Source:

The first high-power eye-safe surface-emitting diode pump could be used for military, industrial and medical uses.

eye-safe

QPC Lasers has demonstrated the first eye-safe high-power 1.5 µm surface-emitting diode laser. The technology could lead to laser weaponry that combines the low cost of wafer-scale manufacturing with beams that are much less hazardous to the soldiers using them.

“QPC has developed a 45° turning mirror which steers the beam out of the surface of the chip,” Yossi Gewirtz of QPC explained to optics.org. “This enables us to achieve the high power of conventional edge emitters with the very low cost structure of VCSELs.”

(…)

“We see great promise for eye-safe lasers in commercial applications such as welding and cutting, by eliminating the safety concerns and costs associated with existing industrial lasers such as YAG and fibre lasers,” commented Jeffrey Ungar of QPC

Source: optics.org

The two companies will exploit their combined engineering and applications capabilities to attack new applications

strategic agreement

A strategic partnership between Powerlase, a UK developer of diode-pumped solid-state lasers, and France’s fibre laser specialist Eolite Systems will see the companies jointly develop products for new markets and business opportunities.

Eolite provides high-power fibre lasers for industrial micro-processing applications, and the companies expect that their combined product ranges can address applications and manufacturing processes that require more than one type of laser.

This event was originally broadcast on October 29th, 2008 at 8:00 AM PDT | 11:00 AM EDT | 15:00 GMT and is available for on-demand viewing

To access the archived presentation, please click on the following link:

http://video.webcasts.com/events/penn001/28405

Source: Laser Focus World

Despite an often higher up-front capital equipment cost and market-penetration challenges, laser welding systems are expanding into more-challenging application areas because of new laser technologies that offer process flexibility and improved weld performance.

When Laser Focus World looked back at the early years of the laser during our 40th anniversary in 2005, laser welding was noted as one of the most obvious of possible uses (see www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/234079). But in his 2007 market forecast for industrial lasers (see www.industrial-lasers.com/articles/316170), David Belforte, editor-in-chief of Industrial Laser Solutions, reported that laser welding accounted for only 12% of the worldwide industrial laser applications by units, or roughly $206 million of the $1.72 billion dollars in total industrial laser sales for 2007.

Market penetration

Source: optics.org

This weekend sees the start of the 92nd annual meeting of the Optical Society of America: Frontiers in Optics. With novel optical techniques under development for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications, as well as being used to help understand the basis and evolution of disease, medical research plays a key role in this year’s conference.

Under the headline theme “Optics in Biology and Medicine”, technical sessions include: “Light propagation models for therapy and diagnosis”; “Imaging of mice and men”; “Microscopy for diagnostics”; and “Targeted therapy and molecular imaging”.

Here’s a selection of some of the research highlights being presented at the conference:

Presentation FWW6: Constructing human retinal capillary maps from adaptive optics SLO imaging

A non-invasive technique for mapping blood supply in the retinal capillaries will be described by Stephen Burns from the University of Indiana (Bloomington, IN). The technique uses near-infrared imaging with an adaptive-optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope to visualize blood flow within all capillaries of the light-sensitive tissues in the human retina. One key benefit of this method, say the researchers, is that it eliminates the need to inject contrast agents - as required for the fluorescein angiography traditionally used to visualize the retina.

Presentation FTuE4: Femtosecond laser-induced microvascular clots trigger Alzheimer’s disease pathology

Researchers at Cornell University have used tightly focused femtosecond lasers to introduce clots in the microvasculature in the brains of rodents. They then followed this clotting process, as well as the subsequent changes in the brain, with fluorescence microscopy. The idea is to study the link between altered blood flow and Alzheimer’s disease, by enabling scientists to directly look at the effect of clots in the brain’s microvasculature on the development of Alzheimer’s. While plaque formation in brain tissue is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, clots and haemorrhages in small blood vessels have also been implicated in the disease.

Source: optics.org

Innovative semiconductor laser company QPC Lasers sheds employees as it searches frantically for new financing amid the global credit crunch.

QPC Lasers

California-based QPC Lasers has been forced to suspend operations and shed two-thirds of its workforce as it seeks to restructure a mountain of debt.

The company, which manufactures laser chips using some innovative process technology, resumed “limited” operations on Monday, October 20, having initially suspended much of its activity on October 12.

To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

Both parties welcome the union of their complementary technologies and predict a bright future in high volume applications.

Zygo optics

A merger between US firms Zygo and Electro Scientific Industries (ESI) has been agreed and enthusiastically welcomed by senior management. “The combination will create a photonics powerhouse,” Nicholas Konidaris of ESI told investors. “It produces a premier photonics group and a world-wide centre of excellence for optics.” Revenues for the combined companies in 2007 were approximately $458 million.

As described by Konidaris, Zygo’s expertise in precision metrology systems will enhance ESI’s portfolio of laser microengineering technologies. In turn, ESI’s strengths in systems design and high volume production support will better address the needs of Zygo’s global customers.

To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

A photonic crystal fibre has for the first time been engineered to transmit sub-100 fs pulses over extended distances.

Researchers from Russia and Germany have fabricated a chirped photonic crystal fibre that guides ultrashort pulses with much less distortion than previous designs. The team says that applications requiring ultrashort pulses and flexible beam delivery such as photodynamic therapy and two-photon microscopy could benefit (Nature Photonics doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.203). To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

Recent developments in cavity ring-down spectroscopy allow the technique to be used in a range of demanding applications. Lisa Bergson and Jerry Riddle bring Tim Hayes up to date.

Continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CW-CRDS) is a sensitive analytical method for detecting trace amounts of molecular species in a range of different environments. A development of absorption spectroscopy, it uses light rays carefully tuned to the unique molecular fingerprint of the sample species being detected.

“The technique has some significant advantages over other spectroscopic analysis methods,” said Lisa Bergson, chief executive officer of Tiger Optics. “The basic principle of CRDS is inherently low maintenance. It does not need consumables; it can take measurements very quickly and is extremely accurate,” (see box below).

La pub de Quantel pour le Brilliant en p.28 de Photonic Spectra d’octobre!

Source: optics.org

Two developments in LIDAR sensing are designed to help lunar landing craft make a safe touchdown.

LIDAR sensors

LIDAR technology, which uses the properties of scattered light to determine the range and other characteristics of a distant target, promises significant improvements over the systems currently used for planetary navigation in space probes. NASA’s Langley Research Centre has developed two LIDAR systems designed to allow lunar landers to automatically identify and navigate to a safe landing site during their final descent to the surface.

“LIDAR allows us to improve the precision of a lunar landing from 1 km to 30 m, and to both detect and avoid hazardous terrain such as rocks and steep slopes,” NASA’s Keith Henry told optics.org. Preliminary testing of the LIDAR methods in NASA’s Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project indicates that the accuracy and speed of update with LIDAR are more than ten times higher than the conventional radar-based sensors used in Phoenix Mars Lander and Mars Science Lab.

To know more, click here.

Source: Optics.org

An IR spectroscopy technique for identifying proteins is said to be the first new method developed in the field for 20 years.

Optical spectroscopy could have significant potential for protein analysis, but conventional approaches produce overcongested spectra which makes feature assignment and quantification highly difficult. A UK team from Imperial College London and the Institute of Cancer Research has now shown that protein identification can be performed spectroscopically (PNAS 105 40 15352)..

To know more, click here.

Source: Laser Focus World
According to publicly available information from the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC), laser diode manufacturer QPC Lasers (Sylmar, CA) was unsuccessful in its previously announced efforts to raise the additional funds necessary to continue operations. As a result, effective as of October 12, 2008, the Company suspended most of its operations and terminated a majority of its employees.

To know more, click here.

Source: press release

New Name Honors Successful Past, Launches a Future of Scientific Expansion

Menlo Park, Calif.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has renamed Stanford Linear Accelerator Center the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. What’s in a name? Great past, great future, great science. . . . In recent years, SLAC’s research program has broadened from its original focus on high-energy physics to include strong photon science and particle astrophysics programs. The lab’s current science programs are expanding to explore the ultimate structure and dynamics of matter and the properties of energy, space and time at the smallest and largest scales. This includes the study of ultra-fast processes in materials with a new state-of-the-art X-ray free electron laser, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS).

“Stanford University is extremely excited with the future of discovery that SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory will enable,” said Stanford University President John Hennessy. “Its broadening scientific portfolio builds upon our core competencies, and the new name signifies the continued strength of our DOE collaboration.”

Laboratory Director Persis Drell said, “Our new name, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, is a strong bridge that connects our successful past with our tremendously exciting future. We look forward to keeping this laboratory at the forefront of innovating, building and operating accelerator-based facilities as a Department of Energy National Accelerator Laboratory.”

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s multi-purpose mission covers a wide range of science. The upcoming startup of the LCLS—planned for 2009—along with the existing SPEAR3 synchrotron X-ray light source, will position the lab as a world-leader in X-ray science. Using these facilities as microscopes on the nanoworld, the lab’s scientists and the national-user communities are working out the structures of proteins and characterizing the quantum workings of new materials. The ability to make the first stop-motion movies of atoms and molecules in action with the LCLS will open new frontiers of research in materials, chemistry and biology.

Imagine Optic dans optics.org

Encore un bel article :

Adaptive optics sees retinas clearly

…ou l’on cite Mark Azaria. Pour en lire plus, click here.

Source: optics.org

An imaging system that contains two interferometers could help astronomers in South America to see much fainter sources than ever before with unprecedented precision. To know more, click here.

Source: Optics.org

A liquid lens that provides instant focusing could bring high quality imaging to hand held devices such as mobile phones.

Liquid lens

US researchers have found a way to control the focal length of a liquid lens using sound for the first time. The lens is said to require considerably less energy to operate compared with competing technologies and is particularly useful in applications where fast focal length changes are required (Nature Photonics doi:10.1038).

“This liquid lens has the ability to rapidly scan a range of focal lengths and allows sharp images to be captured at high frequency,” Amir Hirsa, a professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, told optics.org. “The actuation of this lens is relatively simple, requiring only a small pressure variation which can be obtained with sound from a small speaker.”

C’est Patrick qui l’a vu….dans le Boston Business Journal

Semiconductor developer SiOnyx Inc. has obtained exclusive rights to Harvard University’s portfolio of black silicon patents, Harvard’s Office of Technology Development said Monday.

In exchange for licensing the black silicon patents, Harvard will now have an equity position in Beverly, Mass.-based SiOnyx and will receive downstream royalties.

Black silicon, a novel laser implant technique that alters the photonic properties of semiconductor devices, was discovered by Harvard physics professor Eric Mazura (NB de H21: c’est Eric Mazur qui va etre content). It is said to be 100 to 500 times more sensitive to light than standard silicon.

SiOnyx recently raised about $11 million in funding from Harris & Harris; Polaris Venture Partners and RedShift Ventures.

To know more about the Mazur Group’s research, click here.

Source: Mass High Tech

Optical metrology systems supplier Zygo Corp. and photonic and laser systems developer Electro Scientific Industries Inc. have announced an all-stock merging of the two companies. Combined 2007 revenue for Zygo and ESI reached about $458 million.

Zygo (Nasdaq: ZIGO), based in Middlefield, Conn., and founded in 1970, supplies the semiconductor equipment industry with electro-optical design and manufacturing services, optical metrology instruments and precision optics. To know more, click here.

Portland, Ore.-based ESI (Nasdaq:ESIO), founded in 1944, serves the semiconductor, micromachining and components markets by supplying photonics and laser systems.

The merger calls for Zygo shareholders to gain 40 percent ownership in the combined company. Zygo shareholders will get 1.0233 shares of ESI stock for each share of Zygo stock, the two companies reported.

The board of directors at both Zygo and ESI have unanimously approved the merger and no await approval from the two companies’ stockholders. Once the merger is complete, three Zygo officials will join ESI’s 11-member board of directors. To know more, click here.

Mauna Kea Technologies, who used Hubtech21’s services and facilities to grow their operations in the US (2006-2008) is among the 29 TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION WINNERS 2008 of the Wall Street Journal. Congratulations to Mauna Kea’s team.

To know more, click here.

OCT for cancer diagnosis

Gordon McKenzie and Waseem Jerjes, Michelson Diagnostics Ltd.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has found an almost perfect match between the technology capability and clinical need in ophthalmology but its use is not widespread in other areas of clinical care. This article examines some of the technical constraints that currently prevent wider clinical adoption of OCT, examines how these shortcomings are being addressed, and illustrates the clinical potential of OCT by examining one promising clinical application: oral cancer care. In this application, OCT provides a useful complement to histopathology in oncology, with significant potential to improve and streamline clinical care.

Beyond the cornea: Ultrafast fiber lasers tackle new frontiers in ophthalmology
Gyu C. Cho, PhD, IMRA America; M. Bischoff, Carl Zeiss Meditec
Cornea flap surgery and nonlinear imaging are two examples of how ultrafast laser technology has advanced biomedicine-and recently, fiber-based ultrafast lasers have gained acceptance. For biomaterial processing, a laser source needs to provide ultrashort pulse energy, rapid repetition, excellent optical parameters, and high stability-without adding cost. Recently published clinical results of novel surgical methods demonstrate the stunning recent development of ophthalmologic ultrashort pulse applications; this article describes femtosecond fiber laser technology and its use for a pioneering ophthalmologic application.

Source: Laser Focus World

Et quelques articles a noter dans le numero d’octobre, tels que:

Femtosecond pulses create broadband light in diamond, p.15

Defining ultrafast fiber laser is a tricky business, p.60 a 61

Ultrashort pulses write sharp, tiny features and perform microsurgery, p.71 a 76

New technologies heat up the laser welding market, p.90 a 94

Source: optics.org

A consortium led by UK fibre laser manufacturer Fianium is to develop and evaluate advanced white-light (supercontinuum) fibre lasers for biomedical imaging applications. The WhiteLase project is co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board and brings together Fianium, the Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials at the University of Bath and Edinburgh Instruments. The project aims to deliver ultra-bright supercontinuum sources and evaluate the technology within fluorescence imaging applications. Edinburgh Instruments will gain first access to the newly-developed technology and perform the initial evaluation.

Source: Optics.org

Tamarack Scientific Company (Corona, CA) has developed a laser ablation system that directly patterns biochip sensors in a thin layer of metal on polyimide. The video shows a 40 mm x 10 mm part being ablated in a thin layer of copper on polyimide, showing a slow ramp-up in speed to a rate of over 150 parts per second.

To watch the video, click here.

En premiere place de la newsletter des produits phares de la semaine: Imagine Optic!

The new HASO3 76-GE and 128-GE provide users with the HASO features customers rely on including absolute, simultaneous and independent measurement of both phase and intensity at Giga Ethernet speed.

http://optics.org/cws/product/P000007655

On note aussi l’ajout de toutes une serie de produits IO sur le site d’optics.org.

Et bravo pour l’article dans BioOptics World!
High performance retinal scan
Mark Zacharria, Imagine Eyes
Retinal diseases almost always affect the organ’s microstructures including photoreceptors, nerve ganglia and capillaries-all of which remain invisible to current clinical imaging devices. Adaptive optics has appeared to be a promising technology-but elusive, until this year when the French INOVEO consortium, led by Imagine Eyes, developed the first compact, ultra-high resolution Adaptive Optics Flood Illumination Camera (AOFIC). This article will describe the technology and the results of current clinical testing.