalline cells, while at the same time
enabling a higher throughput with a mini-
mum of additional footprint needed.
As I said earlier, cell effciency and
productivity are crucial for cell manufac-
turers, and these investments pay off in a
very short time.
Laura S. Marshall
laura.marshall@photonics.com
Light Speed
Telops lands leak detection contract in China Directed energy weapon advances to high-power testing
By examining the effectiveness
of recycling light in ultrabright
short-discharge plasma lamps,
researchers at Ben-Gurion Uni-
versity of the Negev in Israel
revealed that light returned
to a lamps radiant zone can
heighten the brightness by up
to 70 percent.
A dual-purpose lens that ac-
quires and displays images for
mobile video communication
was proposed by investigators
at Cambridge University in the
UK and at Edith Cowan Univer-
sity in Joondalup, Australia.
Westech Inc. of Ventura, Calif.,
developed a real-time fber
optic downhole video system
and an electro fber optic cable
for deep, high-pressure oil-
and gas-well environments.
Neil Madonick, a product mar-
keting manager for charge-
coupled devices at Fairchild
Semiconductor in Palo Alto,
Calif., wrote an article on how
innovative uses of the devices
were helping to revolutionize
offce procedures, manufactur-
ing and a host of other things.
2007
2002
1992
1982
This month in history
What were you working on fve, 10,
20 or even 30 years ago? Photonics
Spectra editors perused past December
issues and unearthed the following:
IP Processor
Dec PS 2002
TechWorld
TWTwoWay-part b
Janice
4JET Technologies GmbH supplies laser equipment
for materials processing in the thin-flm industry,
including, as seen here, laser patterning of third-
generation fexible solar cells.
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Light Speed
Production of Navy laser sensors fast-tracked JDSU sells holographic security line to OpSec Security
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Photonic crystal fber
inventor Philip Russell
was elected as The Optical
Societys (OSA) 2013 vice
president. He is the found-
ing director of Max Planck
Institute for the Science of
Light in Erlangen, Germany,
and the founding chair of the OSA Topical
Meeting on Bragg Gratings, Photosensitivity
and Poling in Glass Waveguides.
Shuji Nakamura, a professor at the Univer-
sity of California, Santa Barbara, since 2000,
was honored recently as the 2012 Inventor
of the Year by the Silicon Valley Intellectual
Property Law Association for inventions
including the blue LED as well as for his
intellectual property protection efforts.
Veeco Instruments Inc. CEO John R. Peeler
has joined the board of fber laser company
IPG Photonics Corp. in Oxford, Mass. He
joined Veeco in 2007 and was named board
chairman in May 2012.
Spectroscopy products
maker Avantes BV
of Apeldoorn, Nether-
lands, has named Robert
Hukshorn as its new
director of sales and
marketing. His interna-
tional sales and marketing
experience includes management positions
at several high-tech companies, including
Amcor and Henkel.
Ira Tiffen is the new vice president of the
Motion Picture Filters Div. at Schneider
Optics Inc. of Van Nuys, Calif. He has four
decades of experience in developing special-
ized optics for the flm, television and still-
photography markets. At his own company,
Optefex LLC, he developed the Optefex
Blue Streak flter line, which he will bring to
Schneider.
University of Arizona
astronomer and optical
physicist Olivier Guyon
has been selected as a
MacArthur Fellow for 2012.
He won this fellowship,
nicknamed the Genius
Grant, from the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
for his breakthrough imaging technique for
fnding Earth-like planets outside of our solar
system.
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2012 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved.
Customer Success Is Our Mission is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company.
RAYTHEON EO INNOVATIONS
Learn more of the ways were providing innovative
solutions to our customers unique optical needs.
Raytheon.com | Keyword: DIA-POINT
Follow us on:
BRINGING YOU
THE WORLDS FINEST
PRECISION OPTICS.
For 65 years, Raytheon EO Innovations has developed electro-optical sensing
technologies that bring a clear advantage to any application: government,
commercial and industrial. As a contract manufacturer of optical components
and sub-assemblies, we enable performance and value for the most complex
challenges from producing the highest resolution images ever taken of
the Earth to enhancing virtually any optical system. Raytheon EO Innovations
pioneered the diamond point turning manufacturing process, and
continues to drive success precisely.

12NCS315_EDinnovations_PnotonicsSpectra_Nov2012.indd 1 10/12/12 3:40 PM
1212_Raytheon_Pg19.indd 19 11/30/12 5:06 PM
Light Speed
ASML acquiring Cymer for $2.5B to boost chip technology Flir Systems to acquire Lorex Technology
A minimalistic modern table lamp design using illuminant organic LED (OLED) technology won
Fabian Schleyerbach the 2012 coOLED student design competition at the Belektro 2012 Trade Fair
for Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Lighting, held in Berlin. Schleyerbach, a student at the
Academy for Interior and Object Design in Cham, Germany, used Tabola OLEDs from the Fraunhofer
Research Institution for Organics, Materials and Electronic Devices COMEDD. b
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The European Southern Observatory (ESO)
celebrated 50 years in October since the
signing of its founding convention. Astrono-
mers from fve European countries Belgium,
France, Germany, the Netherlands and Swe-
den decided in 2007 to join forces to build
a large telescope to survey the southern sky.
ESO now operates three observation sites
in Chile, including the Very Large Telescope
(VLT) at Paranal an advanced visible-light
astronomical observatory.
This VLT image of the Thors Helmet Nebula
was taken on the occasion of the anniversary
with the help of Brigitte Bailleul, who won the
Tweet Your Way to the VLT! competition, dur-
ing which the public, for the frst time, was
able to choose what the VLT would observe.
The observations were broadcast live over
the Internet from the Paranal Observatory.
Also known as NGC 2359, the helmet-shaped
nebula lies in the constellation Canis Major. It
is about 15,000 light-years away from Earth
and more than 30 light-years across.
ESO celebrates its 50th anniversary
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Without advances in the performance of image sensors, it is not
possible to exploit parallel advances in illumination, data transmis-
sion, image-processing hardware and image-processing software.
Eric Fox, technical director of CMOS integrated circuits
at Teledyne Dalsa in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Light Speed
MOVES & EXPANSIONS

Edmund Optics of Barrington, N.J., plans to
consolidate its Pennsburg, Pa., facility into
its corporate headquarters and to invest in
additional coating and metrology equipment
for its recently expanded plants in Akita,
Japan, and Singapore.
Newport Corp. of Irvine, Calif., has acquired
the products and technology of Tempe, Ariz.-
based Vistek Inc. The new vibration-isolation
products will be offered as part of Newports
VIBe line and will include mechanical isola-
tion bearings, benchtop platforms and stand-
alone workstations.
Rochester, N.Y.-based Germanow-Simon
Corp., the parent company of G-S Plastic
Optics, has completed a $3.2 million
upgrade to its St. Paul Street facility, includ-
ing doubling the manufacturing space for
injection molding and quality-assurance
operations.
DirectPhotonics Industries GmbH, a Berlin-
based provider of ultrahigh-brightness direct
diode lasers for materials processing, has
appointed ULO Optics Inc. of Los Gatos,
Calif., as its representative for the US and
Canada.
Under a new fve-year licensing deal, NHG
(Hubei, New HuaGuang Information
Materials Co. Ltd.) will make and distribute
LightPath Technologies Inc.s Gradium glass
lenses in Asia. The lenses are suitable for
high-power industrial laser systems. Orlando,
Fla.-based LightPath also plans to develop
a low-cost technique for manufacturing IR
optics.
COLLABORATIONS
IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. of Van-
couver, British Columbia, Canada, and
Inrad Optics Inc. of Northvale, N.J.,
have teamed up to evaluate the viability
and commercialization of IBCs Beral-
cast alloys as a cost-effective alternative
substrate material for custom precision
optical systems components.
Edmund Optics new manufacturing facility in Singapore.
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Businesses and consumers may soon have
a cheaper, more manageable way to store
large amounts of digital data, thanks to a
university startup that aims to make opti-
cal flms capable of holding 1 to 2 TB or
about 50 Blu-ray movies.
As an alternative to storing data on en-
ergy-wasting magnetic discs or cumber-
some magnetic tapes, Folio Photonics will
use optical technology frst developed by
the Center for Layered Polymeric Systems
at Case Western Reserve Universitys
School of Engineering to make an optical
flm with 64 data layers.
A disc will be on the capacity scale
of magnetic tapes used for archival data
storage, said Kenneth D. Singer, the Am-
brose Swasey Professor of Physics at Case
Western Reserve and co-founder of Folio
Photonics. But theyll be substantially
cheaper and have one advantage: You can
access data faster. You just pop the disc
in your computer, and you can fnd the
data in seconds. Tapes can take minutes to
wind through to locate particular data.
To make the 64-data-layer flm, Singer
and graduate student Brent Valle spread a
thick, puttylike fow of repeatedly divided
and stacked polymers into a flm and
rolled onto a spool; they estimate they can
make a square kilometer of flm in
1 h. They then cut and paste flm onto the
same hard plastic base on which DVDs
and Blu-rays are built. Slight adjustments
to a standard disc reader are necessary
to enable it to probe and read the data on
each layer without interference from lay-
ers above or below, they say.
The researchers arent the only ones
pursuing terabyte-storage discs, Singer
said. Other companies are looking into
a holographic technology, which requires
two lasers to write the data and will
require a whole new writer/reader. Ours
has the advantage of lower manufacturing
costs and is more compatible with current
readers and writers.
Folio Photonics discs are aimed at
storing data not often or instantaneously
needed. This could be useful for patholo-
gists who store not only slides of tissues,
but also the digital images they make,
which can be manipulated to gather more
information about disease or damage.
The Cleveland-based startup is the
third company to come out of the Center
for Layered Polymeric Systems. The sci-
entists hope to have prototype discs and
readers to show within a year.
The research was published in
Advanced Materials (doi: 10.1002/
adma.201200669).
Light Speed
Study fnds 1M UK jobs depend on physics Precision Optics sees 22.5% increase in Q4 revenue over 2011
Its so clever,
we should have
thought of it.
Coherent Inc. CEO
John Ambroseo,
on the compact solid-state
amplifer created by its recent
acquisition, Midaz Lasers Ltd.
Coherent also acquired
InnoLas on Oct. 30.
Startup to commercialize terabyte discs
As an alternative to storing data on energy-wasting magnetic discs or cumbersome magnetic tapes,
a startup will use optical technology frst developed at Case Western Reserve University to make an
optical flm with 64 data layers. The photo shows fuorescence images of 23 fgures recorded in the
multilayer medium. The upper left is the topmost layer and the lower right, the bottom-most layer.
Each square is 22-m-sq. Darker areas indicate reduced fuorescence (false color).
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Photonics
Prism Awards
fnalists have
been announced.
See our complete
coverage
at Photonics.com
Light Speed
See us at Photonics West, 5-7 February 2013, San Francisco, CA Booth #331
Sub-Miniature Resonant Scanner
A frst-of-its-kind facility for the laser
enrichment of uranium has received a
license from the US Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. The license authorizes GE
Hitachi Nuclear Energys Global Laser
Enrichment (GLE) to enrich uranium
up to 8 percent by weight in the fssile
isotope U-235.
This is a seminal moment in the history
of the nuclear industry, said Dr. Michael
Goldsworthy, CEO of Silex, the Australia-
based company that developed the laser
technology that will be used. After more
than 40 years of international research
and billions of dollars invested by various
governments and companies around the
world in a race to achieve laser uranium
enrichment, Silex and GLE are very proud
to be the only successor in this incredibly
challenging technological endeavor.
This low-enriched uranium will be
used in fuel for commercial nuclear power
reactors. GLE plans to construct the plant
at the site of GE-Hitachis existing Global
Nuclear Fuel-Americas fuel fabrication
plant in Wilmington, N.C.
The technology weve developed could
be one of the keys to the nations long-term
energy security, said Chris Monetta, presi-
dent and CEO of GLE. At a minimum, it
could provide a steady supply of uranium
enriched right here in the US to the coun-
trys nuclear reactors, which provide about
20 percent of the nations electricity.
Currently, most of the enriched ura-
nium made to produce nuclear fuel in the
US comes from foreign or government-
supplemented sources. The GLE license
will allow the production of up to 6 mil-
lion single work units per year in the US,
the company said.
The company said it has worked with
the NRC, the US departments of State and
Energy, and independent nonproliferation
experts for several years to ensure that it
met all regulations relevant to safeguard-
ing the technology.
The companys next step will be to
make a decision about commercialization.
The NRC said its staff will conduct
inspections during the construction and
operation of the facility. The agency plans
to hold a public meeting in Wilmington
before construction begins to explain its
oversight plans to the public.
NRC licenses laser enrichment facility
The global headquarters of GE Hitachi in Wilmington, N.C., employs more than 1500 professionals.
The company specializes in boiling water reactor technology.
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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. A high-
power laser has amped up decades-old
electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
spectrometers to more effciently study
the world at the atomic level.
The multiuniversity team that enhanced
the spectrometer has used it to study the
electron spin of free radicals and nitrogen
atoms trapped inside a diamond. The
improvement pulls back the veil that
shrouds the molecular world, allowing
scientists to study tiny molecules at high
resolutions, the investigators say.
EPR spectroscopy has existed for
decades but has been limited by the
electromagnetic radiation source it uses
to excite electrons. Such electrons emit
radiation that reveals details about the
structure of targeted molecules. At EPRs
more powerful high magnetic felds and
frequencies, pulses of power rather than
continuous waves excite the targeted
electrons.
Until recently, EPR spectroscopy was
performed with a few tens of gigahertz of
electromagnetic radiation. Now, using the
free-electron laser (FEL) at the Univer-
sity of California, Santa Barbara which
emits a pulsed beam of the radiation
scientists from UCSB, the University
of Southern California and Florida State
University have powered an EPR spec-
trometer with 240 GHz of electromag-
netic radiation.
With FEL-powered EPR, we have
shattered the electromagnetic bottleneck
that EPR has faced, enabling electrons to
report on faster motions occurring over
longer distances than ever before, said
UCSB physics professor Mark Sherwin
in a university release. The breakthrough
could facilitate drug discoveries and more
effcient polymer photovoltaics.
In organic solar cells, light frst cre-
ates charge carriers, and these must be
collected by electrodes for the energy
to be harvested, Sherwin told Photon-
ics Spectra. The charge carriers, called
polarons, often dont make it out to the
electrodes but get trapped in the mate-
rial. Using FEL-powered EPR, we plan to
study the charge generation and trapping
processes in devices at room temperature.
If we can identify the trapping mecha-
nisms and sites, then materials scientists
can work to eliminate them, leading to
more effcient plastic solar cells.
There is more to be done at 240 GHz,
Sherwin said, but the team now has its
sights set on 340 GHz.
We are currently building a new FEL
that will be optimized for pulsed EPR,
he said. It will produce 100 times more
power than the current FEL at 240 GHz,
and pulse at 10 times the repetition rate
with much greater stability. As far as the
frequency, we are actually limited by the
size of our magnet. Our existing 12.5-
tesla magnet will enable us to reach 340
GHz.
The team also plans to attack a major
obstacle: reducing the EPR spectrometers
dead time, or time between when the
FEL pulse arrives at the sample and when
the detector is turned on.
We are also investigating methods to
generate more complex pulse sequences in
which both the phase and amplitude of the
FEL pulses are controlled, Sherwin said.
Also in the works is a new class of
spin labels small molecules that can
be attached to specifc sites on proteins to
study structures and dynamics opti-
mized for use at the high magnetic felds
and frequencies used by the research-
ers. The technology was developed with
professors Song-I Han of UCSB, Dani-
ella Goldfarb of Weizmann Institute of
Science in Rehovot, Israel, and Adelheid
Godt of the University of Bielefeld in
Germany.
TECH pulse

FEL fres new life into old technology
Above, an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
spectrometer at the University of California, Santa
Barbara. The device was used to study the electron
spin of free radicals and nitrogen atoms trapped
inside a diamond. Left, using UCSBs free-electron
laser, shown here, a multiuniversity team used
240 GHz of electromagnetic radiation to power an
EPR spectrometer, yielding a more effcient tool for
atomic-level studies.
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1212TechPulse.indd 24 12/3/12 4:12 PM
These new spin labels take advantage
of the remarkable magnetic properties
of gadolinium ions, which are currently
used in agents that enhance the contrast
of magnetic resonance imaging, Sherwin
said. With the new spin labels, we expect
to be able to measure protein structure at
physiological temperatures over signif-
cantly longer distances than is currently
possible.
The research, funded by the National
Science and W.M. Keck foundations, ap-
peared in Nature (doi: 10.1038/
nature11437).
Etching Steps
Whats involved with monitoring the etching process? We asked assistant professor
Lynford L. Goddard of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to explain.
For monitoring the etch, we frst need to create a spatially coherent feld. The phases at
different positions in the plane perpendicular to the beam need to have a constant relation.
We do this by coupling the light into a single-mode fber and collimating the output. Next,
we attenuate the laser to a desired intensity level with a neutral density flter. Next, we pass
the laser light through a rotating piece of sanded polycarbonate so that we randomize the
laser speckle pattern. The collimated light enters the back port of the microscope and is
imaged onto the sample as a collimated beam. The light refects off the sample and is im-
aged on an output port of the microscope. There, we place a grating with 300 grooves per
millimeter so that we create copies of the refected feld. We use a lens to perform an optical
Fourier transform. In the Fourier plane, we flter the copies of the refected feld. Next, we
use a second lens to invert the Fourier transform and interfere the two remaining beams at
the CCD camera. Finally, we perform a Hilbert transform in software to recover the phase
and amplitude of the refected feld from the recorded interferogram and convert the phase
signal into a height image.
Semiconductor etching monitored in real time
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. A nondestructive
optical technique that simultaneously
etches features onto a semiconductor
wafers surface while monitoring the
entire process in real time with nanome-
ter precision could change the future of
semiconductor etching.
Semiconductors are commonly etched
chemically. Chip makers and researchers
must precisely control the dimensions
of their devices to avoid etching errors
such as residual layers, which can affect
performance, error rate, speed and time
to failure.
The microscopy method, developed
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign, uses two light beams,
one from a 532-nm frequency-doubled
Nd:YAG laser to monitor, and the other
from a color projector to sculpt the
topography of a semiconductors surface
with high precision. The work appeared
in Light: Science & Applications (doi:
10.1038/lsa.2012.30).
The idea is that the height of the
structure can be determined as the light
refects off the different surfaces, electri-
cal and computer engineering professor
Lynford L. Goddard said in a university
release. Looking at the change in height,
you fgure out the etch rate. What this
allows us to do is monitor it while its
etching. It allows us to fgure out the etch
rate both across time and across space, be-
cause we can determine the rate at every
location within the semiconductor wafer
thats in our feld of view.
Current techniques used, such as scan-
ning tunneling microscopy and atomic
force microscopy, cannot monitor the
etching in progress but can only compare
it before and after. The new, low-noise
method which is inexpensive and fast
is purely optical, enabling noncontact
monitoring of the entire semiconductor
wafer at once rather than point by point.
A 3-D image of the University of Illinois logo etched into a gallium-arsenide semiconductor,
taken during etching with a new microscopy technique that monitors the etching process on the
nanometer scale. The height difference between the orange and purple regions is approximately 250 nm.
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1212TechPulse.indd 25 12/4/12 11:21 AM
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Besides monitoring the process, the
light acts as a catalyst for the process,
called photochemical etching. Conven-
tionally, light is shone through glass
plates or masks that are patterned to let
light through or to completely block it and
thereby expose photoresist in a binary
pattern before a separate etch step is per-
formed. In the new technique, an ordinary
digital projector shines a gray-scale image
onto the sample being etched; complex
patterns can be created quickly and easily
and can be adjusted using a computer.
The monitoring process also can be
adapted to etch chips, Goddard told Pho-
tonics Spectra.
It can and has been adapted to etch the
chips themselves, he said. As a proof-
of-concept example, we used the light
from a digital projector to etch an array of
microlenses. We simply drew a gradient
shaded circle in Matlab and pasted it into
a microlens array pattern in PowerPoint
and displayed that image onto the sample
in the etch solution to perform photo-
chemical etching.
This method holds promise for real-
time monitoring of the self-assembly of
carbon nanotubes, or for error monitoring
during large-scale production of com-
puter chips. It also may help chip makers
decrease processing time and costs by
allowing them to continuously calibrate
their equipment.
Monitoring self-assembly of carbon
nanotubes could start very soon, God-
dard said. Error monitoring during large-
scale production would be about fve
years, since there would need to be many
proof-of-concept experiments done frst
in a research environment before a large
manufacturer would let us put a new tool
into their fab line.
Besides refning their work on photo-
chemical etching, the team plans to work
on imaging the self-assembly of nano-
tubes, the dissolution of biodegradable
electronics, surface wetting and evapo-
ration, the expansion of deformation of
materials and fnding isolated defects in
patterned semiconductor wafers, doctoral
candidate Chris Edwards told Photonics
Spectra.
Electrical and computer engineering
professor Gabriel Popescu and gradu-
ate student Amir Arbabi contributed to
the results, which were supported by a
National Science Foundation award and
matching funds from the University of
Illinois.
TECH pulse

Researchers at the University of Illinois used a
special microscope to simultaneously etch tiny
features in semiconductor wafers and monitor the
process in real time. From left, graduate student
Amir Arbabi, professor Gabriel Popescu, graduate
student Chris Edwards and professor Lynford
Goddard.
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asers have had a large role in
visibility applications since the
frst commercial lasers became
available in the 1960s. Visible lasers
today can be found in millions of
applications, from medical to gun
sights, alignment to simple pointing.
The red color spectrum has historically
dominated the visible market, mostly
due to the low entry cost. When
you look closer at light visibility, it
becomes clear that red light does not
represent the best choice for visibility
applications.
Understanding the spectrum
The frst spectrum defnition was
released in the 17th century by Sir
Isaac Newton. Newton examined
how visible white light is made
of a variety of colors that can be
broken down using a prism. These
colors travel at different speeds and
contain different properties.
In 1802, Thomas Young took Newtons
research and began to analyze the
properties of these wavelengths. He
found that different wavelengths are
perceived differently by the eye. His
research discovered measurements
on light perception that led to what
we know now as the photopic scale.
The photopic scale defnes visible
light as wavelengths between 380 nm
(violet) and 740 nm (red). The highest
visibility point in the scale comes at
555 nm (green).
Green wavelengths, it turns out,
provide the highest amount of
visibility among any of the common
commercial laser wavelengths. In
fact, green light at 555 nm is 4.6 times
more visible than the most common
visible red laser (635 nm).
Green Solutions
Despite the visible advantages
with green lasers, red has been the
dominant color in visible applications.
In recent years, however, green has
begun gaining momentum in visible
applications.
Green lasers have until recently
existed mostly as diode-pumped solid
state (DPSS). DPSS green lasers have a
typical wavelength of 532 nm, placing
them close to the maximum visibility
without sacrifcing power. DPSS has
become popular due to relatively
low cost. However, inexpensive DPSS
lasers suffer from stability issues,
poor durability due to the use of
fragile crystals to produce the green
light, and low portability due to size
and high power requirements.
Green diode lasers overcome many of
the issues from DPSS lasers at near
the same level of visibility. Diodes
feature increased durability in a better
package that can be signifcantly
smaller than DPSS and run on lower
power for longer.
Until recently, green diode lasers have
been signifcantly more expensive
than DPSS, causing fewer applications
to take advantage of the benefts of
green diode lasers.
Better Green Diode Lasers
This all appears to be changing as
Power Technology has recently Power Technology Power Technology
introduced it's green laser diode line
of products featuring the GPD diode
laser module. This marks the frst
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below common DPSS modules.
The GPD green laser diode module
features signifcant increases in power
stability, thanks to an integrated
photodiode. As a result of these
signifcant advances in green laser
diode technology, Power Technology
has quickly risen as the industry leader
in visible green laser applications.
PowerTechnology Media www.PowerTechnology.com/Green
December 2012
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STOCKHOLM Two independent but re-
lated quantum optics methods for measur-
ing and manipulating individual particles
while preserving their quantum mechani-
cal nature have been recognized by the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences with
the 2012 Nobel Prize in physics.
Serge Haroche of the Collge de France
and Ecole Normale Suprieure in Paris
and David Wineland of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology and
the University of Colorado at Boulder will
share the $1.2 million (SEK 8 million)
prize.
Although the research was developed
separately over many years by teams in
the US and France, the work of the win-
ners is synergistic, the academy said.
I use atoms to study photons, and he
uses photons to study atoms, Haroche
said in a phone interview with Nobel
prize.org of his and Winelands work.
Hes a friend, and I admire his work very
much. We have been in contact with each
other for many, many years. I am very
glad to share this prize with him.
The feld of quantum optics, which
deals with the interaction between light
and matter, has seen considerable prog-
ress since the mid-1980s. Because single
particles are not easily isolated from their
surrounding environment and lose their
mysterious quantum properties as soon
as they interact with the outside world,
it was thought that direct observation
could not be attained; researchers could
only carry out thought experiments that
might, in principle, manifest the bizarre
phenomena.
Discoveries based on these experiments
could eventually lead to the development
of superfast quantum computers and
could be used to make optical clocks that
are at least 100 times more accurate than
current-day cesium clocks.
I think most of us feel that even though
it is a long ways off before we can realize
such a computer . . . it will eventually
happen, Wineland told Nobelprize.org
in a phone interview. Its primarily a
matter of controlling these systems better
and better.
Haroche and his wife were out walking
when he received the call notifying him
of the award
I was ... getting ready to get back
home, Haroche said. My frst thought
was amazement, you know. I think I had
the thought even before I [answered]
the phone because I saw the code 46 of
Sweden. I knew that the prize was being
given today.
Wineland, in Colorado, was awakened
by the phone call from the Nobel commit-
tee. We probably wont go back to sleep
for a while, he said. Its a wonderful
surprise, of course, and just amazing.
When asked how the award would
affect his future work, Wineland told
Photonics Spectra that the recognition
will increase our credibility, which can
never hurt. But I dont think it will change
my personal approach at all.
TECH pulse

You might say the
recognition will increase
our credibility, which can
never hurt. But I dont think
it will change my personal
approach at all.
-Dave Wineland
Nobel Prize in physics recognizes
quantum-world experiments
David Wineland Serge Haroche
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
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Standard and custom ceramic
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Communications
Instrumention
Medical
Imaging / Sensing
Fermionics 1/3 Column:Layout 1 9/12/10 2:10 AM Page 1
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. A wearable sen-
sor system that includes a stripped-down
gaming camera and a laser rangefnder
could give emergency responders a hand
by digitally mapping hazardous environ-
ments on the fy.
Developed at MIT, the device builds
on previous research into systems that
let robots map their environments. The
machines sensors wirelessly relay data to
an off-site computer, allowing observers
to watch the maps creation as the wearer
maneuvers through a space in this in-
stance, the halls of an MIT building. The
prototype, worn on the chest, includes a
simplifed Microsoft Kinect camera and a
laser rangefnder.
The operational scenario that was
envisioned for this was a hazmat situation
where people are suited up with the full
suit, and they go in and explore an envi-
ronment, said Maurice Fallon, a research
scientist at MITs Computer Science and
Artifcial Intelligence Laboratory. The
current approach would be to textually
summarize what they had seen afterward
I went into this room on the left, I saw
this, I went into the next room, and so on.
We want to try to automate that.
Originally designed for robots, the
system has been adapted for the com-
plexities of human use. For example,
the laser rangefnder, which provides
accurate information about the distance
of the nearest walls, is level on a robot
but is jostled by a human in motion. In a
robots wheels, sensors provide accurate
information about physical orientation
and distances covered, but that element
is missing with humans. The system also
must recognize changes in altitude when
the wearer moves to a different foor.
Wearers can annotate the map using a
handheld pushbutton attached to the sen-
sor. In the prototype, it simply designates
points of interest. The developers envision
a future system that will add voice or text
tags so emergency responders can mark
structural damage or toxic spills.
The sensor was equipped with a cluster
of accelerometers, gyroscopes and, in one
group of experiments, a barometer.
This idea of having a SLAM [simulta-
neous localization and mapping] system
that is attached to a humans body, for
fguring out where it is, is actually in-
novative and pretty useful, said Wolfram
Burgard, a computer science professor at
the University of Freiburg in Germany.
For frst responders, a technology like
this one might be highly relevant.
The work, supported by the US Air
Force and the Offce of Naval Research,
was presented in October at the Intel-
ligent Robots and Systems conference in
Portugal.
Wearable sensor maps disasters on the fy
A new sensor system that can be worn by frst responders will allow them to digitally map dangerous places
on the fy. The prototype sensor included a stripped-down Microsoft Kinect camera (top) and a laser range-
fnder (bottom), which looks something like a camera lens seen side-on.
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CAMBRIDGE, England Holograms can
be generated by harnessing the conductive
and light-scattering qualities of carbon
nanotubes, a development that could lead
to crisper projections with a larger feld
of view.
Many scientists believe that carbon
nanotubes will be at the heart of future in-
dustry and human endeavor, and will have
an impact on solar cells, cancer treat-
ments and optical imaging. One of the
most astonishing features of nanotubes
is that they are about 100 times stronger
than steel at one-sixth the weight.
Researchers at Cambridge Universitys
Center of Molecular Materials for Photon-
ics and Electronics (CMMPE) used these
nanotubes as the smallest-ever scattering
elements to create a static holographic
projection of the word Cambridge.
Smaller pixels allow the diffraction of
light at larger angles increasing the feld
of view. Essentially, the smaller the pixel,
the higher the resolution of the hologram,
said Dr. Haider Butt of CMMPE, who
conducted the work along with Yunuen
Montelongo. We used carbon nanotubes
as diffractive elements or pixels to
produce high-resolution and wide-feld-
of-view holograms.
TECH pulse

Nanotubes improve hologram projection
Cambridge University researchers used nanotubes as the smallest-ever scattering elements to project a
static hologram of the word Cambridge.
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The multiwalled nanotubes used in this
study are around 700 times thinner than
a human hair and are grown vertically on
a layer of silicon in an atomic chimney
stack formation.
The researchers calculated a place-
ment pattern that produced the name
Cambridge using a variety of laser light
colors, all of which were scattered from
the nanoscale structures.
The holograms that resulted are not
only of the highest resolution, but are also
ultrasensitive to changes in material and
incoming light, Butt said.
A new class of highly sensitive
holographic sensors can be developed
that could sense distance, motion, tilt,
temperature and density of biological
materials, he said. Whats certain is that
these results pave the way toward using
nanostructures to produce 3-D holograms
with a wide feld of view and the very
highest resolution, he added.
The scientists are now looking for a
less expensive alternative to nanotubes,
which are fnancially prohibitive. Among
the candidates are zinc oxide nanowires.
The team is also investigating move-
ment in the projections. Currently, only
static holograms can be rendered; how-
ever, Butt and his colleagues will look
at techniques such as combining these
pixels with liquid crystals to create fuid
displays possibly leading to changeable
pictures and even high-quality holo-
graphic video.
The fndings were reported in Advanced
Materials (doi: 10.1002/adma.201202593).
TECH pulse

The DECams array of 62 CCDs has
unprecedented sensitivity to red light.
Essentially, the smaller the
pixel, the higher the resolution
of the hologram.
Dr. Haider Butt, Cambridge University
CERRO TOLOLO, Chile After eight
years in the making, the most power-
ful sky-mapping machine ever created,
the 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera
(DECam), achieved frst light on Sept. 12.
The camera was constructed at Fermi
National Accelerator Laboratory in Bata-
via, Ill., and mounted on the Victor M.
Blanco telescope at the National Science
Foundations Cerro Tololo Inter-American
Observatory, the southern branch of the
US National Optical Astronomy Observa-
tory. With this device, roughly the size of
a phone booth, astronomers and physicists
will probe the mystery of dark energy, the
force they believe is causing the universe
to expand faster and faster.
A photometric imaging camera, it mea-
sures the amount of light in various colors
from astronomical objects rather than
details of their spectra. It can see light
from more than 100,000 galaxies up to
8 billion light-years away in each image.
Its array of 62 CCDs has unprecedented
sensitivity to red light.
Scientists in the Dark Energy Survey
collaboration will use the camera to
undertake the largest galaxy survey ever.
They will use the data to carry out four
probes of dark energy, studying galaxy
clusters, supernovae, the large-scale
clumping of galaxies and weak gravita-
tional lensing. This will be the frst time
all four of these methods will be possible
in a single experiment.
The Dark Energy Survey will help
us understand why the expansion of the
universe is accelerating, rather than
slowing, due to gravity, said Brenna
Flaugher, project manager and scientist
at Fermilab. It is extremely satisfying to
see the efforts of all the people involved
in this project fnally come together.
Fermilab turned to Lawrence Berkeley
National Lab for the CCDs needed, real-
izing that the high-redshift galaxies they
sought would require longer exposures to
get secure photometric results. Berkley
Labs CCDs have higher quantum ef-
fciency in the near-infrared than typical
astronomical CCDs.
Manufacture of the DECam CCDs
was overseen by Steve Holland, a senior
engineer in Berkeley Labs Engineer-
ing Div. who invented the Berkeley Lab
CCD in the mid-1990s as a spinoff from
research and development of detectors for
high-energy physics.
Fermilab was attracted to our CCDs
because of their improved red response,
Holland said, but considering that there
were as yet no big cameras using them
when DECam was planned, they had to
decide to take a risk.
The DECam chips were fabricated
by Berkeley Labs industrial partner,
Teledyne Dalsa Semiconductor, and the
Physics Div.s MicroSystems Laboratory.
Partially fnished wafers holding four
CCDs, each with eight of 11 masking
Dark energy camera takes frst pictures
The Dark Energy Camera features 62 charged-
coupled devices, which record a total of
570 megapixels per snapshot.
F
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a
b
A zoomed-in image from the Dark Energy Camera
of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365, in the Fornax
cluster of galaxies, which lies about 60 million light-
years from Earth.
D
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steps completed, were commercially
thinned, then sent to the MicroSystems
Laboratory for completion. Cold probe
tests at -45 C were performed to detect
shorts, defects and excessive dark current.
The CCDs were cut from the wafer and
sent to Fermilab for mounting and fnal
testing of the science-grade devices.
The survey is expected to begin this
month, after the camera is fully tested,
and will take advantage of the excellent
atmospheric conditions in the Chilean
Andes to deliver pictures with the sharp-
est resolution seen in such a wide-feld
astronomy survey. In just its frst few
nights of testing, the camera has delivered
images with excellent and nearly uniform
spatial resolution, astronomers say.
Over fve years, the survey will create
detailed color images of one-eighth
of the sky, or 5000 square degrees,
to discover and measure 300 million
galaxies, 100,000 galaxy clusters and
4000 supernovae.
The most powerful sky-mapping machine ever created, the 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera (DECam),
is mounted on the Blanco telescope in Chile.
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www.photonics.com
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL The discov-
ery that the force of light in a nanoscale
switch is strong enough to move an opti-
cal waveguide without having to rely on
the devices mechanical structure could
dramatically increase Internet download
speeds while also consuming less power.
The microscale optical device, de-
veloped at the University of Minnesota,
uses the force generated by light to fop
a mechanical light-based switch on and
off at very high speeds. This development
could lead to advances in computation and
signal processing using light instead of
electrical current. This device is similar
to electromechanical relays but oper-
ates completely with light, said Mo Li,
an assistant professor of electrical and
computer engineering in the College of
Science and Engineering.
Li and collaborators discovered in 2008
that nanoscale light conduits can be used
to generate optical forces strong enough to
mechanically move an optical waveguide.
With their new device, they found that its
mechanical properties can be completely
dominated by the optical force.
This is the frst time that this novel
optomechanical effect is used to amplify
optical signals without converting them
into electrical ones, Li said.
Glass optical fbers carry many com-
munication channels, each assigned a dif-
ferent color of light so they dont interfere
with each other. This noninterference
characteristic ensures the effciency of a
single optical fber to transmit more infor-
mation over very long distances. But this
advantage also harbors a disadvantage:
When considering computation and signal
processing, optical devices could not
allow the various channels of information
TECH pulse

Signals amplifed by light alone
For more on Mo Li and his 2008
work on nanoscale light conduits,
see Light Drives Nanomachines,
www.photonics.com/a35732.
University of Minnesota researchers led by Mo
Li have invented a novel microscale mechanical
switch of light on a silicon chip. The team says the
technology could dramatically increase Internet
download speeds while also consuming less power.
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to control each other easily until now.
The new device has two optical wave-
guides, each carrying a signal. Placed
between the waveguides is an optical
resonator in the shape of a microscale
doughnut. In the optical resonator, light
can circulate hundreds of times, gaining
intensity.
Using this resonance effect, the optical
signal in the frst waveguide is signifcantly
enhanced in the resonator and generates
a very strong optical force on the second
waveguide. That waveguide is released
from the supporting material so that it
moves in oscillation, like a tuning fork,
when the force is applied on it. This me-
chanical motion of the waveguide alters the
transmission of the optical signal. Because
the power of the second optical signal can
be many times higher than the control sig-
nal, the device functions like a mechanical
relay to amplify the input signal.
The new optical relay device currently
operates 1 million times per second, but
the researchers expect to improve it to
several billion times per second. The
mechanical motion of the current device
is suffciently fast to connect radio-fre-
quency devices directly with fber optics
for broadband communication.
Lis team includes graduate students
Huan Li, Yu Chen and Semere Tadesse,
and former postdoctoral fellow Jong Noh.
The project received funding from the
University of Minnesota College of Sci-
ence and Engineering and the Air Force
Offce of Scientifc Research.
The results were published online in
Nature Communications (doi: 10.1038/
ncomms2103).
TECH pulse

Electrons in QDs seen absorbing, emitting light
DRESDEN, Germany The special
energy states of electrons confned in
quantum dots have been observed for the
frst time, a feat that could help exploit
the unique properties of the nanoscale
semiconductor materials for technological
applications.
Because they are easy to synthesize
and their behavior is akin to that of single
atoms, quantum dots are generally consid-
ered to hold great potential for technologi-
cal applications. But to take advantage
of these properties, scientists must frst
understand how the electrons trapped
inside quantum dots absorb energy and
emit it again as light.
There are typically one or two electrons
inside the minuscule pyramid-like struc-
ture of quantum dots. The constricted
movement in the dots allows electrons
to occupy only specifc energy levels;
these depend on the composition of the
semiconductor material and the size of the
nanopyramid.
Using scanning near-feld microscopy,
scientists from Helmholtz-Zentrum
Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), the Leibniz
Institute for Solid State and Materials
Research Dresden (IFW) and TU Dresden
observed the special energy states of
electrons confned in the dots.
These sharply defned energy levels
are exploited, for example, in highly
energy-effcient lasers based on quantum
dots, said Dr. Stephan Winnerl of HZDR.
The light is produced when an electron
drops from a higher energy level into a
Shining laser light onto a metallic tip less than 100 nm thick strongly collimates the light; focusing this
collimated light precisely onto one pyramid allows energy to be donated to the electrons, exciting them to a
higher energy level. The energy transfer can be measured by watching the IR light scattered from the tip in
this process. Here, near-feld microscopy using the free-electron laser at HZDR: An adjusting laser aligns the
measuring tip of the microscope as it comes from above. Below, the movable sample stage is seen.
H
Z
D
R
We hope to gain even more
precise insights into the
confned behavior of these
electrons.
Dr. Stephan Winnerl, HZDR
lower one. The energy difference between
the two levels determines the color of the
light.
The Dresden researchers are the frst
to successfully scan transitions between
energy levels in single quantum dots
using infrared light. Since electrons in
different-sized nanopyramids respond
to different IR energies, it is possible to
obtain only blurred signals by using IR
light. For this reason, its important to
view the electrons confned to a single
quantum dot.
The new technique involves shining
laser light onto a metallic tip less than
100 nm thick, which strongly collimates
the light to 100 times smaller than the
wavelength of light the spatial resolu-
tion limit for conventional optics. By
focusing this collimated light precisely
onto one pyramid, energy is donated to
the electrons, exciting them to a higher
energy level. The energy transfer can
be measured by watching the IR light
scattered from the tip in this process. The
technique is sensitive enough to generate
a distinct nanoscale image of the elec-
trons inside a quantum dot.
Next, we intend to reveal the behavior
of electrons inside quantum dots at lower
temperatures, Winnerl said. From these
experiments, we hope to gain even more
precise insights into the confned behav-
ior of these electrons. In particular, we
want to gain a much better understanding
of how the electrons interact with one
another as well as with the vibrations of
the crystal lattice.
The work appeared in Nano Letters
(doi: 10.1021/nl302078w).
The two free-electron lasers at HZDR. The Dresden
researchers are the frst to use IR light to scan
transitions between energy levels in single
quantum dots.
S
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Squeezed light measures moving target
TOKYO A novel quantum mechani-
cal squeezing technique that precisely
tracks the phase of optical waveforms in
motion has broken the standard limits for
ultraprecise measurement by exploiting
quantum lightwaves in a different way.
In optical communications, information is
often stored in a waveform or light pulse.
Yet noise and fuctuations arise, causing
random jitter in the phase and amplitude
of optical pulses, making it diffcult to
keep track of waveform phase.
Squeezed light can be used to make
measurements of very small distances,
and now scientists at the University of
Tokyo and Griffth University in Austra-
lia have demonstrated that it is possible to
take measurements even while the target
is in motion.
At the heart of all scientifc endeavor
is the necessity to be able to measure
things precisely, said professor How-
ard Wiseman of Griffth Universitys
Centre for Quantum Dynamics. By
using squeezed light, we have broken the
standard limits for precision phase track-
ing, making a fundamental contribution
to science.
To achieve this optical-phase track-
ing method, professor Akira Furusawa
and project lecturer Hidehiro Yonezawa,
both from the School of Engineering at
the University of Tokyo, exploited phase
squeezed light (the phase noise of which
is smaller than that of a laser beam) and
a feedback control technique. Their fnd-
ings beat the classical mechanical bound-
ary of precision; more importantly, their
At the heart of all scientifc endeavor is the necessity
to be able to measure things precisely.
Professor Howard Wiseman, Griffth University
www.photonics.com
TECH pulse

results reveal that, because of Heisen-
bergs uncertainty principle, a quantum
mechanical limitation exists in highly
precise optical-phase tracking.
Because the phase of a light beam
changes whenever it passes through
or bounces off an object, being able to
measure that change is a very powerful
tool, Wiseman said. Using squeezed light
has enabled the researchers to push the
boundaries of precision phase tracking.
But, we have also shown that too much
squeezing can actually hurt, he said.
Curiously, we found that it is possible
to have too much of a good thing, said
professor Elanor Huntington from UNSW
Canberra, the director of the Austra-
lian contribution to the experiment and
Wisemans colleague in the Centre for
Quantum Computation and Communica-
tion Technology. Squeezing beyond a
certain point actually degrades the perfor-
mance of the measurement, making it less
precise than if we had used light with no
squeezing.
Wiseman has been working with Dr.
Dominic Berry of Macquarie University
on the theory of this problem for the past
several years.
The key to this experiment has been to
combine phase squeezing of lightwaves
with feedback control to track a moving
phase better than previously possible,
Berry said. Ultraprecise quantum-
enhanced measurement has been done be-
fore, but only with small phase changes.
Now we have shown we can track large
phase changes as well.
The ultrahigh-precision phase measure-
ments could stimulate many applied re-
search applications such as ultraprecision
length measurement, ultrahigh-capacity
coherent optical communication and
secure quantum cryptography.
The Tokyo-based research was con-
ducted in collaboration with The Univer-
sity of New South Wales, University of
Queensland and Macquarie University, all
in Australia.
The research appeared in Science (doi:
10.1126/science.1225258).
Photo of the experimental setup. Courtesy of Hidehiro Yonezawa.
Coming in 2013!
2 0 1 3 W e b i n a r S e r i e S
January Nanobiophotonics Update
February Industry Trends Analysis;
Lasers in Optical
Communications
MarCH Trends in Biophotonic Imaging
aPriL Aspheres for IR Optics
May Developments in Optics & Optical
Components
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representative at (413) 499-0514, or email
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Expert Briefngs
in-depth presentations and interactive
Q&a featuring top industry experts
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1212_2013WebinarsAd_PG39.indd 39 11/30/12 6:06 PM
USA 1-800-524-0504
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1212_Hamamatsu_Pg40.indd 40 11/30/12 5:08 PM
LEDs at 50
The Magic One is ubiquitous
So ubiquitous, in fact, that three features in this issue mention Nick Holonyaks
invention 50 years after he demonstrated the frst practical visible-spectrum
light-emitting diode.
His GE colleagues called it the magic one

because of its visible light. Holonyak has called it the ultimate lamp
because the current itself is the light.
He said in an interview
this year that he remembered thinking, I know that Im just on the front end,
but I know the result is so powerful. ... Theres no ambiguity about
the fact that this has got a life way beyond what were seeing.
Applications for LEDs are booming: lighting in cellphone

and smartphone displays, TVs, PCs, tablet computers and more,
and they are going mainstream in general lighting applications.
Polymer injection molding lends itself nicely to LEDs because

of its ability to integrate optical elements into one part with
mechanical features such as snaps, apertures, holes, barrels,
light pipes and mirrors.
Basic research has reset its focus

on the semiconductor zinc oxide, which has a direct bandgap
comparable to GaAs and GaN, raising hope that one day blue LEDs
will be made from this material.
One problem has prevented

the use of ZnO: It is impossible to generate high, homogeneous
and stable p-type doping, reducing LED effciency.

Digital line-scan sensors with 24-k resolution offer inspection
of fne defects at high throughput speed, useful in
production inspection of LEDs and LCDs.
Streak Cameras Improve
Materials Research
CMOS Sensors Increase
Inspection Speed and Accuracy
Plastic Optics Provide Precision
Charge-Injection Devices
Overcome Radiation Effects
Surveillance System Enables
24-Hour Target Acquisition
this months FEATURES

1212FeatureIntro.indd 41 11/30/12 5:17 PM
Tech Feature
LEDs have numerous advan-
tages over traditional light sources such as
halogen or energy-saving lamps. They use
electric power effciently and, employed
in combination with various-colored bod-
ies, can be designed to provide an almost
natural light. They are also completely
jitter-free.
When todays electronics light up, GaAs
(gallium arsenide) and/or GaN (gallium
nitride) are involved, which is not always
a good thing. Gallium is rare and priced
accordingly and the poisonous arsenic
causes problems in disposal. GaN is a
powerful but technologically diffcult ma-
terial to handle, resulting in a search for
alternatives despite its high level of func-
tionality. For research purposes and for in-
dustrial production of electronic lighting,
LEDs and laser diodes, fnding cheap and
environmentally friendly alternatives is
important.
Basic research has reset its focus on the
semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO), which
has a direct bandgap comparable to GaAs
and GaN, raising hope that one day blue
LEDs will be made from this material.
Moreover, ZnO is available in quanti-
ties suitable for industry and is inexpen-
sive, nontoxic and simple to process. So
far, however, one problem has prevented
its use: It is impossible to generate high,
homogeneous and stable p-type doping,
which, at the moment, greatly reduces
LED effciency.
ZnO also shows potential as an active
material for solid-state lasers. Recent de-
velopments at the University of Leipzig
Institute of Experimental Physics II,
Semiconductor Physics Group, in Ger-
many have shown that the threshold for
ZnO microwires as an active material for
lasers is 73 kW/cm
2
at room temperature.
But further research is needed to develop
ZnO LEDs and lasers for industrial-scale
applications, and streak cameras are help-
ing in this endeavor.
Streak cameras are used for time-
resolved analysis of ultrashort optical sig-
nals, and researchers at the University of
Bochum in Germany are using them to
make phenomena visible, examining
among other things the time-resolved
photoluminescence of ZnO.
These cameras achieve temporal reso-
lutions in the range of picoseconds (10
210

New calibration options enable signifcant improvements in the accuracy of new
and old devices, which could mean big advances in materials for LEDs and lasers.
BY BARBARA STUMPP
SCIENCE WRITER
Streak Cameras
Improve Materials Research
The OptoScope streak camera from Optronis GmbH enables research into the temporal behavior of the
photoluminescence of ZnO at the University of Bochum.
O
p
t
r
o
n
i
s
1212StreakCameras.indd 42 11/30/12 5:17 PM
to 10
212
s). Apart from their high tempo-
ral resolution, streak cameras are the only
instruments that allow simultaneous mea-
surement of the temporal behavior of mul-
tiple optical processes.
When measuring with a streak camera,
the image of a slot is defected at very high
speed over a screen. If you know the de-
fection speed, you can connect the infor-
mation received from the position on the
screen with a time axis. The defection
is technically realized by a streak tube.
Streak tubes are vacuum tubes that work
as with frst-generation image amplifer
tubes with a photocathode to convert the
light fux into a current of electrons, focus-
ing electrodes and a phosphor screen to re-
convert it into optical signals. A peculiar
feature of the streak tube is that additional
baffes allow a shifting of the image on the
phosphor screen; a CCD camera then re-
cords the image.
In combination with a spectrometer, the
streak camera can perform time-resolved
spectroscopy. The cameras high sensitiv-
ity allows detection of even weak signals
up to those of individual photons. Dr. Jan
Heye Bu of Bochum University explores
homoepitaxially grown zinc oxide using
the OptoScope streak camera from Op-
tronis GmbH of Kehl, Germany. The zinc
oxide is activated by light of a wavelength
of about 351 nm and an intensity of 10
to 12 mW. By visualizing the photon re-
sponse, the research delves into the tempo-
ral behavior of the photoluminescence of
this material.
The measurement errors of the Opto-
Scopes spot velocity and its linearity
are specifed to 65 percent at maximum,
but the delivered systems typically have
presented an error of 2 to 3 percent. De-
pending upon the system confguration,
additional errors can occur because of geo-
metric image distortions and the specifc
transit-time distortion. Despite these er-
rors, the camera system already has deliv-
ered good results for many measurement
tasks without further corrections.
For materials research, the SC-10 streak
camera from Optronis is used for mea-
surements on ZnO, and the SC-20/SC-51 is
generally used for detonics and laser Dop-
pler interferometry.
With the SC-20/SC-51, a correction
of geometric image distortions (barrel,
pincushion) is essentially helpful because
the optical and electro-optical transmis-
sion components in respect to the streak
camera have to transfer a large image,
said Dr. Patrick Summ, CEO of Optronis.
The decay of a laser-excited ZnO sample. The X-axis shows the time elapsed (0 to 2 ns),
and Y-axis shows the spectral information.
The vertical profle i.e., the spectral information of the samples decay shortly after laser excitation.
Basic research has
reset its focus on the
semiconductor zinc oxide
(ZnO), which has a direct
bandgap comparable to
GaAs and GaN, raising
hope that one day blue
LEDs will be made from
this material.
D
r
.

J
a
n

H
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y
e

B
u
D
r
.

J
a
n

H
e
y
e

B
u
,

U
n
i
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r
s
i
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y

o
f

B
o
c
h
u
m
With the SC-10, this plays a minor role,
as the image to be transferred is smaller by
a factor of about 1.5 and, thus, the optical
distortions are usually negligible.
To make ZnO measurements, research-
ers sometimes work with very fast signals
that can be detected only at high sweep
rates. Here, the photoelectron transit-time
distortion of the streak tube becomes vis-
ible: It makes itself noticeable therein, as
parabolic distortion usually occurs from
the center to the edge of the image. The
reason for this is that the outer photoelec-
trons travel a longer distance in the tube.
In this case, a correction of this transit-
time distortion makes sense.
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ZnO has shown potential as an active material for LEDs and solid-state lasers. Recent research has shown
that the threshold for ZnO microwires as an active material for lasers is 73 kW/cm
2
at room temperature.
Here, ZnO microwires used during the tests at the University of Leipzig.
P
r
o
f
e
s
s
o
r

M
a
r
i
u
s

G
r
u
n
d
m
a
n
n
,

U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
t
y

o
f

L
e
i
p
z
i
g
In combination with
a spectrometer,
the streak camera
can perform time-resolved
spectroscopy.
Streak cameras are used primarily in the
feld of basic research at universities and
research institutes, and researchers need
the best possible results because further
research builds on these results; also, case-
specifc adjustments and the traceability of
the determination of raw data are always
relevant to research. To help researchers
get the most from their results, the analy-
sis software OptoAnalyse from Optronis
offers simple and targeted calibration and
correction functions.
The new software can enable correc-
tion of the transit-time distortion of the
photoelectrons and the geometric image
distortions as well as the absolute and
relative calibration of the sweep rate.
An important issue in the implementa-
tion of these correction and calibration
functions has been that the calibrations
are done by a process that is easy to un-
derstand, Summ said. Transparent data
processing leads to improved results. The
user can thus decide in person which cor-
rections are desirable, and the reference
data can be directly accessed. The relevant
measurements for the ZnO test results are
To make ZnO measurements, researchers sometimes work with very fast signals that can be detected
only at high sweep rates, at which the photoelectron transit-time distortion of the streak tube becomes
visible in the form of parabolic distortion; this can be corrected by the new software.
O
p
t
r
o
n
i
s
thus available with an accuracy of 1 per-
cent in range.
The development of future ZnO LEDs,
new solid-state diode lasers and diode la-
sers, and ever-more-exclusive application
areas would have been impossible and
cannot continue in the future without
basic research using streak cameras.
Meet the author
Dr. Barbara Stumpp is a freelance journalist in
Freiburg, Germany; email: bstumpp@gmx.de.
CMOS Sensors Increase
Inspection Speed and Accuracy
As they get faster and offer higher resolution and sensitivity, CMOS sensors continue to impress the
manufacturing industry.
BY MARIE FREEBODY
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
T
he main goal of any industrial in-
spection system is to increase manu-
facturing effciency as measured by
throughput, yield and number of product
returns. Inspection systems are therefore
pressed for continual improvements in
speed, resolution and power consumption
as well as capital cost.
Greater speed allows manufacturers
to see physical characteristics when an
object is moving very fast or is highly
magnifed. Better resolution means higher
spatial resolution and greater detail in the
images, and increased light sensitivity
means that this can be done with minimal
investment in supplemental lighting.
Image sensors are the eyes of opti-
cal inspection systems, said Eric Fox,
technical director of CMOS integrated
circuits at Teledyne Dalsa in Waterloo,
Ontario, Canada. Without advances in
the performance of image sensors, it is
not possible to exploit parallel advances in
illumination, data transmission, image-
processing hardware and image-process-
ing software.
Of course, this applies to all image
sensors, but in particular to those based
on CMOS technology, as these are fast
becoming the technology of choice for
inspection.
There are three characteristics of the
sensor that we continue to advance: speed,
resolution, sensitivity, said Rick Robin-
son, director of marketing at Vision Re-
search, a high-speed digital camera maker
in Wayne, N.J. And these are engineer-
ing trade-offs it is nearly impossible to
advance all three simultaneously. And all
three can beneft inspection applications.
But speed, resolution and sensitivity
CMOS sensors can help manufacturers
inspect solar cells, LEDs, LCDs and more.
CMOS sensors offer increasingly high frame rates and are very attractive for high-speed applications.
S
t
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k
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o
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/
T
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1212CMOS.indd 46 11/30/12 5:19 PM
arent everything: Other attributes also
are helping to make CMOS sensors an
increasing asset on the production line.
Global electronic shutters provide
crisp, blur-free images of fast-moving
objects without the need for a mechanical
shutter or pulsed illumination. Reductions
in read noise and in the effects of shot
noise also contribute to image quality
and in some cases can enhance the quality
of the products. This can be seen, for
example, in the solar panel market, where
effciencies continue to increase and costs
continue to decrease over time.
Teledyne Dalsa has been in the busi-
ness of developing new and better image
sensors to advance inspection capabilities
for over 30 years. Throughout, the drivers
have remained the same: Run faster, with
more resolution, with higher sensitivity,
at lower cost, Fox said. Over the past 10
to 15 years, power consumption has been
added to that list of drivers as system
sizes have scaled down in size.
Most recently, the company has re-
leased the Genie TS and Falcon2 CMOS
sensor cameras for area-scan applications,
the Piranha4 8k for line scanning and
the Piranha HS NIR for time delay and
integration (TDI) applications.
CMOS technology will be as successful
in line-scan applications as it has been in
area-scan applications, said Jana Bar-
tels, product manager for digital camera
manufacturer Basler AG in Hamburg,
Germany. The company is putting a lot
of effort into developing cameras with its
partners Cmosis, Aptina Imaging Corp.,
Awaiba CH SA and e2v.
For example, the latest digital line-scan
sensors with 24-k (24,576 pixels) resolu-
tion from Awaiba of Yverdon, Switzer-
land, offer inspection of fne defects at
high throughput speed. This is particu-
larly useful in the manufacturing of solar
cell substrates, especially thin-flm solar
cells, and in production inspection of
LEDs and LCDs.
CMOS technology will be as useful for line-scan applications as it has been for area-scan applications,
according to the German company Basler, which is developing new cameras. Here, the Basler Ace area-scan
cameras (left) are equipped with both CCD and CMOS sensor technology; the companys Racer line-scan
cameras (right) use highly sensitive CMOS sensor technology.
j Good full-well capacity
j Small sensor sizes (which means smaller cameras)
j High speed
j High image quality (comparable to CCD technology)
j No tap balancing
j Global shutter when capturing moving objects (prior to CMOS, this was
possible only with more expensive CCD sensors)
j Low noise resulting from new sensor developments
j New special features such as windowing and high-dynamic-range
improvements
j Low system complexity
j High sensitivity in the NIR spectrum
j Less blooming than in CCD technology
j Less smear than in CCD technology (important when capturing
moving objects)
j Extended functionality in one chip
j Low power consumption
B
a
s
l
e
r
Higher speed, resolution and sensitivity are top
goals at Vision Research, and the company says
CMOS will help it achieve those goals. This picture
of the Miro M-series camera without the lens
reveals the CMOS sensor beneath.
V
i
s
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o
n

R
e
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e
a
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c
h
The merits of CMOS sensors, at a glance:
1212CMOS.indd 47 11/30/12 5:19 PM
n CMOS Sensors
A completely different product inno-
vation is our world-smallest global shutter
sensor, NanEye_GS, which provides in
a form factor of only 3.4 3 3.4 mm a
global shutter sensor that can deliver
100 full images per second at 640 3
640-pixel resolution, said Awaiba CEO
Martin Wny. The sensor is ideal for
compact vision systems such as data
matrix code readers or intelligent light
barriers.
The rise and rise of CMOS
State-of-the-art CMOS image sensor
(CIS) technology is reaching a point
where its overall performance is com-
parable to that normally expected from
CCD-based image sensors.
And some believe that CIS technology
also is nipping at the heels of broadband
and image intensifer devices such as those
based on microchannel plates, photo-
multiplier tubes or similar technologies.
Many of the cameras launched in the
past year or two have been CMOS, and
if you examine what is cooking in the
R&D labs of most companies, youll fnd
it is almost entirely CMOS, Teledyne
Dalsas Fox said. Thus, for machine
vision, I think the transition has hap-
pened, with the exception of TDI. We
still sell a lot of TDI products because
the architecture that CCDs allow is so
ideally suited to the application.
Although the image quality of CMOS
image sensors has improved tremendous-
ly over the past 10 years, some off-chip
digital processing is still necessary to get
the best from the resulting image.
More and more of this will be inte-
grated on chip so that CMOS image sen-
sors will become easier for the customer
to use.
This added functionality is one of the
most important requirements for future
CMOS sensors, according to offcials
at Sony Corp., where the sensors and
modules are developed in a vertically
integrated fashion, which it says provides
customers with added value that is unique
to Sony.
Developing superresolution zoom and
a low-power autofocus actuator will
enable advanced functionality and lower
power consumption, the company said.
Sony has just released the Exmor RS.
The conventional back-illuminated
CMOS image sensor has the sensor and
circuit sections on the same plane, with
one section laid on the other on the sup-
porting substrate of a silicon wafer.
Putting a circuit inside the supporting
substrate uses that substrate more effec-
tively, making the
1
4-inch system-on-chip
image sensor about 40 percent smaller,
the company said. Previously, sensor and
logic two incompatible processes had
to be built on the same plane; now that
they can be separated, the conditions for
each can be optimized, which Sony says
enables better performance and image
quality.
Modern inspection applications increasingly
use spectral information to detect defects.
The Falcon2 area-scan camera from Teledyne
Dalsa has an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor.
The company cites speed, sensitivity, resolution
and lower cost as driving factors behind innovation
in CMOS image sensors.
The NanEye CMOS image sensor has optics integrated into the package.
Measuring just 1 3 1 3 1.4 mm, this module comprises a full digital camera functionality
and works without any additional components at up to 3 m on a wire.
T
e
l
e
d
y
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D
a
l
s
a
S
o
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C
o
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p
.
A
w
a
i
b
a
Image sensors
are the eyes of
optical inspection
systems.
Eric Fox, Teledyne Dalsa
Imaging modules incorporating Sonys Exmor RS,
the worlds frst stacked CMOS image sensor.
Its sensor section and circuit section are laid
one on the other on a silicon wafer supporting
substrate.
1212CMOS.indd 48 11/30/12 5:19 PM
Future challenges
Along with the usual suspects of speed,
resolution, sensitivity, image quality and
power, we can expect to see advances in
color imaging and in extending spectral
responsivity to wavelengths outside the
visible spectrum; todays inspection appli-
cations increasingly make use of spectral
information to detect defects.
Huge efforts also are being made to
further decrease noise foors of the CIS,
which increases its dynamic range and
takes us a step closer to single-photon
detection abilities.
Nevertheless, if all the advantages of
the mature CMOS technology are to be
preserved, this can only be done through
the integration of other detector materi-
als into the CIS fabrication processes,
said Dr. Daniel Durini, group manager
of Optoelectronic Devices at Fraunhofer
Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and
Systems in Duisburg, Germany. This
approach takes us into the world of 3-D
hybrid sensors, where several layers of
detector materials and readout circuits are
integrated together, offering a complete
new world of possibilities not existent
so far.
Near-single-photon counting with
picosecond time resolution has been one
of the main breakthroughs of the past
couple of years, presented in the form of
SiPM (silicon photomultipliers) or SPADs
(single-photon avalanche diodes).
These technologies are very promising
but still have many drawbacks, Durini
said. The drawbacks include pixel sizes,
dark count rates, dead times and fll fac-
tors in the case of SPADs, and the absence
of spatial resolution, in the case of SiPMs.
They all must be solved before commer-
cialization is possible.
Three-dimensional imaging or high-
performance ranging based on the time-
of-fight principle also has made huge
advances.
There are several competitors on the
market right now, all waiting for the big
breakthrough that could be coming soon,
Durini said. If suffciently mature and
advanced, this technology might open an
enormous new world of uses, especially
where machine vision and industrial ap-
plications are concerned.
marie.freebody@photonics.com
The Genie camera from Teledyne Dalsa features a 1.4-megapixel, 100-fps CMOS sensor
packaged on FR4 material to help minimize cost.
T
e
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d
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D
a
l
s
a
There are three characteristics of the sensor that we
continue to advance: speed, resolution, sensitivity.
Rick Robinson, Vision Research
1212CMOS.indd 49 11/30/12 5:19 PM
Plastic Optics
Provide Precision
Polymer optics are taking everyday applications by storm,
thanks to advances that make plastic
more and more competitive with glass.
BY VALERIE COFFEY
SCIENCE WRITER
P
olymer optics have long been known
for being inexpensive and low in
optical quality. The ease of high-
volume, low-cost manufacturing meant
that just a few decades ago, consumers
would fnd them primarily in disposable
toys, diffraction-grating glasses and $5
flm cameras. As materials, engineering
design and tooling improved between the
mid-1990s and the middle of the past de-
cade, plastic grew to be common in more
high-end optical applications, including
fber optics, biomedical devices, biometric
scanning, and the displays and devices
used in defense and homeland security.
1
This fexibility of plastic optics is in
large part the result of polymer optics
manufacturers using sophisticated
injection-molding and -testing techniques.
Injection molding allows a polymer to be
replicated from a master or metal inserts
into complex optics such as Fresnel
lenses, aspheres, toroids, free-form and
micro-optics in a cost-effective, high-
volume process (Figure 1).
2
Specifying plastic
When it comes to thermoplastics, the
specifcations are the same as for glass.
Figure 1. Thermoplastic molding pellets, the source material for injection molding, are melted to form fnished molded lenses
for numerous everyday applications, from cellphone cameras to LED lens assemblies.
G
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s
1212PolymerOptics.indd 50 11/30/12 5:20 PM
Designers must call out the dimensions,
surface accuracy, index of refraction,
Abbe number and transmission character-
istics. They also must consider inherent
autofuorescence characteristics and likely
stress birefringence. Surface coating
selection depends on the spectral environ-
mental conditions of the application.
Whether a design uses plastic or glass,
however, depends upon understanding
the widely varying strengths of glass and
plastic, according to Scott Cahall, presi-
dent of the optical design frm Moondog
Optics Inc. in Fairport, N.Y. Glass comes
in a wide variety of materials that can
be chosen to optimize properties such
as high refractive index, low dispersion
or transmission over a broad spectrum.
Glass enables tighter tolerances on mate-
rial properties, while featuring a lower
coeffcient of thermal expansion and
change of index with temperature (dn/dT)
compared with plastic. Glass offers more
resistance to surface abrasion and heat
than plastic.
Besides being formable into unique
optical elements such as double-sided
microlens arrays and prisms with optical
power (Figure 2), strengths of plastic in-
clude the ability to incorporate signifcant
departures from spherical surfaces, which
facilitates aberration correction and re-
duces element count, Cahall said. Plastic
has a low mass compared with glass for a
given optical power and can weigh up to
fve times less. A big advantage of plastic
optics is that they can incorporate built-in
features for mounting or other functional-
ity, potentially eliminating parts from
an assembly. Whereas glass is created in
As applications for LEDs grow,
the low-cost and high-volume potentials
of polymer become more important.
Figure 2. Complex polymer optics design: A double-sided plastic microlens array combines the injection mold-
ing specialty of Jenoptik Polymer Systems with the design and manufacturing expertise of the micro-optics
unit of Jenoptik Optical Systems Inc. in Huntsville, Ala. The gray-scale lithography-generated glass master is
used to create an electroformed negative, which is then used as the mold insert. Proprietary tooling allows
for accurate alignment of the front and back sides of the mold.
Figure 3. Everyday applications: The MS-820 bar-code scanner, designed and manufactured
by Microscan Systems Inc. of Renton, Wash., involves numerous plano-optical surfaces on a
polygonal mirror, integrated with a mounting datum into one part.
The optimal choice
depends on the details
of the application.
Both plastic and glass
will continue to be used
for the foreseeable future.
Scott Cahall, Moondog Optics Inc.
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small batches at best, plastic has cost-ef-
fective scalability up to mass-production
volumes.
The decision when to use polymers is
an engineering consideration, no differ-
ent from deciding which type of glass to
use, said William S. Beich, director of
sales and marketing at G-S Plastic Optics
in Rochester, N.Y. It depends on the
application, and in some cases, the ability
of the designer to compensate for the
shortcomings of the material.
Recent advances
In the past decade, plastic optics have
exploded into a wide range of everyday
applications including LED lenses, optical
scanners, cellphone cameras and displays.
Injection molding advances have greatly
improved the optical quality of plastics
so that they are becoming more common
in growing nonconsumer markets such
as medical equipment, biometrics and
sensing.
Polymer injection molding lends itself
nicely to LEDs because of its ability to
integrate optical elements into one part
with mechanical features such as snaps,
apertures, holes, barrels, light pipes and
mirrors (Figure 3), said Andreas Maahs,
site manager of polymer operations at
Jenoptik Polymer Systems GmbH in Jena,
Germany. Combining several optical
features in one component allows smaller
unit sizes and eliminates the need for an
optical alignment assembly, which im-
proves replicated tolerance, unit manufac-
turing cost and nonrecurring expenses.
Applications for LEDs are booming.
LED lighting is a huge and growing
market for polymer optics, Beich said.
The advantages of using polymer optics
comes from the ability to replicate very
complex shapes in a cost-effective man-
ner, using injection molding. With the
incorporation of LEDs into low-cost,
effcient illumination everywhere, on the
street, in buildings and in mobile ambient
applications such as in trains, planes and
automobiles, the high volume and low
cost of polymer are key.
Zeon Corp., a Tokyo-based supplier
of optical-grade polymers, recently
announced the development of a high-
transparency thermoplastic resin called
Zeonex K26R, specifcally for use in
smartphone- and tablet-PC camera lenses.
This material enables a 50 percent thinner
lens element compared with conven-
tional lenses used in mobile imaging
applications, while still maintaining low
birefringence (Figure 4).
3

This new plastic reportedly enables a
lens only 0.15 mm thick, which is amaz-
ingly thin, Cahall said.
Glass manufacturing also has made
advances in recent years, according to
Jenoptiks Maahs. The equipment used
in precision glass molding technology
has been very innovative, especially in
high-volume manufacturing. Aspherical
surfaces can be replicated at more reason-
able costs than ever. Even some limited
integrated features can be accomplished,
although not with the same degree of
freedom as with polymer.
Recent advances in testing and quality-
assurance capabilities ensure the quality
of plastic. At G-S Plastic Optics, an OGP
Smart Scope optical coordinate measur-
ing system checks the mountings and
assembly fducials on molded products,
holes and planar-shaped surfaces. Another
high-performance coordinate measuring
system certifes dimensional accuracy
and product uniformity. Aspheric and
other surface shapes are characterized
using high-resolution stylus proflom-
etry technology and phase-measuring
laser interferometry in conjunction with
computer-generated holograms. And the
sphericity and irregularity of spherical
optical surfaces such as mold inserts and
molded optics are measured using phase-
measuring laser interferometry (Figure 5).
A matter of physics
Knowing that polymer keeps making
inroads into glass quality territory, will
polymer optics ever completely replace
glass in the photonics world?
No, agree the experts. Its a matter of
physics, Beich said.
Plastics with signifcant aspheric
departure are useful for aberration cor-
rection, but various types of materials are
limited in plastic. Glass has the advantage
of many material options, which is also
useful for aberration correction.
Clearly, plastic does and will continue
to dominate for some applications such
as cellphone cameras, disposable medical
apps and any case where surface shapes
are not conducive to glass fabrication,
Cahall said. The optimal choice depends
on the details of the application. Both
Future applications of polymer optics include
laboratory instruments, advanced optical data
networking and optical computing.
Figure 4. New materials: The new Zeonex K26R polymer resin, designed for microlens applications
such as camera optics for smartphones and tablets, enables high-precision molding of thin cross-section
lenses with signifcant reduction in weld line size and lower birefringence compared with traditional resins.
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plastic and glass will continue to be used
for the foreseeable future.
And sometimes theyll be used together
in polymer-glass hybrid optical systems.
Polymer optics can be combined in sys-
tems with glass optics to take advantage
of the benefts of both.
An appropriate glass lens can be used
to correct chromatic aberrations, Beich
said, while the aspheric polymer lenses
in the system can be used to correct for
spherical and other aberrations. Such
an arrangement also takes advantage of
the fact that one can replicate aspheric
surfaces very effciently by injection-
molding the optic.
I believe hybrid systems have a strong
future, Cahall said. In many applica-
tions, they provide a preferred balance
of cost and performance versus whats
possible with all-glass or all-plastic solu-
tions.
Whether a design calls for straight-
up polymer optics or a polymer-glass
hybrid system, consulting an experienced
specialist in polymer optics is critical.
I think [optical design pioneer] War-
ren Smith said it best, Beich said: In
considering a venture into the plastic
optics arena, one is well-advised to seek
out a specialist in making plastic optics.
Not only is the typical injection molder
incapable of making good optics, but he
or she also has no conception of what is
required to do so.
4
The plastic future
Where will polymer optics go in the
next fve to 10 years? It will continue to
be a key enabling technology for labora-
tory instruments, LED illumination appli-
cations, and small, portable, lightweight
devices in a wide spectrum of markets,
Beich said. For example, we have cus-
tomers who are employing sophisticated
spectrometry techniques that were once
used only in laboratories. Because of
advances in the science, what was once a
lab-based instrument can now be carried
around by a user.
Also, developments in advanced optical
data networking and optical computing
will defnitely beneft from polymer opti-
cal solutions, Maahs said.
We will certainly continue to see plas-
tics in high-volume imaging and nonim-
aging applications, Cahall said. Imag-
ing systems in particular are increasingly
becoming high-end. Cellphone cameras
today, for example, typically offer greater
than 5 megapix and are generally all
plastic. The goal will be to push the lenses
to even higher quality no surprise. At
the same time, we will continue to see the
scale of lenses pushed smaller.
Also, the number of consumer and
medical applications where we see optical
sensors and cameras will grow. This will
be good for plastics and the optics indus-
try in general.
Meet the author
Freelance science and technology writer and
editor Valerie C. Coffey is the founder of Stel-
lar Editorial Services in Boxborough, Mass.;
email: stellaredit@gmail.com.
References
1. P. Tolley (October 2003). Polymer optics
gain respect. Photonics Spectra, pp. 76-79.
2. J.G. Smith et al (2008). High effciency
micro-optics for illumination in projection
systems. White paper. Mems Optical Inc.
3. http://www.zeonex.com/press/ZeonexK26R.
asp.
4. W.J. Smith (2000). Modern optical engineer-
ing: The design of optical systems. 3rd ed.,
McGraw-Hill, New York, p. 190.
Figure 5. Advanced testing: The sphericity and irregularity of spherical optical surfaces such as mold inserts and molded optics
are measured using phase-measuring laser interferometry.
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Tech Feature
In imaging devices, radiation
normally affects certain key parameters
gate threshold voltage, feld/channel
stop threshold voltage, charge transfer
effciency, dark current and noise but a
charge-injection-device (CID) imager can
overcome these radiation effects.
A CID is a broadband (200 to 1100 nm)
charge-transfer-device (CTD) image sen-
sor with capabilities very different from
those of typical commercially available
charge-coupled devices (CCDs), CMOS
and active pixel sensors. CTDs, includ-
ing the CID imager, use hundreds of thou-
sands up to 4 million pixel elements
to capture optical images and convert the
light into an electronic charge that can be
displayed on a monitor or captured and
processed by a computer.
The CID imager differs from other
CTDs in that its architecture can be con-
fgured as a radiation-hardened device
that operates reliably in a wide range of
radiation environments beyond the typical
lifetime of CCD- or CMOS-based cameras
in some cases, by orders of magnitude.
The CID also can be confgured as a
random-access CID device capable of ran-
domly addressing individual pixels and in-
terrogating pixel charge nondestructively
for higher signal quality and extended lin-
ear dynamic range for scientifc imaging
applications.
Gate threshold voltage
Ionizing radiation causes positive
charge to accumulate in the MOS (metal-
oxide semiconductor) transistor gate oxide,
which reduces the gate and feld volt-
age thresholds in N-channel transistors.
Also, the drain-source standoff voltage
decreases as radiation exposure increases.
If the accumulated radiation is suffciently
high, the transistor will turn on perma-
nently and cease to function as a switch.
This type of device will short out. Con-
versely, when P-channel transistors are
exposed to radiation, the threshold voltage
(Vth) becomes more negative; therefore, a
more negative voltage is required to turn
on the transistor. This shortcoming of the
P-channel transistor allows it to be con-
trolled as an on or off switch.
Typical commercially available CCD
imagers are fabricated using N-channel
technology; consequently, exposure to
radiation causes the CCD register pho-
togates to turn on into one continuous
channel, and the devices short out. This
catastrophic failure may occur in as little
as 10- to 20-krads total ionized dose to
gamma (
60
Co) exposure.
Radiation-hardened CIDs are fabri-
cated using P-channel technology and
will continue to function in radiation en-
vironments. Pixel and logic operation is
extended well into the megarad range by
sensing the Vth shifts that occur on the de-
vice and dynamically adjusting the image
sensor drive voltages to compensate for the
resulting shift in gate threshold. The CID
design, speed of operation and choice of
process determine the limits of operation.
Channel stop threshold voltage
The positive charge that accumulates
because of ionizing radiation in the feld
oxide regions that isolate MOS transistors
causes a channel to form and to couple un-
related N-channel transistors and photo-
pixel structures; this makes them short
out in as little as 10 to 20 krads total-dose
gamma (
60
Co).
But, conversely, the isolation present
in the P-channel CID radiation-hardened
devices improves between unrelated tran-
sistors and photo-pixels, and the CID will
continue to function in signifcant radia-
tion levels to a minimum of 3 Mrads, or
3 3 10
6
rads total-dose gamma (
60
Co).
Charge transfer effciency
Incomplete lattice bonds are formed at
the surface of the silicon substrate be-
cause of the lack of silicon neighbor
atoms. These bonds are usually com-
pleted using a hydrogen-annealing pro-
cess. High-energy radiation can easily
displace silicon atoms, disrupt the hydro-
gen-annealed bonds, and the bond loca-
tions become traps for photon-generated
charge. These surface traps also degrade
devices temporal noise and thermally
generated dark current.
For the case of a large-surface chan-
An industry expert offers a primer on the advantages
of charge-transfer-device imagers.
BY TONY CHAPMAN
THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC
Charge-Injection Devices
Overcome Radiation Effects
Charge-transfer devices use up to 4 million pixel elements to capture
optical images and convert the light into an electronic charge.
Total-dose-radiation
tolerance depends on
factors including duty
cycle; type of radiation
(gamma ray, x-ray,
neutron); typical dose rate;
ambient temperature;
and, by some accounts,
wafer-to-wafer process
variations.
1212ChargeInjectionDevices.indd 54 12/4/12 11:26 AM
nel CCD that might require 1000 charge
transfers through a charge-coupled shift
register, a transfer effciency of 99.5 per-
cent would result in 0.7 percent of the
fnal signal charge read out at the output
preamplifer. For a similar buried chan-
nel CCD, a charge transfer effciency
of 99.9995 percent would result in 99.5
percent of the fnal signal charge read
out at the output preamplifer. Because of
this issue, any charge transfer problem
of a CCD is circumvented through the use
of a buried channel. However, exposure to
ionizing radiation signifcantly increases
the trap density in the buried channel
CCD device, which, in turn, lowers charge
transfer effciency, causing the visible
scintillation noise most commonly seen
with CCDs.
Similar to a CCD, the CID sensor also
experiences degradation of charge trans-
fer effciency when exposed to radiation.
However, unlike the CCD structure, the
reduced charge transfer effciency has
minimal impact on the performance of
the CID sensor. The charge readout is
achieved using a single charge transfer
occurring within the individual CID pixel
structure itself, so the pixel charge is not
shared with entire rows or columns as it is
with CCDs. Therefore, charge transfer ef-
fciency is typically not an issue with CID
devices until signifcantly higher damag-
ing radiation fux rates.
Noise
A function of trap density, 1/f noise
increases dramatically with ionizing
radiation and higher temperature. Opti-
mizing the silicon process helps to mini-
mize the generation of charge traps in the
CIDs. Using the advantages of correlated
When commercially available CCD imagers are exposed to radiation, the CCD register photogates turn on into one continuous channel,
and the devices short out. This can occur with total-dose gamma (
60
Co) exposure as low as 10 to 20 krads. Here, images from a commercial CCD camera
and the standard CID8825DX6 camera when exposed to a gamma source (
60
Co): a and b show the CCD and charge-injection-device (CID) imagers,
respectively, with no radiation exposure. Image c shows deterioration in the CCD image after just 1 h of radiation exposure, but the CID image in d
is much less affected after 45 h of exposure.
a b
c d
1212ChargeInjectionDevices.indd 55 11/30/12 5:20 PM
double sampling also can help reduce
the effect of low-frequency 1/f noise.
In CIDs, gamma- and neutron-impact-
induced noise is minimized by reducing
the thickness of the active layer; how-
ever, in high-radiation fux rates (.100
krads/h), some scintillation or random
noise in the image may be observed on
Thermo Fisher Scientifcs MegaRAD
series imagers that may not be present
in the passive-pixel version radiation-
hardened CID imagers. This series of cam-
eras exhibits higher light sensitivity and
higher total-dose capabilities. The signif-
cantly increased light sensitivity means
that the primary noise exhibited in these
devices is the result of individual ionizing
energy loss (IEL) radiation events striking
and being detected within the associated
pixel sites.
Dark current
Dark current, which is also a function
of trap density, increases dramatically
with radiation and higher operating tem-
perature. Lowering the operating tempera-
ture by using a Peltier, or thermoelectric,
cooler and optimizing the silicon process
can help minimize the dark current.
Total-dose tolerance
The camera is designed to compensate
for the Vth shifts in the image sensor. This
is achieved by driving the imager circuitry
at biases as determined by an empirically
generated algorithm. Nonionizing energy
loss (NIEL) can lead to bulk damage such
as displacement of silicon atoms in the
silicon; NIEL-induced damage introduces
permanent defects that are the primary
cause of elevated dark current and poor
charge transfer effciency after exposure
to radiation. A thermoelectric cooler can
compensate for the increased dark current
resulting from NIEL to maintain operating
temperature at 25 C, even at elevated am-
bient temperatures up to 50 C.
Total-dose-radiation tolerance is depen-
dent upon numerous factors, including but
not limited to duty cycle; type of radiation
(gamma ray, x-ray, neutron); typical dose
rate; ambient temperature; and, by some
accounts, silicon wafer-to-wafer process
variations.
Duty cycle is among the most impor-
tant factors. The extent and severity of
radiation damage is much greater when
the camera is under power than when it is
powered down. Therefore; a camera pow-
ered and operated for only brief intervals
on a daily or weekly basis will have a
longer lifetime in radiation environments
than one operated continuously.
Based upon the typical MegaRAD im-
ager Vth shifts and the bias/drive voltage
adjustment range, with 100 percent duty
cycle i.e., with the camera always pow-
ered and running as tested with a
60
Co
(gamma) source, these cameras will con-
tinue to function to at least a total-dose ex-
posure of 3 3 10
6
rads (total-dose gamma).
The cameras, available with either mono-
chrome or color output, exhibit sensitivity
and noise performance on par with typical
commercial CCD/CMOS cameras.
Meet the author
Tony Chapman is sales and marketing director
of CIDTEC cameras and imagers in the Chemi-
cal Analysis Div. at Thermo Fisher Scientifc
in Liverpool, N.Y.; email: tony.chapman@
thermofsher.com.
Charge-Injection Devices Tech Feature
1/f noise increases dramatically with ionizing
radiation and higher temperature.
A CID is a broadband (200 to 1100 nm) charge-transfer-device image sensor that uses hundreds
of thousands of pixel elements up to 4 million to capture optical images and convert the light
into an electronic charge. Here, the structure of a CID image sensor.
For more information
on charge-injection devices, see Tony
Chapmans article on detectors in the
Photonics Handbook, viewable online at
http://www.photonics.com/a25130.
1212ChargeInjectionDevices.indd 56 11/30/12 5:20 PM
Surveillance System Enables
24-Hour Target Acquisition
A new multidetector system uses multiple-wavelength
sensors and lasers for rangefnding, target spotting
and target illumination.
BY JOHN STAPLES
DEFENCE VISION SYSTEMS
M
ultisensor detectors can be of
great use to surveillance systems,
whether they use intensifed
CCD, CMOS, InGaAs/short-wave infra-
red or long-wave infrared. These may be
stand-alone systems or may incorporate a
laser rangefnder, laser designator or laser
illuminator.
Modern surveillance should be able
to detect and identify a specifc target.
Detecting a target or threat and then
measuring the range to it, or illuminating
it, generally requires a good multiwave-
length surveillance system.
However, no matter how good the sys-
tem, battlefeld conditions or the weather
can defeat its ability to meet these
requirements. Thermal systems are excel-
lent at detection but often have diffculty
with identifcation; therefore, many of
todays systems use various forms of laser
illumination, continuous wave as well as
gated, to identify or designate the target.
To date, these have tended to be used
in conjunction with visible-band sensors
working at 400 to 900 nm. Most of these
lasers work around the 800- to 900-nm
region or at 1064 nm. The most intensifed
night-vision devices can see the former
wavelengths, but the current range of in-
service sensors cannot see the latter.
Available systems generally use the
laser as a means of increasing the light
on and around the target, either for aiding
identifcation or designating a building
or person, or for range measurement. In
range measurement, the lasers again tend
to be at 1064 nm, and because no sensor
can see this wavelength, the user must
rely on system collimation to ensure that
the laser is on the target. This means that,
while effectively fring the laser blind, the
user must have faith that the collimation
is good.
A new solution combines a visible-band
sensor and a near-infrared sensor in a
series of devices incorporating lasers for
rangefnding, target spotting and target
illumination.
The frst such system developed is
the DVS STAS24 (surveillance target
acquisition system) from Defence Vision
Systems. It incorporates a high-resolution
visible-band sensor operating from 400
to 900 nm, plus a low-resolution near-
infrared sensor operating from 900 to
1700 nm, together with an eye-safe laser
operating at 1550 nm. The two sensors
and the laser are integrated into a single
system that can provide images in light-
ing conditions from full sunlight down
to starlight, together with a GPS and
electronic compass system.
The system uses a custom lens from
Davin Optronics Ltd. of Watford, UK,
which designs and manufactures lenses
for the defense market. The optical com-
pany developed an objective lens for the
STAS24 that provides excellent images
for the combined wavelengths from 400
to 1700 nm over a 24-hour period.
With a single 24-hour system, there is
no need to swap from a day system that
cannot work at night to a night system
that cannot work in the day. This reduces
training time and increases ease of use;
it also reduces the amount of kit needed,
the need for spares, the cost, and the space
needed to ft the system into airborne and
armored-vehicle applications. Safety is
increased because users are not blind
while the day system is switched to the
night system.
By keeping the image optimized over
These two images were taken using the InGaAs/short-wave infrared camera of the DVS STAS24 system in
bright light on a May midafternoon with no clouds. The laser is clearly visible as a square on the side of the
barn and the house in the distance.
Images courtesy of Defence Vision Systems
Laser illumination sources to date tend to be paired with
visible-band sensors working at 400 to 900 nm
1212Surveillance.indd 57 11/30/12 5:21 PM
n Surveillance System
the full wavelength range and providing
sharp images during the 24-hour period,
we do not have to change lenses when
moving from day to night. Most lenses
are optimized only for a small bandwidth
for example, closed-circuit television
lenses are generally optimized for 400 to
600 nm, and some offer 400 to 900 nm.
Combining these diverse wavelengths
into a single merged and scaled image,
viewed by the user through a single-chan-
nel eyepiece, enables better surveillance
for various applications.
More importantly, this merged image
includes the laser spot on the target, for
the frst time eliminating the guesswork
as to its location.
The system incorporates a GPS together
with an electronic compass to provide
the user with location coordinates and
heading. The data from the diverse imag-
ing sensors is seen as a combined image
with the range information, GPS data and
compass heading visible above and below
the main image.
The system features straightforward
three-button operation, with the buttons
being system on/off, zoom (standard
magnifcation 113 with electronic zoom
to 443) and laser fre.
The lasers wavelength is 1550 nm, and
the user can specify at time of order from
three power levels that provide maximum
ranges of 2, 4 or 8 km. To ensure eye
safety, the laser has a 10-second-delay
default mode between operations.
At the systems heart is a small but
powerful computer, so it would be pos-
sible to record each use of the laser and
the data derived. This recording would be
in the form of a video showing the image
of the target and the data surrounding that
image. In the current climate of retrospec-
tive evaluation and analysis of events,
such a system would provide a clear
identifcation and record.
Future developments
Additional versions of the STAS24
are planned for 2013. Initially, these will
involve alternative 1550-nm laser formats
that will enable systems incorporating
laser illuminators and laser spotters.
These formats will exploit the major
advantage of the system by providing the
user visible illumination of the 1550-nm
wavelength.
Alternative system confgurations could
include armored vehicle- and airborne
gimbal-mounted applications.
The system is not large or power-hun-
gry, so it offers an ideal retroft to smaller
existing armored vehicles. It could be
used in conjunction with low-resolution
thermal systems to help identify the
target. It also would be possible to incor-
porate a low-resolution thermal sensor
and include the input from this as part of
the merged image. The system could be
mounted in a bolt-on armored housing
with just the wires for power, control
and image penetrating the armor of the
vehicle; the gimbal-mounted version
would provide an ideal backup to thermal
systems.
Many of the current airborne surveil-
lance systems use lasers that are visible
to anybody wearing or using intensifed
night vision. The advantage of the STAS
system is that the laser would not be
visible to any current in-use thermal or
low-light sensors. And to the naked eye,
the 1550-nm wavelength is not visible, so
air-to-air use would not blind the pilot,
saturate his night-vision goggles or cause
other problems.
Meet the author
John Staples is sales director at Defence Vision
Systems in East Sussex, UK; email: info@dvs-
mil.com.
However, most surveillance sensors
work at 800 to 900 nm or 1064 nm,
so some wavelengths are wasted.
Advantages
of a 24-hour system
No need to change from a day system
to a night system
Increased safety due to continuous
operation
Smaller size for airborne/armored-
vehicle applications
Increased ease of use
Reduced training time
Less kit needed
Less need for spares
Lower cost
A computer-generated image of the 24-hour surveillance target acquisition system known
as DVS STAS24, which uses a visible-band sensor plus a near-infrared sensor and lasers for rangefnding,
target spotting and target illumination.
1212Surveillance.indd 58 11/30/12 5:21 PM
of tomorrow
WORKFORCE
In every industry, in good
economies and in bad, the need exists for
skilled entry-level workers. But how do
those workers of the future gain needed
skills? Photonics Spectra is pleased to
launch a column featuring efforts in
the US and around the world to prepare
students for successful careers in optics
and photonics.
Judy Donnelly, program coordinator
for the Laser and Fiber Optic Technol-
ogy program at Three Rivers Community
College in Norwich, Conn., is an educa-
tion insider who will curate this monthly
column.
Donnelly is the 2012 winner of OSAs
Esther Hoffman Beller Medal recognizing
outstanding contributions to optical
science and engineering education, and
dedication to engaging middle/high
school and college students in optical
science and engineering. She is also the
2003 winner of the SPIE Educator Award.
To get things started, Photonics Spectra
recently asked Donnelly 10 questions.
Q: How long have you been in your
current position, and how has your
work there changed over the years?
A: I started at Three Rivers as a math/
physics/electronics technology instructor
in 1978, when it was a two-year technical
college; we merged with a local commu-
nity college in 1992. During the 1980s,
I became interested in developing new
physics labs to take advantage of more
modern pedagogy and participated in sev-
eral workshops on computer instruction
in physics. I convinced the administration
to purchase six Mac II computers with an
interface that would allow us to use mo-
tion, force, temperature and other sensors
state of the art for that time and wrote
a lab manual to go with them.
In 1995, I jumped at the chance to
participate in a grant funded by the
Advanced Technological Education
program of the National Science Founda-
tion (NSF/ATE), the Fiber Optic Technol-
ogy Education Project (FOTEP) of the
New England Board of Higher Education
(NEBHE). The three-year program began
with a workshop at Springfeld (Mass.)
Technical Community College, where I
met such wonderful people and had such
a great time [that] I drove home think-
ing Id ask my dean if I could develop an
elective course on fber optics. His reply
was, Why dont you start a program?
I agreed at once, and we convened an
industry advisory committee. In 1997,
the board of trustees approved our
Photonics Engineering Technology
program, now called Laser and Fiber
Optic Technology.
Since then, the program has grown
from four students to around 30; the peak
was 45, when we had enough instructors
to run day and evening classes. About
10 years ago, a second instructor was
hired who developed and modernized
the electronics part of the program so I
could concentrate on optics. Together,
we developed several distance learn-
ing courses and did a lot of off-campus
training (including distance learning) at
photonics companies in Connecticut. We
worked with the CT Regional Center for
Next Generation Manufacturing (an NSF/
ATE-funded center) and the laser industry
of southern New England to develop an
associate degree in laser manufacturing
the frst in New England.
At our new campus since 2008, we now
have three optics and electro-optics labs.
We have active SPIE and OSA student
chapters, whose members have done
outreach in ffth-grade classrooms and
run workshops at our annual laser camp
for high school students and junior laser
camp for ffth-graders. The outreach helps
them work on their soft skills while
theyre learning technical material in
the classroom.
Q: Why is it so important for the
optics and photonics industry to
be talking now about educating
the workforce of tomorrow?
A: While preparing some recent grant
applications, I read many articles on
industry in general (not just optics and
photonics) complaining that they cant
fnd the educated, skilled workers they
need. But they must understand that it
requires a partnership between industry
and education to create this workforce.
An excellent example is the Dominion
Nuclear Connecticut scholarship program
at Three Rivers. Dominion supports 16
full scholarships, including summer
internships at the local Millstone nuclear
power plant. Because they can be highly
selective in choosing candidates and
work closely with the college to provide
resources for teaching, students are ready
to step into jobs at graduation.

A View from the Inside
Watch for Workforce of Tomorrow
in the next issue of Photonics Spectra.
1212Workforce.indd 59 11/30/12 5:22 PM
of tomorrow
WORKFORCE
A: Absolutely. I agree that we need to
be doing this. The problem I see is that
teachers themselves did not necessarily
have STEM [science, technology, engi-
neering and mathematics] training, and
that makes it diffcult for them to teach
it. This is one reason we do outreach in
classrooms, to help teachers who werent
trained in optics to teach concepts to
their students.
Also, people often see it as S-T-E-M
that is, four separate subjects taught
separately rather than an interdisciplinary
way of looking at the world. I see this all
the time when I teach a math topic (say
logarithms) as part of an optics course and
students say, It makes sense when you do
it. Thats because its not a topic taught
in isolation; theres a practical reason for
learning. When we do our outreach work-
shops, we always emphasize the practical
applications of the science to give it some
context.
Q: We have been talking for decades
about how to get more girls and
young women interested in math and
science. Do you see anything working
anywhere, or do you think there are
different approaches to try?
A: As I understand it, the number of
girls in high school math and science
classes is much higher than in my day, but
girls interest in engineering and science
careers is still low. I think a big part of
the problem is that girls dont see women
who are engineers and scientists, so they
dont see themselves growing up to have a
career like that. I became a science major
because my dad, a mechanical engineer,
used to like to explain how things worked.
Going out at night to look for Sputnik and
the aurora borealis piqued my interest in
science and technology.
Q: Is there more the industry can
do to recognize and perhaps support
dedicated teachers?
A: From my position running a small
program at a community college, the best
support would be to make sure on the
state level the appropriate offcials and
legislators know that technology pro-
grams and those who teach them are
vital to their success. Beyond that, when
they support my students with internships
and mentoring, they are supporting me.
like industry-supported student capstone
projects.
The best way for students to start a
career with high-level technical skills
(and attitudes) is through internships; this
is where Id like to see more industry sup-
port. I hear complaints sometimes that our
graduates dont have a specifc skill that
a company is looking for. Where are they
going to learn that skill? We have an ex-
cellent laboratory flled with basic equip-
ment, but it would not be cost-effective
for us to purchase very expensive special-
ized equipment to train students for two
to three job openings that may or may not
materialize at one company. Internships
would allow students to learn specifc
skills and give companies a chance to
preview workers at the same time.
Q: What would you most like the
optics and photonics industry to
know about the work being done
and yet to be done to train its work-
force of tomorrow?
A: Industry should know that we cant
do it alone; we need to be partners in this
effort. Were doing the best we can to
respond to their needs as they articulate
them through yearly advisory meetings.
But we are limited, especially in state
institutions, by budget considerations.
Q: Tell us about one of your favorite
optics and photonics education
programs currently under way some-
where in the world.
A: Its hard to choose just one! Through
the four NEBHE NSF/ATE optics and
photonics projects, Ive met so many
wonderful people running exceptional
programs to both excite the next gen-
eration of students and teach the current
generation. Some of the most interesting
projects Ive come across are run by stu-
dent chapters of OSA and SPIE. Ive re-
viewed outreach grant proposals for both
societies, and the energy and enthusiasm
of students is remarkable. One of these is
Les Jeux Photoniques at Laval University
in Qubec [City]. Ive heard presentations
on their program, and the enthusiasm and
excitement are palpable.
Q: There has been a lot of talk in
the past few years about strengthen-
ing STEM education. What are your
thoughts on that?
Q: What do you hear from industry
about its greatest needs and con-
cerns regarding its future workforce?
A: We meet yearly with our industry
advisory committee to fnd out how were
doing. So, this is New England-centric,
but what we hear from them is that our
students have great technical skills, but
they need to work on critical thinking,
problem solving, teamwork and commu-
nication. Were addressing that through
problem-based learning, using Chal-
lenges developed through NSF/ATE
grants to NEBHE based on real-world
problems solved by partner companies
and research universities.
Q: What do you consider your biggest
challenges today in providing the best
education program in laser and fber
optic technologies, and how have
your challenges changed over the
past 10 years?
A: I think the challenges have been pretty
constant over the years, although the
reorganization of the community colleges
and state universities in Connecticut may
produce a whole new set of challenges
over the next couple of years.
Being a program coordinator is like
owning a small business; there are so
many hats to wear: marketing and recruit-
ing, lab management, actual teaching (my
favorite part), curriculum development
and review, industry relations, job place-
ment for students and, of course, trying
to stay current with the technology. A lot
of technology programs (like mine) com-
prise one full-time faculty member and
a few adjunct faculty who are on campus
only a few hours per week.
Q: What is industrys role in educat-
ing its future workforce, and how
has it changed over the years?
How should it change over the
next 10 years?
A: In career programs like mine, industry
support is vital, since our product is
their technical workforce. When we
started our program, we had good sup-
port from a couple of local companies
donations of equipment, internships,
even a scholarship program. But most
of that support disappeared with the
telecom crash. We are beginning to work
more closely once again with industry
as their hiring needs pick up on projects
1212Workforce.indd 60 11/30/12 5:22 PM
A solar material that takes ad-
vantage of a spectrum totally unused by
standard cells could be the key to more
effcient photovoltaics, now that a team
in Germany has successfully doubled its
effciency.
Solar cells convert three-quarters of the
energy in the suns spectrum into electric-
ity, but about a quarter of its spectrum
the infrared is lost in standard solar
cells. Black silicon cells, however, are
specifcally designed to absorb nearly all
of the sunlight that hits them, including
IR radiation.
Black silicon is produced by irradiat-
ing standard silicon with femtosecond
laser pulses under a sulfur-containing
atmosphere, said Dr. Stefan Kontermann,
head of the Nanomaterials for Energy
Conversion department within Fiber Opti-
cal Sensor Systems at Fraunhofer Institute
for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz
Institute (HHI) in Berlin.
In normal silicon, IR light doesnt have
enough energy to excite electrons into
the conduction band and convert them
into electricity, but incorporating sulfur
atoms into black silicon forms a kind of
intermediate level, or half-step. That level
not only enables the electron to jump to a
higher conduction band, gaining energy,
but also works in reverse, enabling the
electrons from the band to jump back,
causing electricity to be lost once again.
By modifying the laser pulse that
drives the sulfur into the lattice, they also
found that they can change the energy
level of the sulfur, altering the number of
electrons that can be created by a photon.
Black silicon solar cell prototypes have
been built, and the next step will be to
try and merge the cells with commercial
technology.
We hope to be able to increase the ef-
fciency of commercial solar cells which
currently stands at approximately 17
percent by 1 percent by combining them
with black silicon, Kontermann said.
The team also is planning a spinoff to
market the laser system to manufacturers.
green
light

Laser pulse improves
black silicons solar effciency
To make black silicon, standard silicon is irradiated using femtosecond laser pulses in a sulfur-containing
atmosphere; the inset shows black silicon magnifed. Modifying the laser pulse makes the material more
effcient for use in solar cells.
We hope to be able to increase
the effciency of commercial solar
cells which currently stands
at approximately 17 percent
by 1 percent by combining
them with black silicon.
Dr. Stefan Kontermann, Fraunhofer
Institute for Telecommunications,
Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI)
For more green photonics news, visit Photonics.com.
F
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a
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o
f
e
r

H
H
I
1212GreenLight.indd 61 11/30/12 5:23 PM
Imaging Components & Systems
Arctic 39N0 a 3.9 mm aperture Liquid Lens
Varioptic, the liquid lens company, a business unit of Parrot SA, announces
a 3.9 mm clear aperture, variable-focus lens. Designed for imaging and
laser products requiring a large aperture, Arctic 39N0 features the same
performance that has built the success of the Arctic series: excellent optical
quality, large focus range, unmatched resistance to life cycles and shocks,
and ultrafast response time. Arctic 39N0 is the ideal choice for demanding
applications such as machine vision, medical imaging, optical equipment
and biometric devices.
+33 4 37 65 35 31
sales.varioptic@parrot.com
www.varioptic.com
Nanopositioning Stages, Motors and Sensors, and Hexapods
PIs precision positioners, piezo actuators, fexure guided stages and
capacitive sensors combine subnanometer stability with submillisecond
responsiveness.
1-to6-axisstageswithmanydigitalcontroloptions
Ultrasonicmotorsforhigh-speedautomation
Piezosteppinglinearmotorsforhigh-force,high-precisionapplications
Hexapodsforopticsalignment
Hybridlineartranslationstagesforlongtravelandnanometerprecision
(508) 832-3456
info@pi-usa.us
www.pi-usa.us
New PixelCam SWIR Multispectral Cameras
The PixelCam
SWIR multispectral camera provides simultaneous snap-

shot image acquisition of three or more standard and custom spectral
bands in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) region from 500 to 1700 nm
all in a single compact camera. Merging the power of SWIR vision with
precision pixel-level spectral flters opens up new possibilities in biomedi-
cal imaging, process control, security, and other industrial and commercial
applications.
Standard PixelCam cameras preconfgured with three and four bands are
available now. Contact Ocean Thin Films for more information.
(303) 273-9700
info@oceanthinflms.com
www.oceanthinflms.com
New!!!! Nano-Edge Pass Filters
Iridians Nano-Edge LPFs offer cutoffs of <26 cm
21
(for 785 nm),
corresponding to 0.2% of the laser wavelength; even steeper than
market-leading ultrasteep LPFs (cutoffs <40 cm
21
)! These Nano-Edge
LPFs also provide high transmittance (>90%); low ripple (<4% to 5%);
a passband up to 1200 nm and deep blocking at the laser line (>OD 6).
(613) 741-4513
inquiries@iridian.ca
www.iridian.ca
See more new products at Photonics.com
Its easy to fnd the latest products on our website Photonics.com.
JustclickonthemenumarkedPRODUCTSonthenavigationbar
(under the logo) to fnd new products almost every day.
When people ask, Whats new? tell them to go to:
Photonics.com/Products.
(413) 499-0514
photonics.com
1212Spotlight.indd 62 11/30/12 5:24 PM
New 3-D Ultrafast Line Sensor
High accuracy is now compatible with fast measurement. Unique in
metrology, the MPLS-180 confocal chromatic sensor revolutionizes in-line
dimensional inspection for roughness, fatness and shape measurement.
With the DEEPVIEW sensor, no defect is undetectable, thanks to its large
5-mm measuring range and 4-mm line length.
+33 442 396 651
contact@stilsa.com
www.stilsa.com
Low Power Consumption, High Output
Continuing our tradition of bringing ease of use to high-tech design,
IDT LED illuminators deliver the coolest light in structured beams with
maximum effciency and intensity. All of our lighting products can be
externally triggered for pulsed operation, while maintaining the same
high luminosity output level as when used in a continuous mode.
IDT lighting systems can be used as stand-alone units or can be
combined with highly confgurable controllers that drive multiple
light heads.
(626) 794-4649
sales@idtvision.com
www.idtvision.com
USB3.0 Industrial Cameras
Mightexs USB3.0 cameras are designed for applications that require
high-speed imaging and/or multiple cameras. These cameras have a data
transfer rate of 400 MB/s, which is 10 times the USB2.0, 3.5 times the GigE
and six times the FireWire-800 speed. The cameras also have trigger-in,
strobe-out and four GPIO pins. Furthermore, a full-featured SDK is provided
for OEM applications.
(925) 218-1885
sales@mightex.com
www.mightex.com
Low-Noise 16-Bit, Cooled CCD Cameras
Designed for a wide range of applications in the life sciences, industrial
and scientifc imaging, the QSI 600 Series is a family of 16-bit, cooled
CCD cameras with high sensitivity and linear response, and
exceptionally low noise.
High-speedUSB2.0.ROIratesupto20fps
Widerangeofsensorsupto8.3megapixels
Regulatedcoolingto>45Cbelowambient
Availableinternal5-or8-positioncolorflterwheel
WindowsandLinuxsoftwaresupport
(888) 774-4223
sales@qsimaging.com
www.QSImaging.com
Microdisplays for Structured Light
Forth Dimension Displays high-resolution refective microdisplays are used
globally for structured light projection in 3-D optical metrology. The high
fllfactor(>96%)andlineargray-scaledisplaytechnology,coupledwiththe
fexibility of the 3DM driver interface, make this the perfect choice for
3-D metrology systems builders. The application-specifc driver interface,
with its small size, confgurable timing, synchronization and I/O ports, has
been designed for easy integration into structured light projection systems.
So if you want a fast, precise, accurate and cost-effective solution for
your AOI, SPI or 3-D inspection system, contact our experts now.
+44 1383 827 950
sales@forthdd.com
www.forthdd.com
New sCMOS Camera
The new Zyla 5.5 megapixel scientifc CMOS (sCMOS) camera is ideal for
research and OEM usage. Zyla sCMOS offers a 100 fps rate, rolling and
snapshot (global) shutter modes and ultra-low 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
End-Caps for Longer Life Fiber Optic Cables
End-Caps for single-mode and PM fber (125m to 400m OD clad) provide
reduced power density where laser light enters or exits the fber. The
result is a free space optical end-face that is resistant to damage from
high-power lasers and contaminants from the UV to 488nm lasers.
End-Caps can be installed into a variety of connectors and ferrules.
Coastal Connections is the premier provider of engineered fber optic cables
and terminations specializing in short (350nm to 980nm) wavelengths and
high-power custom solutions for all environments.
(805) 644-5051
sales@coastalcon.com
www.coastalcon.com
Smallest SWIR Line-Scan Cameras
The uncooled Lynx SWIR line-scan cameras feature unique 2048 pixels
in an ultracompact housing. The Lynx cameras with low dark current are
a fexible solution with GigE Vision (including Power over Ethernet) or
Camera Link. Together with the smallest pixel pitch of 12.5 m, Lynx allows
more precision with lower cost lenses for industrial image processing and
spectroscopy.
+32 16 38 99 00
sales@xenics.com
www.xenics.com
High-Stability Optical Spectrometers
Mightexs HRS-series compact optical spectrometers offer superb
temperature and long-term stability, and they have a standard SMA fber
connector with an interchangeable entrance slit. With a 100-mm focal
length, the spectrometers feature subnanometer resolution and high
throughput. Powered by USB2.0, the spectrometers also come with external
triggering, GPIO ports as well as a full-featured SDK for OEM applications.
(925) 218-1885
sales@mightex.com
www.mightex.com
Photonics Spectrum Reference Chart 2012
The updated Photonics Spectrum Reference Chart refects the changing
technologies in the photonics industry. This convenient format makes it
easy to quickly fnd the information you need. Laminated copies of the
Reference Chart can be purchased online at www.photonics.com/wallchart
for $34 each ($39 outside the US). Nonlaminated copies, $19 each ($24
outside the US). All prices include shipping and handling, prepaid only.
(413) 499-0514
photonics.com
Electronic Autocollimator
The Conex-LDS from Newport Corp. is an
ultracompact electronic autocollimator. The control-
ler is integrated into the optical head, occupying 4
3 1.5 3 1.5 in. Data refresh rate is 2 kHz, enabling
analysis of resonance modes of structures. Angular
sensitivity of the controller is 0.01 rad, suitable
for measuring small angular variations. Metrology
applications in production environments include
pitch, yaw, straightness, bearing eccentricity
and wobble. The portable design, the integrated
60.85 feld-of-view eyepiece and the mounting
accessories enable quick setup.
beda.espinoza@newport.com
Frame Grabber
Sensoray has launched Model 812, a frame
grabber with eight asynchronous input channels
and a PCI-Express 31 interface. Each video chan-
nel captures at 30 fps for NTSC or 25 fps for PAL,
and eight channels of mono audio can be captured
simultaneously. The interface facilitates plug-and-
play operation into any width of PCI-Express slots.
Operating power is supplied from the PCI-Express
bus, with no external power supply required.
Applications include image capture, multicamera
security and product inspection. The captured
video data can be streamed continuously to sys-
tem memory or disk for immediate local display
or further processing. All eight composite video
inputs are connected through a DB15 connector
or through an optional DB15-to-BNC breakout
cable. An additional 34-pin connector can be used
for breaking in the composite video input signals.
info@sensoray.com
Compact LED
The high light output from Osram Opto Semi-
conductorss Oslon Compact LED enables a single
LED type to be used as the default light source
for all automotive forward lighting applications.
The light points in the headlight can be placed in
any arrangement, and customized designs can be
developed to give vehicles a unique appearance.
The LEDs can be used for lightguides and adaptive
front lighting systems.
info@osram-os.com
Beamsplitters and Combiners
Polarizing beamsplitters and beam com-
biners for CO
2
lasers from 100 W up are being
introduced by Laser Research Optics. The CO
2

beamsplitters facilitate power measurements and
beam alignment by refecting a percentage of the
beam, typically 50%, which covers all polarizations.
The beam combiners, which combine 10.6- and
0.633-m (HeNe) wavelengths, permit alignment
and focusing by providing a visual light beam. De-
signed for engraving, marking and scribing lasers,
the devices are made from ZnSe with various
coatings to achieve their polarization states. The
beamsplitters enable up to 50% transmission and
63% refectance, while the beam combiners allow
98.7% light transmission. Both are offered in
3
4- to
3-in. outer-diameter sizes.
scott@laserresearch.net
Raman Spectrometer
The LabRAM HR Evolution from Horiba
Scientifc is a high-resolution Raman spectrom-
eter with automated extended-wavelength-range
capability. It has an achromatic optical design
and operates from 200 to 2000 nm, with access
to frequencies as low as 10 cm
21
, providing high-
content spectroscopic information for chemical
and structural identifcation, and submicron spatial
resolution. It is suited for micro- and macro mea-
surements, and for 2- and 3-D confocal imaging.
joanne.lowy@horiba.com
Airborne Laser Scanner
Riegl Laser Measurement Systems GmbH
has launched the LMS-Q780 long-range airborne
laser scanner with an operating fight altitude of
up to 10,000 ft at a 100-kHz laser pulse repetition
rate. The laser wavelength qualifes the scanner
for glacier and snowfeld mapping, and digital
waveform processing qualifes it for high-altitude
topographic mapping. Multiple-time-around pro-
cessing allows a maximum measurement range of
2450 m at a pulse repetition rate of 400 kHz and
target refectivity of 20%.
offce@riegl.co.at
1 2 3
4 5 6
2
3
4
5
new
PRODUCTS

1
6
1212NewProdLeads.indd 65 11/30/12 5:24 PM
1.3-Megapixel Camera
JAI has introduced the AD-131GE, a monochrome
camera that combines different exposures from
its dual ICX447 CCDs in real time to generate high-
dynamic-range images with 1296 3 966-pixel reso-
lution. Output is via a GigE Vision digital interface.
The two precisely aligned
1
3-in. CCDs are mounted
to a beamsplitter prism, providing an identical feld
of view to each at a full-resolution speed of 31 fps.
The shutter speed and/or gain for each CCD can be
calibrated independently so that one imager cap-
tures details in the brighter areas of a scene, while
the second captures the same image in the darker
areas. The two images or video streams can be
processed with in-camera image fusion algorithms.
camerasales.emea@jai.com
Protein Measurement
The Zetasizer Nano ZSP from Malvern Instruments
Ltd. measures zeta potential, or electrophoretic
mobility, of proteins. The compact dynamic-light-
scattering system includes protein mobility mea-
surement software. The new version of Zetasizer
software also enables a new type of measurement
microrheology, a dynamic light-scattering-based
optical technique that allows rheological charac-
terization of weakly structured and strain-sensitive
materials using only microliter sample volumes.
Applications include measuring the viscosity of
polymer and protein solutions, and determining the
onset of protein aggregation.
salesinfo@malvern.com
Particle Counting and Analysis App
Media Cybernetics has released a particle
counting and analysis app for its Image-Pro
Premier software that provides automatic particle
detection, particle sizing and measurement for
industrial image analysis researchers. Using the
app, researchers can automatically count and
measure particles in live or static images with one
mouse click. It guides users through selecting cali-
bration settings, removing unwanted particles and
saving analysis data. Measurements such as area,
minimum and maximum diameter, radius ratio and
roundness are collected from each frame, and
all can be saved and exported to Excel for further
analysis. At the end of each analysis session, users
can save a snapshot of their analyzed image with
measurement overlays to publish.
info@mediacy.com
Beam Profler
The NIST-calibrated NanoScan v2 scanning-slit la-
ser beam profler from Photon uses moving slits to
measure beam sizes from microns to centimeters
at beam powers from microwatts to kilowatts, with
little to no attenuation. It features an enhanced
graphical user interface with support for the
Microsoft Windows ribbon toolbar. Dockable and
foatable windows plus concealable ribbon toolbars
allow users to make the most of any size display,
from small laptops to large multimonitor desktops.
The system is suitable for profling the CO
2
beams
used in materials processing. It supports 64- and
32-bit versions of Windows 7, increasing processing
speed. Detector options (silicon, germanium and
pyroelectric) enable measurement at wavelengths
from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared.
gary.wagner@us.ophiropt.com
Single-Frequency Lasers
Cobolt AB has released four single-frequency
diode-pumped solid-state lasers based on the
05-01 platform. The Zouk 355 nms output power
is up to 20 mW; the Samba 532 nm, up to 1.5 W;
the Flamenco 660 nm, up to 0.5 W; and the Rumba
1064 nm, up to 3 W. They are used in superresolu-
tion stimulated emission depletion microscopy,
UV fuorescence analysis in fow cytometry and
confocal microscopy, Ti:sapphire laser pumping,
DNA sequencing, Raman spectroscopy, optical
tweezers, nonlinear frequency conversion and
particle analysis. Manufactured using proprietary
HTCure technology in a compact and hermetically
sealed package, they can be exposed to tempera-
tures .100 C and are insensitive to pressure and
humidity.
info@cobolt.se
Midband OPO
A midband tunable optical parametric oscillator
(OPO) has been released by Continuum Electro-
Optics Inc. The Horizon OPO offers a tuning range
into the vacuum-ultraviolet, a narrow linewidth and
active precision control. Designed with optimal
mechanical and optical integrity, it provides access
to wavelengths between 192 and 2750 nm. Fully
automated with precision scanning for hands-free
operation, it is a robust system built for consistent
output and is compatible with a variety of the com-
panys pump lasers.
c.caligaris@continuumlasers.com
EUV Light Source
Energetiq Technology Inc. has announced its
EQ-10HP 20-W extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light
source for actinic inspection of EUV masks. It oper-
ates at substantially higher input powers than its
EQ-10 series predecessors and delivers 20 W of
in-band EUV into 2 pi steradians. Its small, stable,
inductively driven plasma makes it suitable for
EUV metrology and inspection applications, and
its modular design facilitates integration into a
process tool. The system includes the proprietary
and patented Electrodeless Z-pinch source assem-
bly, vacuum and gas subsystems, a power delivery
subsystem and control electronics.
info@energetiq.com
new products
1212NewProds.indd 66 11/30/12 5:25 PM

Silicone Compound
A silicone compound for potting and encapsulating
applications has been developed by Epoxies Etc.
The 50-1225 compound provides good thermal
conductivity, fexibility and high temperature resis-
tance. The two-part silicone system is designed for
electronic packages that require good fow around
components, high thermal conductivity, cushioning
for sensitive components, and the ability to sustain
environmental extremes. It is free of any fammable
or toxic solvents and will cure in deep sections. It
has a service temperature of 265 to 210 C and
will not support or promote a fame. The system
cushions electronics through aging and thermal
cycling, provides low shrinkage during cure, does
not stress components and quickly transfers heat
away from them.
sales@epoxies.com
Laser Beam Propagation Analyzer
Ophir Photonics Group has announced a new
version of the M2-200s camera-based beam
propagation analyzer. It supports 64-bit Windows 7,
addressing more physical memory, minimizing the
time required to swap processes, and speeding
the measurement cycle to ,2 min. Its CCD camera
works with pulsed and CW lasers from 266 to 1300
nm. The portable system measures M
2
, beam waist
location and width, divergence, astigmatism, asym-
metry ratio and the Rayleigh range for each axis.
Input beam sizes can range from 0.5 to 10 mm. It
uses a fxed-position lens and a moving detector,
enabling measurement even when the laser beam
is diverging or converging. The software displays
a 2- or 3-D beam profle of the currently measured
point in the beam propagation curve.
sales@ophir-spiricon.com
Industrial Camera
The USB uEye ML compact industrial camera
introduced by IDS Imaging Development Systems
GmbH has a USB 2.0 interface, and is lightweight
and housed in a magnesium casing. Its lockable
USB and Hirose connector and metal casing ensure
secure operation in extreme industrial environ-
ments. The camera offers a C/CS lens mount as
well as two general-purpose input/outputs (I/Os)
and optically decoupled trigger and fash I/Os. The
1.3-megapixel CMOS sensor from e2v offers good
sensitivity and is available in color, monochrome
and NIR versions. The camera is suited for ap-
plications in intelligent transportation systems,
quality control, microscopy, medical engineering
and machine vision. The sensor offers four shutter
modes that can be switched during operation. The
camera delivers 25 fps at full 1280 3 1024-pixel
resolution.
usasales@ids-imaging.com
Laser Cutting and Drilling
Custom laser cutting and drilling services
performed on parts that are powder-coated to
produce clean openings and eliminate masking
time have been introduced by Advanced Laser
Technologies. The services can be performed on
parts that have been powder-coated with thermal
barrier coatings to reduce assembly and handling
costs. Featuring precise patterns, laser cutting
after powder coating can produce holes down to
0.015 in. in diameter and assure clean edges with
no overspray. Suited for parts made from 6061
aluminum and similar materials, the cutting and
new products
Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA

+1.201.343.8983 mainmasterbond.com
www.masterbond.com
UV Curable Adhesive,
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its eye
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1212NewProds.indd 67 11/30/12 5:25 PM
drilling services are performed using an Nd:YAG
laser system that can handle parts up to 30 in. in
diameter. Applications include instrument hous-
ings, detectors, flters, and air and fuid control
components.
advlaser@msn.com
Laser Enclosure
The patent-pending HSP Laser-Gard Barrier System
from Honeywell Safety Products securely en-
closes a laser setup on an optical table, enhancing
experimental conditions while safeguarding person-
nel from exposure to laser radiation. The modular
system can be adjusted to the exact size of the
optical table. It incorporates a visual indicator that
identifes whether the panel is properly closed.
Each panel is equipped with a safety lock that
prevents unintended access. Access to the optical
table is gained by fipping down a side panel. The
system, certifed to EN 12254, guarantees cable
access around the perimeter of the table. It fxes
securely around the outer edge, and the entire
width and length of the optical table remain avail-
able for the experiment.
laserinfo@sperianprotection.com
Light Engines
LED light engines with fuorescence excitation
flters are offered by Innovations in Optics Inc.
LumiBright LE uses state-of-the-art LED technology
and interference flters with hard dielectric coatings
for fuorescence excitation in life sciences instru-
mentation and medical illumination. Excitation fl-
ters can be added to each light engine. Applications
for fuorescence excitation flters include gel and
blot imagers, real-time polymerase chain reaction
systems, cytometers, colony counters, microplate
readers and gene array readers. The flters feature
in-band peak transmission .92% and out-of-
band blocking .OD7. Patented nonimaging optics
direct LED light into a desired cone angle, while
producing uniform angular and spatial output. Peak
LED wavelengths range from 365 nm through the
near-infrared, or as broadband white, confgured
as dense chip-on-board LED arrays with single- or
multicolor options.
kevinc@innovationsinoptics.com
Water-Cooling System
A modular water-cooling system from autoVimation
is for in-house protective camera enclosures with a
dovetail profle. It extends the permissible ambient
temperature range for machine vision systems to
220 to 120 C. The system comprises a water-
cooling module installed on top of the camera
enclosure to absorb waste heat, and a re-cooling
unit that brings the heated water back to room tem-
perature. A closed water circuit ensures safe, clean
and virtually maintenance-free operation. At low
or strongly fuctuating temperatures, the system
can be used as a heating unit. Switching between
cooling and heating is not necessary because the
system automatically adjusts the enclosure tem-
perature to match the ambient temperature around
the re-cooling unit.
sales@autovimation.com
Miniature Spectrometers
B&W Tek Inc. has expanded its Exemplar smart
spectrometer line with the introduction of the
Exemplar LS and Exemplar Plus. The miniature
spectrometers are used in high-speed reaction ki-
netics, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and
real-time process monitoring. They feature a low-
stray-light unfolded Czerny-Turner spectrograph
to provide good performance below 400 nm. The
Exemplar LS integrates into compact UV and UV/
VIS spectrophotometer systems. The Exemplar Plus
offers an increased focal length, decreasing linear
dispersion and improving spectral resolution. This
enables selection of lower groove density gratings
to provide a wider spectral range. It also features
a sensitive, high-dynamic-range thermoelectri-
cally cooled back-thinned CCD detector with 2048
effective pixels.
sales@bwtek.com
Spectroscopy Systems
BioDrop Ltd. has launched its line of microvolume
spectroscopy systems. The BioDrop Cuvette and
BioDrop UV/VIS spectrophotometers are used
in life sciences laboratories and are available in
a variety of confgurations. BioDrop Lite has a
sampling port for measurements down to a 0.5-
L sample volume. BioDrop Duo combines the
sampling port with a 10-mm cuvette holder for UV/
VIS spectrophotometry and is optimized for use
with the BioDrop Cuvette. BioDrop Touch features
a standard cuvette holder and is compatible with
the BioDrop Cuvette using an integrated magnetic
pipetting station. The instruments are available in
stand-alone and PC-controlled versions. BioDrop
Resolution Life Science PC software is supplied
as standard. USB connectivity offers easy PC
connection and export of data. BioDrop Cuvette
performs microvolume measurement of DNA, RNA
and proteins.
enquiries@biodrop.co.uk
Benchtop Optical Microscope
Bruker Corp.s ContourGT-I 3-D optical micro-
scope enhances R&D productivity and maximizes
manufacturing throughput for industrial applica-
new products
1212NewProds.indd 68 11/30/12 5:25 PM

tions. It accelerates and simplifes measurement
setup and feature tracking. The benchtop profling
system incorporates a proprietary tip/tilt head and
automated turret, lenses and illumination. It offers
vibration stability and a space-effcient footprint
with integrated air isolation. Applications include
ophthalmics, medical device implants, precision
machining and semiconductor manufacturing. It
provides high Z-axis resolution and fast measure-
ments with large felds of view on diffcult surface
geometries. The tip/tilt head enables characteriza-
tion of surface features over a range of angles. By
minimizing X-Y tracking errors and reducing feature
location setup time, the microscope enables gage-
capable measurement on demand and keeps the
sample in focus when switching magnifcations.
steve.hopkins@bruker-nano.com
Microspectrophotometer
Raman microspectroscopy capabilities have
been added to Craic Technologies Inc.s 20/20
Perfect Vision microspectrophotometer. Users now
can acquire Raman spectra with lasers from the
blue to the near-infrared, in addition to UV/VIS/
NIR absorbance, refectance, fuorescence and
emission microspectra. The 20/20 PV acquires
these spectra of even submicron samples rapidly
and from the same area with proprietary optical
aperturing technology, which acquires images of
the microscopic samples in the UV, visible and
NIR. It is used for developing nanoparticles and
carbon nanotubes, for studying biological samples,
and for analyzing forensic samples and measuring
thin-flm thickness. The microspectrophotometer
is a self-contained unit that features UV/VIS/NIR
light sources, solid-state lasers, true UV/VIS/NIR
microscopy, sensitive UV/VIS/NIR-range spectrom-
eters and Minerva spectral software.
sales@microspectra.com
Raman Spectrometers
The Advantage series Raman spectrometers from
DeltaNu Inc. are used in analyzing solutions, gels,
powders and solid materials. Each benchtop sys-
tem features an X-Y-Z stage, and FSX technology for
reproducible and repeatable Raman spectra. The
systems incorporate a proprietary and patented
free-space optical design, eliminating the need for
fber optic probes. The spectrometers offer four
laser source options: 532, 633, 785 and 1064 nm.
The instruments are supplied with an improved ver-
sion of the NuSpec suite of open architecture soft-
ware. Data collection is simplifed with an intuitive
graphical user interface and multiple fle formats
for data archiving. Grams AI spectroscopy software
is now included as standard. An integrated library-
build and correlation-matching package complete
the software. The 633-nm model is for kinetic
studies, laser power adjustments and polarization
experiments.
www.deltanu.com
Spectroradiometers
The SR-500 and SR-1100 spectroradiometers from
Spectral Evolution can validate the class of any
commercially available continuous-output solar
simulator, per IEC 60904-9/ASTM E927-05. The
systems are suitable for measuring irradiance and
spectral match. With no moving optics to break
down, they feature reliability. They are supplied with
a right-angle diffuser, offer NIST-traceable calibra-
tion, feature autoexposure and autoshutter for one-
touch operation, and weigh ,3 lb. Both systems
work with DARWin SP data acquisition and analysis
software to capture and show actual irradiance
over a 320- to 1100-nm range. Built-in software
routines provide class status as a function of wave-
length and generate a spectral match report.
sales@spectralevolution.com
Fluorescence Spectrometer
Edinburgh Instruments has launched the FLS980
fuorescence spectrometer for steady-state,
lifetime and phosphorescence measurements
in photophysics, photochemistry, biophysics,
new products
1212NewProds.indd 69 11/30/12 5:25 PM

Submit Your Paper:
http://microscopy.org/MandM/2013
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15, 2013
Visit M&M website often for detailed program
information, registration & hotel info.
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biochemistry, luminescence spectroscopy and
semiconductor physics. The automated modular
spectrometers optics include high stray light rejec-
tion monochromators and computer-controlled
flter wheels. Spectral measurements can be made
from 200 nm to 5 m, with time resolution from a
few picoseconds to seconds. An ultrafast data ac-
quisition module accommodates any combination
of light sources and detectors for time-correlated
single-photon counting, multichannel scaling and
spectral scanning. USB connectivity provides fast
data processing, module control and operation.
Live profles can be observed on-screen as they are
acquired before data manipulation and analysis.
pr@edinst.com
Digital Laptop Frame Grabbers
Imperx has released its latest family of digital lap-
top frame grabbers, the HD-SDI Express. The HD-
SDI ExpressCard/34 and HD-SDI ExpressCard/54
video capture cards have form factors of 34 and
54 mm, respectively, and a single coaxial cable
connector. When the cards are used with a camera
that transmits video using an SD or HD serial digital
interface (SDI) format, video can be viewed and
stored in real time. The cards capture single or mul-
tiple frames and stamp a user message, date and
time of capture onto the video. They capture two
channels of 24-bit audio at 48 kHz. With the audio
included in the cards single input, no software is
needed to mix and sync audio and video.
sales@imperx.com
Picoammeter
A picoammeter with dual 630-V, independent,
nonfoating bias sources and 1-fA measurement
resolution has been launched by Keithley Instru-
ments Inc. Model 6482 provides two independent
picoammeter/source channels in a 2U, half-rack
enclosure, allowing simultaneous measurements
across both channels. The wide measurement
range ensures high sensitivity and resolution
for low-current applications that require making
measurements at multiple points simultane-
ously. The 2-nA measurement range is suitable for
measuring dark currents. Once the dark current
has been determined, the instruments relative
function automatically subtracts it as an offset so
the measured values are more accurate for optical
power measurements. For measuring the dark
currents of photodiodes, the front panel display can
be switched off to avoid introducing light that would
interfere with obtaining accurate results.
info@keithley.com
new products
Spread the word

Advertise your new product in Photonics
Showcase or in the Spotlight section of
Photonics Spectra.
Reach all of our readers in these low-cost,
lead-generating features.
Call Kristina Laurin at (413) 499-0514, or
email advertising@photonics.com.
1212NewProds.indd 70 11/30/12 5:25 PM
l
Indicates shows Photonics Media will attend.
Complete listings at www.photonics.com/calendar. December 2012 Photonics Spectra 71
Happenings
JANUARY
Nanometa 2013: Fourth International Topical
Meeting on Nanophotonics and Metamaterials
(Jan. 3-6) Tirol, Austria. Contact European Physical
Society, +33 3 89 32 94 42; conferences@eps.org;
www.nanometa.org.
Advanced Photonics Techniques in Soft Matter
and Biology (Jan. 14) London. Contact Jenny
Bremner, Institute of Physics, jenny.bremner@iop.
org; www.iop.org.
IEEE Workshop on Robot Vision (WORV)
2013 (Jan. 16-17) Clearwater, Fla. Organized
within the framework of the IEEE Winter Vision
Meetings. Contact worv@cse.usf.edu; worv.cse.
usf.edu.
2013 IEEE: 26th International Conference on
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
(Jan. 20-24) Taipei, Taiwan. Contact June Echizen,
+81 3 3346 8007; je@inter.net; www.mems2013.
org.
l
Automate 2013 (Jan. 21-24) Chicago. Contact
Association for Advancing Automation (A3), +1
(734) 994-6088; info@automate2013.com;
automate2013.com.
IFPAC 2013: 27th International Forum and
Exhibition Process Analytical Technology
(Process Analysis & Control) (Jan. 22-25)
Baltimore. Contact IFPAC Committee, +1 (847)
543-6800; info@ifpacnet.org; www.ifpac.com.
OnSite Annual Meeting for Homeland Security,
Forensics and Environmental Remediation
(Jan. 23-25) Baltimore. Contact OnSite, +1 (847)
543-6800; infoscience@ais.net; www.ifpac.com/
onsite.
2013 NAALT Conference (Jan. 31-Feb. 2)
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Contact Jennifer
Anderson, North American Association for Laser
Therapy, jennifer@naalt.org; www.naalt.org/2013
Conference.
FEBRUARY
l
Biophysical Society 57th Annual Meeting
(Feb. 2-6) Philadelphia. Contact Biophysical
Society, +1 (240) 290-5600; society@biophysics.
org; www.biophysics.org.
l
Photonics West (Feb. 2-7) San Francisco.
Includes BiOS, LASE, OPTO, MOEMS-MEMS and
Green Photonics. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-
3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging (Feb. 3-7)
Burlingame, Calif. Contact SPIE, +1 (360)
676-3290; customerservice@spie.org;
spie.org.
Annual International Conference on
Optoelectronics, Photonics & Applied Physics
(OPAP) (Feb. 4-5) Singapore. Contact OPAP
Conference Secretariat, +65 6327 0166; info@
physics-conf.org; www.physics-conf.org.
SPIE Medical Imaging (Feb. 9-14) Lake Buena
Vista, Fla. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
International Lidar Mapping Forum (Feb. 11-13)
Denver. Contact Intelligent Exhibitions Ltd., +44
1453 836 363; info@lidarmap.org; www.lidarmap.
org.
BioMed 2013: The Tenth IASTED International
Conference on Biomedical Engineering
(Feb. 13-15) Innsbruck, Austria. An event of
the International Association of Science and
Technology for Development. Contact IASTED
Secretariat, +1 (403) 288-1195; calgary@iasted.
org; www.iasted.org.
Oasis: 14th International Meeting on Optical
Engineering and Science in Israel (Feb. 18-20)
Tel Aviv, Israel. Contact Kaleidoscope Ltd., +972
3 602 2708; expo@kldltd.com; www.oasis4.org.il.
EALA: European Automotive Laser Applications
2013 (Feb. 19-20) Bad Nauheim, Germany.
Contact Annika Beutner, Automotive Circle
International, +49 511 9910 377; annika.beutner
@vincentz.net; www.automotive-circle.com.
Fifth European Short Course on Time-Resolved
Microscopy and Correlation Spectroscopy
(Feb. 19-21) Berlin. Contact Julia-Maria Grssler,
PicoQuant GmbH, +49 30 6392 6929; trfcourse@
picoquant.com; www.picoquant.com.
2013 IEEE Sensors Applications Symposium
(SAS) (Feb. 19-21) Galveston, Texas. Contact
Lauren Pasquarelli, +1 (352) 872-5544;
laurenp@conferencecatalysts.com; www.
sensorapps.org.
FTTH Conference 2013 (Feb. 19-21) London.
Contact FTTH Council Europe asbl (Fibre to the
Home Council Europe), +32 2 517 6103; info@
ftthcouncil.eu; www.ftthconference.eu.
Photoptics 2013: International Conference
on Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology
(Feb. 20-21) Barcelona, Spain. Contact Photoptics
Secretariat, +351 265 520 185; photoptics.
secretariat@insticc.org; www.photoptics.org.
SPIE 2013: Nano-Bio Sensing, Imaging &
Spectroscopy (NBSIS) (Feb. 20-23) Jeju-do,
Korea. Contact NBSIS Secretariat, +82 42 860
5292; 2013nbsis@gmail.com; www.nbsis.org.
NextMed/MMVR20 (Medicine Meets Virtual
Reality) (Feb. 20-23) San Diego. Contact AMA
Inc., +1 (805) 534-0300; info@amainc.com;
www.nextmed.com.
PAPERS
Photonics North 2013 (June 3-5) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Deadline: abstract submission, January 5
Researchers are encouraged to present their work at the 15th international Photonics North
conference, which will focus on the application of photonics technologies, with an emphasis on
closing the gap between theory, development and application. The conference serves as a Cana-
dian meeting point between the academic community and the industrial/government sector.
Strategic research directions for photonics in Canada will be addressed. Contact Pavel Cheben,
National Research Council, pavel.cheben@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca; www.photonicsnorth.com.
ECBO 2013 (May 12-16) Munich
Deadline: submissions, January 16, noon EST, 17:00 GMT
Organizers of the European Conferences on Biomedical Optics (ECBO) invite papers in the areas
of neurophotonics, advanced microscopy techniques, diffuse optical imaging, optoacoustic
methods, novel biophotonic techniques, optical coherence tomography and coherence tech-
niques, clinical and biomedical spectroscopy and imaging, and head and neck optical diagnos-
tics. The conference will feature awards for best student paper and best poster presentation.
The event is part of the World of Photonics Congress. Contact The Optical Society, +1 (202)
416-1907; custserv@osa.org; www.osa.org.
CLEO: 2013 (June 9-14) San Jose, California
Deadline: abstracts, January 30, noon EST, 17:00 GMT
Papers are sought for CLEO, the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics. Research will be
presented under the core conferences CLEO: QELS Fundamental Science; CLEO: Science &
Innovations; and CLEO: Applications & Technology. Topics to be addressed include quantum
optics of atoms, molecules and solids; light-matter interactions and materials processing; and
lightwave communications and optical networks. The event is sponsored by the American Physi-
cal Society/Laser Science Div., the IEEE Photonics Society and The Optical Society. Contact OSA,
technical papers staff, +1 (202) 416-6191; cstech@osa.org; www.cleoconference.org.
1212Happenings.indd 71 11/30/12 5:26 PM
VISIGRAPP 2013: Eighth International
Joint Conference on Computer Vision,
Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory
and Applications (Feb. 21-24) Barcelona, Spain.
Contact VISIGRAPP Secretariat, +351 265 520
184; visigrapp.secretariat@insticc.org;
www.visigrapp.org.
SPIE Advanced Lithography (Feb. 24-28)
San Jose, Calif. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
2013 IEEE Pacifc Visualization Symposium
(PacifcVis) (Feb. 27-March 1) Sydney. Contact
Karsten Klein, University of Sydney, +61 2 9036
9754; kklein@it.usyd.edu.au; sydney.edu.au/
engineering/it/~pvis2013.
MARCH
European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2013)
(March 7-11) Vienna. Contact European Society of
Radiology, +43 1 533 40 64-0; communications@
myesr.org; www.myesr.org.
Mass Spectral Interpretation Course
(March 8-10) Philadelphia. Contact Barbara
Sherman, PACS Testing, Consulting and Training,
+1 (724) 457-6576; barb@pacslabs.com; www.
pacslabs.com.
SPIE Smart Structures/NDE (March 10-14)
San Diego. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
l
OFC/NFOEC (March 17-21) Anaheim, Calif.
The combined meeting of the Conference on
Optical Fiber Communication and the National
Fiber Optic Engineers Conference. Contact OFC/
NFOEC, +1 (202) 416-1907; info@ofcconference.
org; www.ofcnfoec.org.
l
PITTCON 2013: Laboratory Science
Equipment Conference and Exposition
(March 17-21) Philadelphia. Contact Pittcon,
+1 (412) 825-3220; info@pittcon.org;
pittcon.org.
Third EOS Topical Meeting on Blue
Photonics Optics in the Sea
(March 18-20) Texel, Netherlands.
An event of the European Optical Society.
Contact Julia Dalichow, EOS - Events & Services
GmbH, +49 511 277 2673; bluephotonics3@
myeos.org; www.myeos.org.
ILSC: International Laser Safety Conference
(March 18-21) Orlando, Fla. Contact Laser
Institute of America, +1 (407) 380-1553;
ilsc@lia.org; www.lia.org/ilsc.
META 2013: Fourth International
Conference on Metamaterials,
Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics
(March 18-22) Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Contact Said Zouhdi, LGEP-Supelec,
+33 1 69 85 16 60; said.zouhdi@supelec.fr;
metaconferences.org.
l
LaserWorld of Photonics China 2013
(March 19-21) Shanghai. Contact Sabine Kallup,
Munich International Trade Fairs, +1 (646)
437-1012; skallup@munich-tradefairs.com;
www.world-of-photonics.net/en/laser-china/start.
ULIS 2013: 14th International Conference
on Ultimate Integration on Silicon
(March 19-21) Coventry, UK. Contact David
Leadley, University of Warwick, +44 2476 524 114;
d.r.leadley@warwick.ac.uk; www.ulisconference.
org.
Focus on Microscopy 2013 (March 24-27)
Maastricht, Netherlands. Contact Mariska
Timmers, AMC Congress Organization The
Netherlands, +31 20 5662 238; m.p.timmers@
amc.uva.nl; www.focusonmicroscopy.org.
APRIL
33rd ASLMS Annual Conference (April 3-7)
Boston. Contact American Society for Laser
Medicine and Surgery, +1 (715) 845-9283;
information@aslms.org; www.aslms.org.
ISBI 2013: International Symposium on
Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro
(April 7-11) San Francisco. Contact IEEE, isbi2013-
info@ieee.org; www.biomedicalimaging.org.
icOPEN2013: The International Conference
on Optics in Precision Engineering and
Nanotechnology (April 9-11) Singapore.
Contact Anand Asundi, Nanyang Technological
University, +65 6790 5936; masundi@ntu.edu.sg;
www.icopen.com.sg.
Electronics New England (April 10-11)
Boston. Contact UBM Canon, +1 (310) 445-4200;
electronicsinfo@ubm.com; www.canontradeshows.
com.
2013 IEEE 10th International Conference
on Networking, Sensing and Control (ICNSC)
(April 10-12) Evry, France. Contact Sabine Segala,
IBISC, +33 169 477 551; sabine.segala@ibisc.
univ-evry.fr; www.icnsc2013.org.
Optics in the Life Sciences (April 14-18)
Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii. Includes Optical Trapping
Applications (OTA); Novel Techniques in Microscopy
(NTM); Bio-Optics: Design and Application (BODA);
and Optical Molecular Probes, Imaging and Drug
Delivery (OMP). Contact The Optical Society, +1
(202) 223-8130; info@osa.org; www.osa.org.
SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics (April 15-18)
Prague. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290;
Experimental Biology 2013 (April 20-24) Bos-
ton. Contact FASEB (Federation of American Societ-
ies for Experimental Biology), +1 (301) 634-7000;
eb@faseb.org; experimentalbiology.org.
HARMNST Berlin 2013: 10th International
Workshop on High Aspect Ratio Micro and
Nano System Technology (April 21-24) Berlin.
Contact Sabrina Rosendahl, congressorg@micro
resist.de; www.harmnst2013.org.
Happenings
Contact your sales representative at
(413) 499-0514 or at sales@photonics.com
Photonics Spectra Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
Year after year, Photonics Spectra maintains the industrys highest audited
print and digital magazine circulation now at 95,000 total,
with about 200,000 readers per issue!
February Features: FTTH, Free-Space Communication,
Test & Measurement, Quantum Dots
Spotlight: Lasers, Laser Accessories
& Light Sources
Webinars: Industry Trends Analysis
and Lasers for Optical Communications
Ad close: December 27, 2012
March Features: Photonics for Solar Cell Production, LED
Inspection Systems, Software: Coatings,
Spectroscopy, Prism Awards Winners
Spotlight: Imaging Components & Systems
Sneak Preview: OFC/NFOEC
Webinar: Trends in Biophotonic Imaging
Photonics Showcase
Ad close: January 31, 2013
Our completely redesigned online Buyers Guide is more user-friendly than ever.
DONT BE LEFT OUT! Advertise today.
1212Happenings.indd 72 11/30/12 5:26 PM
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
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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, Pacifc Northwest,
Yukon & British Columbia
Joanne C. Mirke
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Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
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Regional Manager
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tracy.reynolds@photonics.com
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Maureen Riley Moriarty
Regional Manager
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Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
riley.moriarty@photonics.com
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Owen Broch
Regional Manager
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 108
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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
and advertising copy to:
Laurin Publishing
PO Box 4949
Street address:
Laurin Publishing
Berkshire Common, 2 South St.
Pittsfeld, MA 01201
Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514
Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472
a
Andor Technology plc ...............64
www.andor.com
Applied Scientifc
Instrumentation Inc. .............. 18
www.asiimaging.com
Argyle International Inc. ........... 67
www.argyleoptics.com
Automated Imaging
Association ............................ 35
www.automate2013.com
b
Bristol Instruments Inc. ............ 38
www.bristol-inst.com
c
Cambridge
Technology Inc. ...................... 13
Coastal Connections ................64
www.coastalcon.com
CVI Melles Griot ........................ 30
www.cvimellesgriot.com
d
DataRay Inc. ............................. 14
www.dataray.com
DRS Technologies Inc. ............. 31
www.drs.com
e
Edmund Optics ......................... 26
www.edmundoptics.com
Electro-Optical
Products Corp. ....................... 23
www.eopc.com
Excelitas Technologies ............... 7
www.excelitas.com
f
Fermionics
Opto-Technology .................... 29
www.fermionics.com
FLIR Systems Inc. ..................... 34
www.fir.com
Forth Dimension
Displays Ltd. .......................... 63
www.forthdd.com
g
GT Crystal Systems LLC ........... 18
www.gtat.com
h
Hamamatsu .............................. 40
www.sales.hamamatsu.com
i
Image Science Ltd. ................... 12
www.image-science.co.uk
Integrated Design
Tools Inc. ................................ 63
www.idtvision.com
Iridian Spectral
Technologies Ltd. .................. 62
www.iridian.ca
j
Jenoptik .................................... 11
www.jenoptik.com
l
Lake Shore
Cryotronics Inc. ....................... 69
www.lakeshore. com
m
M&M Conference
Management ......................... 70
www.microscopy.org/
mandm/2013
Master Bond Inc. ...................... 67
www.masterbond.com
Meller
Optics Inc. .............................. 37
www.melleroptics.com
Metrigraphics LLC .................... 45
www.metrigraphicsllc.com
Mightex
Systems .......................... 63, 64
www.mightexsystems.com
MOXTEK Inc. ............................. 33
www.moxtek.com
n
Newport
Corporation ..................... 6, CV4
www.newport.com
Novotech Inc. ............................ 21
www.novotech.net
Nufern .....................................CV3
www.nufern.com
o
Ocean Thin Films ...................... 62
www.oceanthinflms.com
p
Photonics
Media ........... 39, 44, 62, 64, 72
www.photonics.com
PI
(Physik Instrumente) L.P. ...... 62
www.pi.ws
Power
Technology Inc. ............. CV2, 27
www.powertechnology.com
q
Quantum
Scientifc
Imaging Inc. ........................... 63
www.qsimaging.com
r
Raytheon Company .................. 19
www.raytheon.com
Research
Electro-Optics Inc. ................. 15
www.reoinc.com
Ross Optical
Industries ................................. 8
www.rossoptical.com
s
Sill
Optics GmbH ......................... 28
www.silloptics.de
Stanford Research
Systems Inc. ............................ 3
www.thinksrs.com
STIL S.A. .................................... 63
www.stilsa.com
t
Tohkai
Sangyo Co. Ltd. ...................... 69
www.peak.co.jp
Truesense
Imaging Inc. ............................. 9
www.truesenseimaging.com
v
Varioptic, Business Unit
of Parrot SA ............................ 62
www.varioptic.com
x
Xenics ........................................64
www.xenics.com
1212AdIndex.indd 73 12/3/12 4:14 PM
In ancient times, goes the
Spinal Tap song, hundreds of years
before the dawn of history, lived a strange
race of people: the Druids. No one knows
who they were or what they were doing,
but their legacy remains, hewn into the
living rock ... of Stonehenge.
The song might not be factually ac-
curate carbon dating proves that the
Druids came along too late to take credit
but it does capture the mystery that has
surrounded Stonehenge for ages. And now
a comprehensive 3-D laser scan of the
ancient monument has given researchers
new evidence of how it was built and
what its purpose was.
Data from this frst full laser survey
on Stonehenge, commissioned by the
London-based English Heritage organiza-
tion, reveals signifcant differences in the
ways the stones were shaped and worked.
Archaeological analysis of the scans
shows that the stones in the outer sarsen
circle, visible from the northeast ap-
proach, were completely pick-dressed
that is, their surface crust was removed
to expose a bright gray-white surface.
In contrast, the outer faces of the surviv-
ing upright stones in the southwestern
part of the circle did not receive this
technical attention. The data also shows
that the sides of the stones bordering the
solstice axis were carefully worked to
form very straight and narrow rectangu-
lar slots.
The scan analysis strongly suggests
that special effort was made to dress the
stones that fank the northeast/southwest
axis to allow a more dramatic and obvi-
ous passage of sunlight through the stone
circle on midsummer and midwinter
solstices, English Heritage said.
The variations show not only that the
monument aligns with the solstices, but
also that its view from the Avenue the
ancient processional way to the northeast
was especially important to the early
architects.
To approach and view the stone circle
from this direction means that the mid-
winter sunset had special meaning to pre-
historic people; English Heritage said that
the builders of Stonehenge made deliber-
ate efforts to create a dramatic spectacle
for those approaching the monument from
the northeast.
We didnt expect the results to be so
revealing about the architecture of Stone-
henge. It has given further scientifc basis
to the theory of the solstitial alignment
and the importance of the approach to the
monument from the Avenue in midwin-
ter, said Susan Greaney, senior properties
historian at English Heritage.
The data also recorded the monuments
visible graffti, damage, weathering and
restoration; identifed known prehistoric
carvings as well as new carvings; and
provided information on the incompletion
of the sarsen circle. The new presenta-
tion of Stonehenge will enable visitors to
appreciate the importance of the solsti-
tial alignment far better, said Loraine
Knowles, Stonehenge director at English
Heritage. [Thats] why we are closing the
A344 [road] which severs the alignment,
to enable the stone circle to be reunited
with the Avenue.
Caren Les
caren.les@photonics.com
lighter
SIDE

Laser scans probe
Stonehenge secrets
A full 3-D laser scan of Stonehenge offers evidence that the northeast view of the prehistoric monument was
especially important to its creators.
E
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h

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