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July 2013
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Content
JULY 2013

www.photonics.com VOLUME 47 ISSUE 7
16
10 EDITORIAL
Photonics Finding Niche in Device Manufacturing
24
24 TECH PULSE
Research and technology headlines of the month Pushing camera design beyond natures limits Strain bridges move germanium closer to lasing
59
64 NEW PRODUCTS 71 HAPPENINGS 73 ADVERTISER INDEX 74 LIGHTER SIDE
Departments & Columns

16 LIGHT SPEED
Business and Markets Inrad Optics installs vacuum deposition system Imra les patent suit against Coherent in Germany
59 GREENLIGHT
Signicant ecophotonics developments Concentrating the power of 2000 suns
THE COVER Machining this bioabsorbable stent may require a femtosecond laser. Senior Art Director Lisa N. Comstock.
PHOTONICS SPECTRA ISSN-0731-1230, (USPS 448870) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Laurin Publishing Co. Inc., 100 West Street, 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 2013 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 Engineering Index. POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to Photonics Spectra, 100 West Street, PO Box 4949, Pittseld, MA 01202. Periodicals postage paid at Pittseld, MA, and at additional mailing ofces. CIRCULATION POLICY: Photonics Spectra is distributed without charge to qualied scientists, engineers, technicians, and management personnel. Eligibility requests must be returned with your business card or organizations letterhead. Rates for others as follows: $122 per year, prepaid. Overseas postage: $28 surface mail, $108 airmail per year. Inquire for multiyear subscription rates. Publisher reserves the right to refuse nonqualied subscriptions. 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 editorial content of Photonics Spectra should be addressed to the managing editor. Contributed statements and opinions expressed in Photonics Spectra are those of the contributors the publisher assumes no responsibility for them.
Photonics Spectra July 2013
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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.
Features
35 36
ISSUE FOCUS: LIGHT SHAPING FUTURE OF CRITICAL DEVICES
LASERS HELP SHRINK AND SHARPEN MEDICAL DEVICES by Hank Hogan, Contributing Editor Advances such as shorter pulse widths and the ability to select pulse shape are enabling the fabrication of smaller, more precise lifesaving devices. FIBER OPTICS GROWING STRONG FOR BIOMEDICINE by Laura S. Marshall, Managing Editor Several company representatives weigh in on new trends in medical device manufacturing.
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EARLY COMPLIANCE SAVES MONEY by Marie Freebody, Contributing Editor When it comes to seeking regulatory approval cost-effectively, starting sooner is better. SCANNING WHITE-LIGHT INTERFEROMETRY FINGERPRINTS THE POLISHING PROCESS by Eric Felkel, Zygo Corp. This technique characterizes polished optical surfaces, providing both quantitative texture and qualitative visual information. NOVEL FIBERS USE SPACE TO EXTEND CAPACITY LIMITS by Valerie C. Coffey, Science Writer Multicore, multimode and hollow-core optical bers are helping engineers devise next-generation telecom systems.
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WHAT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS KNOW: CCD SENSOR A GAME CHANGER by Erik-Jan Manoury, Teledyne Dalsa Professionals recognize that the determining factor for resolution, overall sharpness and depth of eld is sensor size.
July 2013 Photonics Spectra
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editorial comment
Photonics Finding Niche in Device Manufacturing
Editorial Advisory Board Dr. Robert R. Alfano City College of New York Walter Burgess Power Technology Inc. Dr. Timothy Day Daylight Solutions Dr. Donal Denvir Andor Technology PLC Patrick L. Edsell Avanex Corp. Dr. Turan Erdogan Idex Optics & Photonics 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
The global medical device market grew just 3 percent in 2012, reaching $331 billion dollars, according to health care market research firm Kalorama Information. The organization blames the reduced growth rate on a challenged health care market in Europe and slow funding increases in the US. The findings were revealed in Kaloramas report The Global Market for Medical Devices, 4th Edition. Of course lasers and other light-based devices are only a fraction of the medical device market, but lasers are not just being packed into boxes at the end of the production line, destined for use in hospitals and clinics. As Contributing Editor Hank Hogan tells us in this months cover story, lasers are taking their place on the production line in some very interesting applications in the manufacture ofmedicaldevices. Two key trends in lasers for device manufacturing are shorter pulse widths and better beam control, he found. Cost is always a major factor in manufacturing, too, and Hogan spoke with industry leaders including Geoff Shannon, laser technology manager at Miyachi Unitek, to find out how costs can be driven down. For Shannons thoughts and more information on lasers in medical device manufacturing, read the full article, Lasers Help Shrink and Sharpen Medical Devices, beginning on page 36. Our look at medical device manufacturing continues with a Q&A by Managing Editor Laura Marshall, who asked fiber company leaders to look into the future as fiber expands in the biomedical market. For her article, Fiber Optics Growing Strong for Biomedicine, beginning on page 41, Marshall queried Kevin Bakhshpour of CeramOptec, Scott Farland of Incom Inc., Rob Morris of Ocean Optics and Jean-Michel Pelaprat of Vytran. Rounding out our feature coverage of the medical devices market, Contributing Editor Marie Freebody urges device manufacturers to be proactive in seeking regulatory approval for devices heading for market. In Early Compliance Saves Money, beginning on page 44, Freebody shares advice from experts on navigating regulatory waters. Also in the issue, Eric Felkel of Zygo Corp. writes on how Scanning White-Light Interferometry Fingerprints the Polishing Process, beginning on page 48; science writer Valerie C. Coffey contributes Novel Fibers Use Space to Extend Capacity Limits, starting on page 52; and Erik-Jan Manoury of Teledyne Dalsa shares What the Photographers Know: CCD Sensor a Game Changer, on page 56. We hope you enjoy the issue. We cover a lot of ground to bring you the latest research and application news and trends, and we always enjoy meeting readers during our travels. What we learn from the industry people we meet at conferences and other events informs our content throughout the year. Last month, I made a visit to New England Fiberoptic Councils FiberFest at the invitation of the groups president, Lee Kellett. She described a fiber optics industry that has become very finely niched, saying that while there is a lot of opportunity, the industry keeps partitioning. There is consensus in the local industry that while fiber used to be technology driven, it is now market driven, Kellett said. Photonics Media was on the scene for CLEO last month in San Jose. I invite you to check out our coverage on a special edition of Light Matters, the industrys only weekly newscast, which you can find at Photonics.com.
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contributors
Valerie C. Coffey
Valerie C. Coffey is a freelance science and technology writer in Massachusetts with a masters degree in astronomy. Her articles on optics, photonics, astronomy and physics have appeared in various industry publications. Page 52.
Hank Hogan
Regular contributing editor Hank Hogan holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Texas at Austin. Hogan worked in the semiconductor industry and now writes about science and technology. Page 36.
Eric Felkel
Eric Felkel, product manager for noncontact optical profilers at Zygo, has been with the company for more than 13 years with roles in application engineering and customer support, product development and product management. Page 48.
Erik-Jan Manoury
Erik-Jan Manoury is a technical application manager and product manager at Teledyne Dalsa Digital Professional Imaging in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Page 56.
Marie Freebody
Regular contributing editor Marie Freebody is a freelance science and technology journalist with a masters degree in physics with a concentration in nuclear astrophysics from the University of Surrey in England. Page 44.
Laura S. Marshall
Managing editor Laura S. Marshall combines years in journalism with a lifelong love of science to cover the vast world of photonics; in addition to her magazine duties, she co-hosts the Light Matters Weekly Newscast on Photonics.com. Page 41.
In the August issue of
Photonics Spectra...
Machine Vision for Sorting Applications Service Lifetime Evaluation in Precision Glass Molding Advances in LED Materials Advice for First-Time Entrepreneurs in Photonics The List Issue: Our annual industry snapshot with input from our readers
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.
Youll also find all the news that affects your industry, from tech trends and market reports to the latest products and media.
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Light Speed
VI Systems granted 3 US optics patents
Fabless optical communication components supplier VI Systems GmbH of Berlin was granted three US patents for proprietary technology related to energyefficient and compact high-speed optical interconnects. The patents are titled Opto-electronic assembly for high speed transmission, Optoelectronic interconnect for high frequency data transmission at low power consumption, and Method for encoding and decoding of optical signals.
Tecport Optics
Inrad Optics installs vacuum deposition system

Inrad Optics Inc. of Northvale, N.J., has installed a plasma-assisted e-beam vacuum deposition system to advance its thin-film coating capabilities. The 96in. chamber, which enhances thin-film quality by altering its mechanical and optical properties, will increase the companys capacity, enabling it to handle parts up to 1 m in diameter. The system will eliminate production bottlenecks to improve lead times and process control, said George Murray, vice president of sales and marketing. Access to this level of technology in-house rounds out our turnkey custom optics services and is a springboard for delivering some of the industrys most advanced coatings services.
A 700- to 890-nm parallel optic transmitter testboard module for 4 3 25 Gb/s.
Imra files patent suit against Coherent in Germany

IMRA America Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich., has filed a patent infringement suit in Germany against two Germany-based subsidiaries of laser maker Coherent. The patent relates to using picosecond and femtosecond lasers to micromachine parts used for microelectronics applications. The lawsuit, filed at the District Court of Dsseldorf, Germany, asserts that certain laser products marketed by Coherents German subsidiaries, Coherent Kaiserslautern GmbH (formerly Lumera Laser GmbH) and Coherent (Deutschland) GmbH, infringe the German part of Imras European Patent 0 754 103 B1, a method for controlling configuration of laser-induced breakdown and ablation.
This is an important achievement for the company in a time when the optical link technology moves to 26 to 28 Gb/s in 2013 and the standardization work on 56 Gb/s per channel is going to be completed by the end of 2014. At these bit data rates a key requirement for the success is the realization of low cost, compact and energy-efficient integrated optical assemblies, including heat dissipation and cross-talk considerations, VI Systems CEO Nikolay Ledentsov said.
Europe has a great high-tech story to tell, and photonics is at the center of that story.
Neelie Kroes, vice president of the European Commission, during her keynote speech at the Photonics21 annual meeting in Brussels. She was presented with the strategic road map Towards 2020 Photonics Driving Economic Growth in Europe.
Exotic Electro-Optics and LightWorks merge, rebrand as LightWorks Optical Systems
the percentage of polymer solar cell efficiency achieved by researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea. They say they should break the efficiency barrier of 10 percent for commercialization of the cells.
8.9%
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VI Systems GmbH
Teledyne Dalsa acquires Axiom IC Element Six acquires Group4 Labs Inc.
615 billion
(about $798 billion) the worldwide market value that photonics is projected to hit in 2020, according to Photonics Industry Report 2013, which was presented at Laser World of Photonics in Munich.
Prism winner nabs Edison Award

For its Aura noninvasive skin cancer detection device, Verisante Technology Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, received a bronze Edison Award in April. The Aura allows Raman-based disease detection to move into the doctors office for the first time, and, unlike other optical skin cancer detectors, it doesnt use visual characteristics to assess lesions but instead analyzes the biochemical changes in the skin (based on molecular vibrations) using a near-IR (785 nm) laser. A clinical study showed that the device had a success rate of 99 percent in detecting the disease and the potential to reduce unnecessary biopsies by 50 to 100 percent. The award program, named after Thomas Alva Edison, is conducted by Edison Universe, an organization dedicated to assisting future innovators. For the device, Verisante also won a 2013 Prism Award for Photonics Innovation, an honor bestowed by SPIE and Photonics Media.
This month in history
What were you working on five, 10, 20 or even 30 years ago? Photonics Spectra editors perused past July issues and unearthed the following:
2008
Verisante Technology
Mercedes-Benz concept car has laser headlights

Germany-based Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Concept GLA compact SUV at the Shanghai auto show in April. The cars front headlights each feature a laser beam that can project pictures or video from a smartphone, a hard drive or the Internet onto a screen or other surface. The company says the devices could improve road safety by projecting directional arrows onto the road to show where the driver is heading. The driving lights are the first to use a laser beam reflected off a mirror, Mercedes-Benz said. There is no official word on whether the 2015 production version of the vehicle will have lasers, however. The car also houses two highdefinition cameras that can be used to take 3-D images as the car drives.
Optical interferometry and the clever use of lasers were among the photonic strategies pressed into service to advance telescopes on Earth and in space.
2003
How long is long enough for a laser diode to last? The answer essentially depends on the application, wrote then senior editor Paula M. Powell to introduce articles on lifetime testing.
1993
The IR technology community plunged into the commercial market big time while shifting its energies away from mainly military applications. Doctors were very optimistic about the free-electron laser still in the early stages of development for the treatment of medical conditions such as cancer without harming healthy tissue.
1983
Mercedes-Benz
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Light Speed
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Lambda Research Corp. of Littleton, Mass., has selected Corine Cupillard to head its European sales team, which was expanded to support increased regional demand for the TracePro optical and illumination design software. Cupillard previously was a corporate account manager for Comsoft, a software licensing reseller. Lasers and optics industry professional Dr. Wenko Sptitz was named head of Photonics and Precision Technology, a trade association that includes 94 optics manufacturers. The group is part of Spectaris, the German industry association for optical, medical and mechatronic technologies. MicroVision Inc., a Redmond, Wash., manufacturer of ultraminiature projection display technology, has appointed two industry veterans to its executive team. Steven P. Holt, named chief financial officer, will help accelerate strategic growth initiatives, enhance operations and optimize profitability. Michael J. Franzi will serve as vice president of marketing and business development for the companys PicoP display technology. Test, measurement and embedded systems provider National Instruments of Austin, Texas, has promoted Eric Starkloff to senior vice president of marketing. Since joining the company in 1997, he has led teams that pioneered industry adoption of systems platforms such as PCI and CompactRIO. Former global marketing director of Schott Advanced Optics, Agnes Huebscher has joined Edmund Optics of Barrington, N.J., as its European marketing director. In her new role at the optical components company, she will be responsible for all marketing in Europe, including trade shows, advertising, customer mailings and email campaigns. Photonics professional Dr. Marc Christensen has been named dean of Southern Methodist Universitys Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering in Dallas after serving as its interim dean since July 2012. In 1997, he co-founded Applied Photonics, a free-space optical interconnection module company. Optics manufacturer REO of Boulder, Colo., has named Dave Berge vice president of operations. He previously was managing director at Delphi Medical Systems/ Peak Industries, a manufacturer of medical devices and life sciences, data storage and imaging equipment. In California, L. Jeffrey Atherton has been appointed director of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The immense laser system is entering a new era as an international science facility. Ed Moses will remain the principal associate director for the NIF & Photon Science Directorate.
Southern Methodist University LLNL REO National Instruments Edmund Optics Lambda Research Spectaris
Ichiro Takesako, a Sumitomo Precision Products Co. Ltd. executive, has joined the board of directors at Visualant Inc. of Seattle. His appointment is, in part, the result of a joint research and product development agreement between the companies. Visualant provides chromatic-based authentication, identification and diagnostic technology.
MOVES AND EXPANSIONS

Diode-based laser modules and LED systems maker ProPhotonix Ltd. of Salem, N.H., will now distribute Germany-based Osram Opto Semiconductors green and blue laser diodes. The product range includes single-mode green laser diodes with 50-mW optical output in the 515- to 530-nm range and 30-mW output power at 510 to 530 nm, as well as a single-mode blue laser with 80-mW optical output at 440 to 460 nm. Applications for the green diodes include alignment and targeting for medical, industrial and defense markets, as well as in pico projector and display applications. The blue diode lasers are suitable for many medical and analytical applications. ProPhotonix offers diodes from other companies as well. Kopin Corp. of Westborough, Mass., and Edmund Optics of Barrington, N.J., have partnered for the worldwide distribution of Kopins microdisplay modules, which are available through Edmund Optics 2013 catalog and website. The Ruby Module is a 600 3 800 SVGA that incorporates an LCD, backlight and control electronics in a fully integrated package. It is available in full-color and monochrome versions. The Ruby Module is in keeping with our strategy of offering critical components and reference systems, enabling our customers to develop proprietary mobile products, said Kopin CEO Dr. John C.C. Fan. Artemis CCD Ltd. of Norwich, England, has signed an agreement with Photon Lines SAS of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, to distribute its complete range of cooled CCD cameras in France, Spain, Ireland and the UK. This is Artemis
GT Advanced Technologies acquires Thermal Technology LLC Flir nabs $23M US Coast Guard and $81M US Army contracts
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www.lesker.com
OSA
Carly Robinson
Sydney Kaufman
Carly Robinson and Sydney Kaufman, both PhD candidates at the University of Colorado at Boulder, were named 2013-14 Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows by SPIE, The Optical Society (OSA) and the Materials Research Society. In these roles, Robinson, who is studying atmospheric chemistry, hopes to serve as a resource to policymakers on sciencerelated issues, and Kaufman, who is completing her doctorate in chemical physics, will pursue her interest in energy development policy. SA Photonics of Los Gatos, Calif., has promoted Dr. Michael Browne to the position of general manager of vision products. He will manage a team of photonics engineers focused on developing next-generation vision systems for military and commercial markets, including head-mounted displays and digital night-vision systems. Escatec, an electronics manufacturing services provider, has selected Wolfgang Plank to head its MOEMS (micro-optoelectromechanical systems) facility in Heerbrugg, Switzerland. A microassembly expert, Plank has worked for Escatec as R&D project manager for about two years.
OSA
SA Photonics
To Reach the Peak of Performance
CCDs first appointment of a distributor specializing in sales to science customers and a significant step in its business development plans, the company said. This is a major step in expanding the reach of the Artemis CCD range to key European territories, said Artemis CCD CEO Steve Chambers. The ability to supply a large number of end users in addition to our traditional OEM business is a key aspect of our growth plans for 2013. Teem Photonics of Meylan, France, has appointed Market Tech of Scotts Valley, Calif., as its US distributor. Teems microlasers and photonic integrated circuits are used in industrial and biophotonics applications, such as fluorescence, spectroscopy, seeds for fiber lasers, and supercontinuum generation. Market Tech CEO Philip Crowley said Teems passively Q-switched, subnanosecond laser technology will open up a number of new applications that are not possible with conventional diode-
Sputtering Targets and Backing Plates Full Line of Materials and Sources for Thermal and E-beam Evaporation In-House Indium Bonding Service Extensive Inventory and Stocking Plans for Production Applications Global Supply Chain Partner
Raytheon books $106M laser-guided bomb contract
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Light Speed
A patterned, low-defect antireflection coating on a 200-mm silicon wafer.
Materion Barr Precision Optics & Thin Film Coatings is constructing a multimillion-dollar work cell to enhance its ability to manufacture low-defect, wafer-level, IR coatings in high volume for the defense and consumer electronics markets. The cell will be a 3000-sq-ft Class 1000 cleanroom outfitted with IR coating chambers, a 3-D photolithography deposition tool, semiconductor wet-etch and alignment processing tools, semiautomated inspection tools, and customized high-volume coating deposition chambers to handle 200-mm wafers. Located at the companys facility in Westford, Mass., the cell is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2013. pumped solid-state laser technologies. Market Tech distributes lasers and optoelectronic systems for industrial and research applications. A US subsidiary, Teem Photonics USA, is based in Massachusetts. NeoPhotonics Corp. of San Jose, Calif., has opened a sales and R&D office in Moscow to serve the Russian Federation and broader Eastern European market. The company manufactures photonic integrated circuit-based optoelectronic modules and subsystems for telecommunications networks. We are pleased to make this commitment to our customers and technology partners in the region and to build on the growing demand in the region for advanced telecommunications and enterprise data solutions, said Tim Jenks, chairman and CEO of NeoPhotonics. Last year, the company announced it had completed a private placement investment with the Russian sovereign fund investor Rusnano. CVI Laser Optics of Albuquerque, N.M., has expanded its European relationship with advanced technology distributor Acal BFi UK Ltd. of Wokingham, England. The agreement covers sales and support of CVI Laser Optics optical components and assemblies in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK. A unit of Idex Corp., the company manufactures laser optics solutions. CVI Melles Griot rebranded as two companies CVI Laser Optics and Melles Griot in February. Quantum Materials Corp. is moving its tetrapod quantum dot laboratories to San Marcos, Texas, to take advantage of fa-
Four Small Business Innovation Grants awarded for OLED lighting
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Materion
Fermionics 1/3 Column:Layout 1
9/12/10
cilities at STAR (Science Technology and Academic Research) Park. STAR Park located in the region known as Silicon Hills for its proximity to technologyrelated academic research, high-tech corporations and entrepreneurial startups is a nonprofit incubator with roots from nearby Texas State University. Its facilities feature state-of-the-art equipment
and, especially, the opportunities for collaborative research that emphasizes commercialization, said company President Stephen Squires. The company noted that it sees synergy with the universitys Advanced Functional Materials Laboratorys interdisciplinary focus on nanoparticles and polymer nanocomposites.
Communications
imec
COLLABORATIONS
To advance its silicon photonics production, Mosis, an integrated circuit fabrication service in Marina del Rey, Calif., has partnered with research institutes imec of Louvain, Belgium, and Tyndall National Institute in Ireland and with the European Union consortium European Silicon Photonics Platform (ePIXfab). With this collaboration, Mosis will offer its first access to a mature silicon photonics infrastructure, with the option for follow-on production, said Mosis director Wes Hansford. Under the agreement, Mosis customers will have access to imecs design kit of integrated
Instrumention
silicon photonics processes including low-loss waveguides, grating couplers, silicon electro-optic modulators and germanium waveguide photodetectors and to Tyndalls advanced silicon photonics packaging technology.
Mosis
Medical
Imaging / Sensing
Analog bandwidth to 8 GHz. FC, SC, and ST receptacles. Active diameter from 50 m to 5 mm. Standard and custom ceramic submounts. TO-style packages available with flat AR-coated windows, ball lens and dome lens. Standard axial pigtail packages and miniature ceramic pigtail packages, all available with low back-reflection
Novaled
fiber.
As part of an official tour of Saxony, (from left) Stanislaw Tillich, prime minister of Saxony, and Joachim Gauck, president of Germany, visited the Technical University of Dresden and met with founders of Novaled AG, a developer of OLEDs for displays and lighting. The founders, Dr. Jan Blochwitz-Nimoth, professor Karl Leo and Dr. Martin Pfeiffer, won the 2011 presidents award for technology and innovation the Deutscher Zukunftspreis (German Future Prize) for their research on organic semiconductors and the commercialization of their findings. AIA reports North American machine vision sales climbed 10% in Q1
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Light Speed
In California, Applied Spectral Imaging Inc. (ASI) of Carlsbad, and WaveSense Inc. of Irvine, have partnered to market ASIs GenASIs imaging and analysis instrument and WaveSenses EpiSEP cell recovery and enrichment solution. When combined, the platforms can perform semiautomated fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of paramagnetic-labeled target cells, and are suitable for molecular pathology and cytogenetics applications. Personalized medicine challenges laboratories to continuously evolve and expand their molecular pathology applications rapidly and cost-effectively, said WaveSense CEO Chris Feistel. WaveSense and ASI platforms provide a straightforward, versatile environment for optimizing existing applications or implementing new applications. Luxembourg-based Element Six, working with Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, entangled quantum bits, or qubits, in two synthetic diamonds separated in space a step toward enabling new, quantum-based networks and computers. The diamonds of millimeter size were grown by the company and engineered to contain a defect that can be manipulated using light and microwaves. The company said the findings demonstrate its ability to control a single atomlike defect in the diamond lattice at the parts-per-trillion level, and that it is the first time that qubits in two separated diamonds have been entangled and subsequently shown to behave as a single particle.
Femtosecond photonic crystal fiber beam transport.
Open Photonics Inc. (OPI) of Orlando, Fla., has partnered with Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md., to research emerging photonics-related technologies and innovations related to Lockheeds electro-optics products. OPI recently introduced the Photonic Horizons program to accelerate early-stage product development, innovation and R&D for global companies that seek photonicsbased solutions as part of their strategy and product road map. The grant program is backed by a technical and business advisory board. Our new model matches these inventors with potential customers in multiple industries, strengthening innovation pipelines for these companies and providing a framework for these companies to engage researchers in smaller companies and universities, said CEO Dr. Jason Eichenholz.
100,000
the estimated number of people worldwide who die from asbestos annually. The fireresistant building material is now a known health hazard. Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire in England have developed a laser-based portable detector that could provide an affordable way to identify airborne asbestos in old buildings.
Engineered by Element Six, two synthetic diamonds achieved quantum entanglement.
Open Photonics Inc.
Northrop Grumman to help US Navy mature laser weapon systems
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2013
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because they rely on bulk glass lenses and detectors constructed on the planar surfaces of silicon wafers, which cannot be bent or fixed, much less formed into a hemispherical shape. This type of curved design provides unmatched field of view and other powerful imaging capabilities. Nature has developed and refined these concepts over the course of billions of years of evolution, said Rogers, the Swanlund Chair professor at the university. We are scaling the sizes of the cameras down and the number of lenses up, he told Photonics Spectra. We feel that we can move from the level of a fire ant, where we are now, to that of a dragonfly and, eventually, far beyond anything that exists in nature. The motivation behind the study was based purely on curiosity and interest in establishing new design options in camera technologies, he said. It is somewhat less so on a specific, particular application. However, two applications appear most promising: wide-angle surveillance and miniaturized endoscopes. The researchers hope to move beyond the bug realm and into the water. We feel that we have sets of materials and schemes in fabrication that allow us to replicate and extend design principles found in many areas of biology, not just arthropods, Rogers said. Shrimp and lobster are interesting and different. Likewise for moths, lacewings and cephalopods. Ashley N. Rice ashley.rice@photonics.com
Pushing camera design beyond natures limits

URBANA, Ill. A camera design inspired by the ocular systems found in insects, arachnids and crustaceans is being pushed beyond anything that exists in nature. In the May 2 issue of Nature (doi: 10.1038/nature12083), an interdisciplinary team led by John A. Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign describes a hemispherical-shaped camera comprising 180 lenses each 0.4 mm in diameter and miniaturized detectors that provide a nearly 180 field of view. The arthropod-inspired device measures 1 cm in diameter and is capable of IR imaging. Cameras with wide-angle fields of view and low aberration are difficult to build
The resolution of this digital camera is comparable to that of the eye of a common fire ant. The system incorporates an array of rubber microlenses and silicon photodetectors in a thin, stretchable sheet that can be inflated like a balloon to form the final hemispherical shape.
Full 180 fields of view with zero aberration can be accomplished only with image sensors that adopt hemispherical layouts, as would be found in an insect eye. A digital camera inspired by the eyes of an arthropod and developed at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign exploits large arrays of tiny focusing lenses and miniaturized detectors in hemispherical layouts.
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Top left image: University of Illinois and Beckman Institute. Bottom images: John A. Rogers, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Strain bridges move germanium closer to lasing

ZURICH Germanium, a semiconductor with far greater light conduction possibilities than silicon, is a step closer to providing a foundation for the light-based computers of tomorrow, thanks to a European team working to make the material laser-compatible. Todays electricity-dependent siliconbased computer chips with their ongoing need for ever-smaller and more densely packed transistors to meet processing power demands are rapidly approaching the limits of Moores law in terms of performance and speed. The way to go in future is light, said Richard Geiger, a doctoral student at Paul Scherrer Institutes (PSI) Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology and ETH Zurichs Institute for Quantum Electronics. And because germanium is used already in the semiconductor industry to produce silicon chips, it is seen as a potential solution, once the material can be induced to lase and to do so efficiently. The team, which includes researchers from Politecnico di Milano in Italy and Geigers colleagues from ETH Zurich and PSI, accomplished its feat by altering germaniums optical properties through high tensile strain. The investigation is detailed in Nature Photonics (doi: 10.1038/nphoton.2013.67). Slight tension is generated in germanium when it evaporates on silicon. The researchers strengthened this effect using microbridges germanium strips attached
Light-emitting bridges of germanium can be used for communication between microprocessors, an international team of researchers from ETH Zurich, Paul Scherrer Institute and Politecnico di Milano has found.
As soon as we can put all those things together at once, we will achieve the laser, which is definitely not years of research away from us. But there are still some small steps to take on our steady way towards the goal.
Richard Geiger, a doctoral student at Paul Scherrer Institutes (PSI) Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology and ETH Zurichs Institute for Quantum Electronics
to silicon but which remain connected to each other via an extremely narrow bridge. They showed that the strain at the bridge could be intensified enough to create photons and become a direct bandgap. Unlike some other methods, such as one developed at MIT, where researchers used germanium with a 0.25 percent strain and relied on highly doping the material to increase gain, the approach taken by Geigers group started with germanium with an even lower strain, he said. Actually, we had only 0.14 percent of strain in our germanium layers, Geiger told Photonics Spectra. But, with our method, we increase this prestrain by more than a factor of 22 to a uniaxial strain of 3.1 percent, which decreases the difference between direct and indirect bandgap from 136 meV to only 47 meV [and] leads to a much higher occupation of the direct bandgap compared with unstrained germanium. The 3.1 percent strain is the maximum the researchers have achieved so far, Geiger said, adding that the result had more to do with the quality of the material than with the method itself. If we had material with less defects, we could further increase the strain in the bridges, he said. Applying higher strain would make the laser increasingly more
efficient, which would also increase the lasing wavelength. Geiger said germanium will become a true direct bandgap material at 4.7 percent strain, with a corresponding wavelength of 3 m that can be tuned from 2 to 3 m and theoretically even beyond, as long as the material can withstand the high stress. And the approach is not limited to germanium on silicon, he said. It is actually a very general technique in the way that it can be applied to any layer which is prestrained on its substrate, and where the substrate can be removed selectively. He noted that the technique can be used to alter the emission wavelength of traditional III-V laser systems by varying the strain. Now that the investigators have proved that the technique works, the next step is to make a laser by incorporating the gain material into an optical cavity. They currently are working to design such a cavity that is compatible with their bridge structures and that wont reduce the strain levels needed for gain. As soon as we can put all those things together at once, we will achieve the laser, Geiger said, which is definitely not years of research away from us. But there are still some small steps to take on our steady way towards the goal. ANR
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Hans Sigg, PSI
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OCT improves S-GRIN lens manufacturing process

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Spherical gradient in refractive index (S-GRIN) lenses are lightweight and easily deformable, but manufacturing them with high quality and consistency is challenging. Now, researchers at the University of Rochester are embedding OCT into the manufacturing process to get a better view of the lens complete structure. I had done the calculation and thought we could do it, said Jannick Rolland, the Brian J. Thompson Professor of optical engineering at the universitys Institute of Optics. And sure enough, after several months of work we had 3-D movies of the whole structure of the lenses and also clear pictures of each of the layers. It was amazing. The researchers obtained the images by shining IR light onto the lenses which were developed by Eric Baer at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and consist of thousands of layers of compressed plastic bent into a lens-type shape using a technique similar to ultrasound. They observed how each of the lens layers bent the scattered light, and by counting how much time the light took to come back, they were able to determine how deep into the material it scattered from. In the same way that in ultrasound we measure the time of flight to the tissue
Kyle Fuerschbach, left, a graduate student at the University of Rochesters Institute of Optics, and Jannick Rolland, the Brian J. Thompson Professor and director of the R.E. Hopkins Center, work on a freeform lens experiment in Goergen Hall.
and back to localize the presence of the structure, we can do this with light that has a much smaller wavelength, which means a much higher resolution, Rolland said. Being able to see the complete lens structure enabled the researchers to pinpoint some areas of the manufacturing process that could be improved. For example, they saw that some of the
layers were thicker than PolymerPlus, the developer of the manufacturing process, had hoped for. The S-GRIN lenses could be used in lightweight single-lens cameras, ball lenses for solar collectors and night-vision goggles. The results appeared in Scientific Reports (doi: 10.1038/srep01709). ANR
Photonic topological insulator could enable quantum computing

KESALSABA, Israel As computers get faster and chips get denser, there is a need for smaller light-manipulating devices. But as devices get smaller, imperfections in the fabrication processes can make light move irregularly and unpredictably. To tackle this challenge, a new device topologically protects light, meaning that light flows uninterrupted despite the presence of defects which could bring quantum computing a step closer. Researchers at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, led by professor Mordechai Segev in collaboration with colleagues at Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany, have demonstrated the first photonic Floquet topological insulator. Topological protection was first conceived not for light but for electrons flowing in a solid material. However, Technions Dr. Mikael Rechtsman and Yonatan Plotnik discovered a way to bring topological protection into photonics using an array of helical, or spiralshaped, waveguides that interact with one another. The helical nature of the waveguides breaks the symmetry, so that in the forward direction, the waveguides are spinning clockwise, and in the backward direction, counterclockwise, Rechtsman said. In our procedure, this is an essential ingredient in preventing unwanted scattering. These structures may provide a new platform for understanding and probing the properties of photonic topological insulators, Rechtsman said. For example, all sorts of experiments that would be difficult or impossible to carry out in solidstate materials can now be accessed using light. This discovery is another step in the progress towards optical and quantum computing, said Julia Zeuner, a graduate student at Friedrich-Schiller University who fabricated the sophisticated photonic structure and did part of the experiments. We have discovered a completely novel phenomenon, and new phenomena are destined to find applications in directions that we cant even imagine, Segev said. The findings appeared in Nature (doi: 10.1038/nature12066).
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J. Adam Fenster/University of Rochester
Intricate experiment reveals cause of LED droop

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. The future looks bright for alternative lighting, now that scientists have solved the mystery that causes LEDs to droop in efficiency at high currents. The phenomenon known as LED droop has intrigued researchers for years. In 2011, University of California, Santa Barbara, professor Chris Van de Walle and colleagues theorized that a complex nonradiative process known as Auger recombination was behind nitride semiconductor LED droop, whereby injected electrons lose energy to heat by collisions with other electrons, rather than emitting light. Now, a definitive measurement of this complex process has been accomplished by James Speck and Claude Weisbuch of UCSB, in collaboration with colleagues at cole Polytechnique in Paris. The achievement, which could help optimize cost per lumen, could put the technology back into the spotlight as a viable replacement for incandescent bulbs for residential and commercial lighting. The experiment used an LED with a specially prepared surface that permitted the investigators to directly measure the energy spectrum of electrons emitted from the LED. The results unambiguously showed a signature of energetic electrons produced by the Auger process. This was a very complex experiment one that illustrates the benefits of teamwork through both an international collaboration and a DOE (Department of Energy) Energy Frontier Research Center, said Weisbuch, distinguished professor of materials at UCSBs Center for Energy Efficient Materials an Energy Frontier Research Center sponsored by the DOE and a faculty member at cole Polytechnique. Knowledge from this study could result in new ways to design LEDs that will have significantly higher light emission efficiencies. Replacing incandescent and fluorescent lights with LEDs in the US could save electricity equal to the total output of 50 1-GW power plants, according to the DOE. Rising to this potential has been contingent upon solving the puzzle of LED efficiency droop, said Speck, professor of materials and the Seoul Optodevice Chair in Solid-State Lighting at UCSB. These findings will enable us to design LEDs that minimize the nonradiative recombination and produce higher light output. The study appeared in Physical Review Letters (doi: 10.1103/physrevlett.110. 177406).
For additional information, see LED Efficiency Puzzle Reportedly Solved, www.photonics.com/a46791 .
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posed in 1958 has yielded a new method for transmitting light through optical fibers. Data transmission through conventional optical fibers in which only one spatial channel of light traverses the fiber is the backbone of the Internet. But these single-core fibers are reaching the limits of their information-carrying capacity, according to Dr. Arash Mafi, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee. To overcome this limitation, Mafi and doctoral student Salman Karbasi collaborated with Karl W. Koch of Corning Inc. in Corning, N.Y., to propagate multiple optical beams in a single optical fiber strand. They harnessed Anderson localization to create an optical fiber with a strong scattering mechanism that traps the beam of light as it traverses the fiber. The work has potential in next-generation highspeed communications and biomedical imaging, but it also opens the door for more uses of Anderson localization in technology. Anderson localization is named after
Optical fiber design uses Anderson localization

MILWAUKEE The first practical application of Anderson localization a Nobel Prize-winning phenomenon pro-
Arash Mafi (left), assistant professor of electrical engineering, confers with his doctoral student Salman Karbasi, who designed an optical fiber that traps a beam of light traversing an optical fiber in a unique way. The discovery could usher in the next generation of data transmission methods.
Peter Jakubowski
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physicist Philip W. Anderson, who theoretically observed the curious containment of electrons in a highly disordered medium, an observation for which he shared the 1977 Nobel Prize in physics but one that is still under investigation. The fiber design Karbasi created consists of two randomly distributed materials, which scatter the photons. The fibers disordered interior causes a beam of light traveling through it to freeze laterally. The output light can follow any shift in the entry points location as it moves around on the cross section of the fiber. Karbasi said that his theoretical calculations indicated that the proper fiber design would take advantage of Anderson localization. We designed our fiber so that it provides more physical places where the light can propagate, he said. The collaborators are now applying the technique to form and transmit images. The research appeared in Optics Letters (doi: 10.1364/OL.37.002304).
Plasmon waves control light

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. A nanoscale coupler that converts optical signals into surface plasmon polaritons can distinguish between different movements of polarized light and can precisely manipulate the signals in one direction or another without damaging them. The device could pave the way for a new generation of on-chip optical interconnects that can efficiently funnel information from optical to electronic devices. If you want to send a data signal around on a tiny chip with lots of components, then you need to be able to precisely control where its going, said Balthasar Mller, a graduate student at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and co-lead author of a report on the research. If you dont control it well, information will be lost. Directivity is such an important factor. The coupler, developed by Mller and colleagues in collaboration with researchers from Singapore and China, transforms incoming light into waves called surface
An electron micrograph shows the nanoscale perforations at the surface of the plasmonic coupler.
plasmon polaritons rippling waves of electrons that slosh around the surface of metals. It could be used to steer the direction of surface plasmon polaritons by changing the movement of the light waves. Previously, the direction of the waves could be controlled by changing the angle at which light strikes the surface of the coupler but this was a major pain, Mller said. Optical circuits are very difficult to align, so readjusting the angles
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Jiao Lin and Balthasar Mller
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directions, allowing for information transmission on multiple channels. The patterning is what sets the device apart from others, the researchers said. It consists of a thin, gold sheet, peppered with tiny perforations in a herringbonelike pattern. The go-to solution until now has been a series of parallel grooves known as a grating, which does the trick but loses a large portion of the signal in the process, said principal investigator Federico Capasso, the Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering at SEAS. Now, perhaps, the go-to solution will be our structure. It makes it possible to control the direction of signals in a very simple and elegant way. Because the new structure is so small each repeating unit of the pattern is smaller than the wavelength of visible light the investigators believe it should be easy to incorporate the design into novel technologies, such as flat optics. It could also be incorporated into future high-speed information networks that combine nanoscale electronics with optical and plasmonic elements on a single microchip. This has generated great excitement in the field, Capasso said. Mller and Capasso worked jointly with co-lead author Jiao Lin, a former SEAS postdoctoral fellow who is now at Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology; co-authors Qian Wang and Guanghui Yuan, both of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore; Nicholas Antoniou, principal FIB (focused ion beam) engineer at the Harvard Center for Nanoscale Systems; and Xiao-Cong Yuan, a professor at the Institute of Modern Optics at Nankai University in China. Details of the study were published in Science (doi: 10.1126/science.1233746).
Two devices based on the herringbone pattern developed by a Harvard-led research team were presented in the Science paper: a rectangular array and a ring-shaped array (both interpreted in this illustration). Circularly polarized light with waves that wind in opposite directions is split by both devices, with its waves routed in opposite directions. For a ring-shaped coupler, this means that plasmons are channeled either toward or away from the center of the structure. Intensity at the center of the ring can therefore be switched on and off by manipulating the polarization of the incoming light.
for the sake of routing the signal was impractical. For the new coupler to work, light must come in perpendicularly. Acting like a traffic controller, the device reads the
polarization of the incoming light wave which might be linear, left-hand circular or right-hand circular and routes it accordingly. It also can split apart a light beam and send parts of it in different
Jiao Lin and Samuel Twist
Related research that uses light to control the traveling direction of electromagnetic waves in materials was conducted by scientists at Kings College London and Polytechnic University of Valencia. (See Waveguides Contain Spinning Photons, www.photonics.com/a53671 .)
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Space telescope spots three super Earths

WASHINGTON Three super-Earthsized planets in two newly discovered planetary systems are in a habitable zone a distance from their stars suitable for supporting liquid water and could potentially support life as we know it, according to NASAs Kepler mission. The discovery of these rocky planets in the habitable zone brings us a bit closer to finding a place like home, said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington. It is only a matter of time before we know if the galaxy is home to a multitude of planets like Earth, or if we are a rarity. The Kepler space telescope, which simultaneously and continuously measures the brightness of more than 150,000
Kepler could be kaput
The Kepler space telescope has discovered 132 planets since its launch in 2009, but now it appears to be on life support, NASA said in late May. Kepler had successfully completed its primary mission and in November had entered an extended phase. The telescope is in a heliocentric, or sun-centered, orbit about 40 million miles from Earth that afforded it an unblocked view but prevents sending a repair team. It must execute a 90 roll every three months to reposition its solar panels to face the sun while keeping the instrument aimed at the target field of view. That was accomplished with the help of its reaction wheels; however, two of those four wheels have now failed. Kepler is currently in safe mode and has a few months of fuel left, but with only two wheels, NASA says, the spacecraft probably will not be returned to the high pointing accuracy that enables its high-precision photometry. But no decision has yet been made to end data collection. Even if the telescope stops collecting data, there is still enough that has yet to be fully analyzed to potentially lead to more discoveries for years to come, NASA said.
Relative sizes of Kepler habitable-zone planets discovered as of April 18, 2013. From left: Kepler-22b, Kepler-69c, Kepler-62e, Kepler-62f and Earth (except for Earth, these are artists renditions).
The diagram compares the planets of the inner solar system to Kepler-62, a five-planet system about 1200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra. The five planets of Kepler-62 orbit a star classified as a K2 dwarf, measuring just two-thirds the size of the sun and only one-fifth as bright. At 7 billion years old, the star is somewhat older than the sun. The artistic concepts of the Kepler-62 planets are the result of scientists and artists collaborating to help imagine the appearance of these distant worlds.
Images on this page appear courtesy of NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech.
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lion years old, the star is somewhat older than the sun. It is about 1200 light-years from Earth and in the constellation Lyra. When a planet candidate transits, or passes in front of the star from the spacecrafts vantage point, a percentage of light from the star is blocked. The resulting dip in the brightness of the starlight reveals the transiting planets size relative to its star. Using the transit method, Kepler has detected 2740 candidates. Using various analysis techniques, ground telescopes and other space assets, 122 planets have been confirmed. Early in the mission, the Kepler telescope found primarily large, gaseous giants in very close orbits of their stars. The size and very short orbital period of these hot Jupiters, as they are known, make them easy to detect. Earth would take three years to accomplish the three transits required to be accepted as a planet candidate. As Keplers data continues to be analyzed, transit signals of habitablezone planets the size of Earth orbiting stars like the sun will begin to emerge. Kepler has brought a resurgence of astronomical discoveries, and we are making excellent progress toward determining if planets like ours are the exception or the rule, said William Borucki, Kepler science principal investigator at NASAs Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., and lead author of the paper appearing in Science (doi: 10.1126/science.1234702).
stars, is NASAs tenth Discovery Mission and the first mission capable of detecting Earth-sized planets around stars like our sun. It has found five planets in the Kepler-62 system: 62b, 62c, 62d, 62e and 62f; and two planets in the Kepler-69 system: 69b and 69c. Kepler-62e, 62f and 69c are the super-Earth-sized planets. It is not yet known whether life could exist on the newfound planets, but the discovery signals that we are another step closer to finding a world similar to Earth around a star like our sun. We only know of one star that hosts a planet with life: the sun, said Thomas Barclay, Kepler scientist at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in Sonoma, Calif., and lead author of the Kepler-69 system discovery published in The Astrophysical Journal. Finding a planet in the habitable zone around a star like our sun is a significant milestone toward finding truly Earthlike planets. The five planets of the Kepler-62 system orbit a star classified as a K2 dwarf, measuring just two-thirds the size of the sun and only one-fifth as bright. At 7 bil-
The discovery of these rocky planets in the habitable zone brings us a bit closer to finding a place like home. It is only a matter of time before we know if the galaxy is home to a multitude of planets like Earth, or if we are a rarity.
John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington
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Algorithms precisely predict color from OLED designs
A transparent OLED made at Philips Research Aachen, seen from the rear; light is emitted from the front. New research allows the light color produced by OLEDs to be predicted precisely.
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands OLED design processes could improve and costs could drop thanks to a technique that precisely calculates the color of light produced from white OLEDs. Regarded as the light sources of the future, OLEDs are flexible and transparent light-emitting surfaces made of very low cost materials. White OLEDs consist of stacked, ultrathin layers, each emitting its own color, and all together resulting in white light. Until recently, it was not possible to predict the exact color produced by a white OLED; manufacturers had to rely on trial and error. To predict what kind of light an OLED design will produce, researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology and Philips Research, both in the Netherlands; Dresden University of Technology in Germany; and other institutes developed computer models of the complex electronic processes in OLEDs on a molecular scale. These showed, for example, the injection of electrical charge, the creation and distribution of the excitons, and the creation from these of individual photons. At first we thought it would never be possible, said Peter Bobbert, a researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology. The main difficulty was that each change in the electrical charge also influenced all the other charges, making the simulation extremely complex.
The investigators overcame the obstacle using Monte Carlo simulations computational algorithms that rely on repeated random sampling to obtain numerical results with nanosecond steps. They can now predict where light is produced and lost in the ultrathin layers, making it possible to optimize OLEDs so they produce the same amount of light using less power. Results from Eindhoven correspond to measurements carried out at Philips on OLEDs made at Dresden University of Technology. The scientists expect that the efficiency can still be increased by a factor of three. Manufacturers also can use the findings to design OLEDs with specific colors. They can calculate in advance exactly how thick the different layers need to be, and how much pigment must be added to the layers. The much shorter and less costly design process will allow the overall development costs to be reduced, leading to lower prices for the final products. This has already been possible for a long time in the field of microelectronics, with the ability to precisely predict the behavior of integrated circuits, Bobbert said. Now we can do the same thing with OLEDs. The research was published online in Nature Materials (doi: 10.1038/nmat3622).
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this months FEATURES

36 Lasers Help Shrink and Sharpen Medical Devices 41 Fiber Optics Growing Strong for Biomedicine 44 Early Compliance Saves Money 48 Scanning White-Light Interferometry Fingerprints the Polishing Process 52 Novel Fibers Use Space to Extend Capacity Limits 56 What the Photographers Know: CCD Sensor a Game Changer
Light Shaping
Future of Critical Devices

In medical device manufacturing, lasers weld, cut, ablate, drill, mark and test polymers and metals. Laser use is driven by need, enabled by advances. Fiber optics take lifesaving light to hard-to-reach places. Smaller, cheaper, less invasive is the unchanging mantra. The road to the clinic is paved with compliance hurdles. Get started early to avoid delays. Process testing for optical surface forming is critical. 3-D optical profilers using scanning white-light interferometry bring muscle to the measurements. Novel optical fibers exploit spatial properties to avoid bottlenecks. Spatial division multiplexing is looked at for moving data over multiple individual spatial fiber modes. A CCD sensor for digital camera backs gives professional photographers a new edge. High-fashion-shoe shoots get a leg up.
35
Lasers Help Shrink and Sharpen Medical Devices

Product requirements and advances in lasers are leading to growing adoption of photonic manufacturing.
BY HANK HOGAN CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
n medical devices, smaller is often better after all, implantable electronics, stents and other pieces of equipment can go into more places within the body if they are less intrusive. Other important device attributes are capability, cost and reliability. The last characteristic is vital because of how medical devices are used. Many of our products are critical, lifesustaining devices, said Vishnu Charan Naidu, vice president of operations at St. Paul, Minn.-based St. Jude Medical. Lasers play a key role in the companys manufacturing. They weld, cut, ablate, drill, mark and test polymers and metals. They help create the companys cardiovascular and neuromodulation devices, products aimed at a more than $20 billion worldwide market that is growing several percent a year. For other industry players, the story is the same. Lasers increasingly are being used to make medical devices, a trend driven by product needs and laser advances. At St. Jude Medical, notewor-
Rofin-Sinar
Lasers cut, weld, ablate, drill and mark to help create medical devices, such as this bone drill.
After insertion, stents made out of the shapememory alloy nitinol spring into a final configura tion. Lasers create the sometimes intricate shape of the stent.
thy recent laser system developments involve the ability to select pulse shape, the appearance of smaller and more userfriendly systems, and the advent of diode lasers suitable for industrial applications. Diode lasers offer more precise energy output, improving product reliability and quality, Naidu said. He added that an ideal system would be adjustable in terms of beam size, energy
Typical Laser Parameters for Medical Device Manufacturing
Task Cutting Welding
Wavelength 500-1000 nm, some UV 1000-2000 nm
Pulse Width Micro- to femtosecond Milli- to microsecond, except continuous for polymer fusion
Power Up to 15-W fs Up to 200-W s Up to 400 W
Note: Parameters are material-dependent and so may vary significantly.
distribution, beam divergence and possibly even wavelength. Such tunability would enable a better match between what the laser delivers and what the manufacturing process needs. Improved energy efficiency is also necessary. Those manufacturing needs are often driven by the materials involved, said Bill Saunders, regional sales manager for medical devices at laser maker RofinSinar of Plymouth, Mich. The company supplies a range of lasers and systems to medical device manufacturers. Most systems operate at about 1000-nm wavelength if welding or cutting metal is involved. Doubling or tripling the frequency of those sources leads to green or UV light; these shorter wavelengths are useful for cutting polymers such as those found in bioabsorbable stents, which represent one of the latest trends in the medical device industry. The advantage of using such a material is that it can act as
36
www.photonics.com
Rofin-Sinar
a temporary fix, and it disappears after its job is done. If two polymers are being fused, then wavelengths in the near-IR either 808 or 940 nm or something around 2 m will be used, Saunders said. The key is finding a wavelength that is at least partially absorbed by the polymer or any attached material, such as carbon black. One of the strongest trends in lasers used for medical device manufacturing involves time, specifically pulse width. A push toward shorter pulse widths is being driven by the trends toward smaller devices and bioabsorbable polymers. Theres not a lot of good ways to cut those parts, those bioabsorbable tubes, other than with a femtosecond laser. With a femtosecond laser, youre not putting heat into the part. Its an athermal ablation process, Saunders said. Besides shorter pulse width, better beam control can help carve the tubular mesh that makes up a stent, or cut other fine features into small devices. That, in turn, demands that only the fundamental mode be present. Other tricks that are used involve shorter wavelengths. This enables the kerf the width of the cut
to be as little as 10 m, which can be a necessity when slicing up material for the most advanced medical devices. Fusion and welding demand higherpower lasers, as throughput tends to track average power. Typically, femtosecond lasers average at most 15 W of power, and CW lasers used in medical device manufacturing may top out at 400 W of average power, Saunders said. A brake on rapid adoption of manufacturing technology changes is that medical
devices are subject to strict regulation. It can take tens of millions of dollars to qualify a new medical device such as a stent for use, according to industry sources. Understandably, companies do not want to spend that money on changing the processing of existing parts. Instead, they typically opt to include such innovations as part of the qualification of new parts. Thus, it takes years before any basic laser system changeover, whether shorter pulse width or shorter wavelength, takes
Many of our products are critical, life-sustaining

Vishnu Charan Naidu, vice president of operations at St. Paul, Minn.-based St. Jude Medical
Polymers that can be absorbed by the body are increasingly being used in medical devices. Machining bioabsorbable polymers (such as the one used in this stent) may require femtosecond-pulse lasers and wavelengths in the green.
Rofin-Sinar Rofin-Sinar
devices.
Lasers weld medical wires (above) and seams (at right) in medical devices.
37
Rofin-Sinar
n Lasers for Medical Devices
hold and percolates through a manufacturing process. Medical device makers, like other manufacturers, constantly look to reduce costs. Lasers can help with this, even though the laser system itself is not cheap. To understand why, consider a traditional production process. The sequence may begin with a continuous-wave or nanosecond-pulsed laser cutting the metal or other biocompatible material, said Michael Mielke, chief scientist at femtosecond laser supplier Raydiance of Petaluma, Calif. That step is followed by postprocessing designed to remove burrs and subsurface layers that
To process metals, fiber lasers offer the

Miyachi Unitek
best combination of speed and quality.

Tovy Sivan, CEO of STI Laser Industries in Or Akiva, Israel
Heating up gas with a laser results in a high-quality as-cut edge, with a roughness of 0.3 m or less. Sawtooth structures like these are found in medical cutting blades.
are heat damaged. The goal is to eliminate heat-related sources of failure to create parts that are more reliable. Any point where the part needs to flex or has some sort of stress on it, these material defects create stress risers that could lead to failures, Mielke said. Laser pulses of a few hundred femtoseconds are so short that material is removed before the heat can diffuse out from the point of beam contact. The result is little or no damage, so minimal or no postprocessing is needed. So, although a femtosecond laser may be more expensive than one running a longer pulse width, the overall cost of the manufacturing process may be lower, Mielke said. Femtosecond lasers might be well suited to making clean cuts in polymers, but many medical devices are made out of metals such as stainless steel. Also popular are alloys of cobalt and chromium or nickel and titanium. Known as nitinol, the latter is a shape-memory alloy. Consequently, it can be created in one shape and deformed into another for insertion. When heated, it will spring back into its original shape. To process metals, fiber lasers offer the best combination of speed and quality, said Tovy Sivan, CEO of STI Laser Industries in Or Akiva, Israel. A supplier of laser cutting, welding and finishing technologies, the company provides contract manufacturing services to medical device makers. Through the years, weve developed our own unique technologies that include not only laser cutting but also laser welding, Sivan said. The company originally started with Nd:YAG lasers operating at 1064 nm. In the past few years, it has transitioned to using fiber lasers operating at about the same wavelength. The high output power and good beam quality make the technology the best fit for most of the materials processing that STI Laser Industries currently does. The future, though, may belong to femtosecond lasers. The reduced postprocessing enabled by such short pulse widths eventually could allow the technology to prevail, particularly if the cost of the femtosecond system drops. Currently, Sivan puts the cost ratio at three or four to one in favor of fiber lasers over femtosecond lasers.
A fiber laser cuts a tube for a medical device.
For now, femtosecond or ultrafast lasers account for a small percentage of the total market, said Geoff Shannon, laser technology manager at Monrovia, Calif.-based Miyachi Unitek. Among other things, the company makes systems for laser welding, cutting and marking of medical devices. A key driver for the device industry is cost. To that end, whats important is not
just the laser wavelength, pulse width and power but also the lasers integration into, and control by, a system. For instance, Miyachi Unitek developed software to control the firing rate of a laser to account for the position of a beam along a contour. The result of this dynamic repetition rate is improved hermetic seam welding of implantable devices, Shannon said. Another example comes from a
39
STI Laser Industries
n Lasers for Medical Devices
Fine cuts in metal result in high-quality stents and other reliable medical devices.
company-devised five-axis motion control platform. When coupled with a laser, the result is a cartilage shaver with better edge quality; this medical device improves arthroscopic surgery on a joint. Importantly, the use of the laser minimizes postprocessing, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing the shaver. Advances in technology have expanded the number of available lasers in the
toolbox from just a handful to perhaps 20, Shannon said. Consequently, vendors have more options than ever in developing a solution to a particular manufacturing problem. They also have more incentive, in the form of a 2.3 percent excise tax on the sales price of most medical devices. Imposed at the beginning of 2013, the tax is the subject of repeal efforts. For the
moment, though, its still in place. As a result, manufacturers are looking at lasers and other technologies to account for and mitigate this added expense. Right now, in the medical device industry, along with all the innovations, theyre really looking to drive down the manufacturing cost, Shannon said. hank.hogan@photonics.com
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Raydiance
Fiber Optics Growing Strong for Biomedicine

A Q&A with fiber companies reveals continuing advances in medical applications.
BY LAURA S. MARSHALL MANAGING EDITOR
iber optics allow medical devices to direct light to hard-to-reach areas for diagnostics and treatment thats hardly news. The first glass rod device for use as a surgical lamp was patented in 1898. But that doesnt mean that the field isnt growing: As new imaging and therapeutic methods are born, and as smaller, cheaper, less invasive remains the mantra of the biomedical industry, fiber continues to expand in the market. To get a firsthand look at that market, Photonics Spectra spoke with representatives of several companies: Kevin Bakhshpour, VP of sales and marketing at CeramOptec in East Longmeadow, Mass. The company makes specialty multimode fibers, assemblies and bundles, including custom designs for various medical applications. Because we produce our own preforms and fibers, we can vary the fiber specifications (core, core:clad ratio, numerical aperture) to meet the specific needs of the application. We produce fiber assemblies and bundles to the designers requirements. We have almost no limits as to number of fibers, end design, length. Scott Farland, director of business development at Incom Inc. in Charlton, Mass., which makes fiber optic faceplates. When coupled with CMOS sensors for digital radiography, [they] provide better images, reduced radiation exposure to sensors and lower operating costs. Rob Morris, marketing operations manager at Ocean Optics in Dunedin, Fla. We provide miniature fiber optic spectrometers and fiber optical chemical sensors that are used in research and development, medical diagnostics and point-of-care analysis.
Fiber optic products such as these thin faceplates can be used with medical x-ray systems.
Fiber continues to expand in the biomedical market.
41
Incom Inc.
n Biomedical Fiber Optics
Jean-Michel Pelaprat, CEO of Vytran in Morganville, N.J. The company produces capital equipment that can be used to develop and produce in high volume fiber terminations and fiber assemblies (fiber probes, fiber deliveries, fiber lenses, image guides) for imaging (such as OCT) and fiber deliveries for therapeutic applications. Q: What do you see as the next big thing in fiber optics for medical devices in general? Pelaprat: We believe that the manufacturing cost of these medical devices is dramatically reduced as a result of highvolume manufacturing techniques and, thus, manufacturing volumes will go from tens of thousands to millions. Farland: Incom is in the process of developing a capillary-based x-ray antiscatter grid that has the chance to be one of the most disruptive technologies in digital radiography in years. Also, full chest area CMOS-based x-ray detectors require the largest fiber optic faceplate ever created (up to 43 3 43 cm).
Morris: As with most technology, the desire to make systems and devices that are smaller, faster and more economical is a significant driver. In spectroscopy, there is growing interest in Raman, NIR and other techniques especially as they become more accessible as a complement to (or, in some cases, replacement for) more involved methods of analysis. Bakhshpour: Not sure that there is one next big thing there is constant advancement in the field. We are seeing advancement in the diagnostic side of the medical field as well as new designs for treatment that are less intrusive. Q: Are you seeing any new and exciting advances coming out of R&D and/ or university labs? Morris: The advances come so quickly, it can be hard to keep up. Weve had customers involved in all sorts of interesting diagnostics research, from point-of-care blood monitoring to noninvasive cancer detection. One of the more interesting applications of recent vintage has to do with a
sensor that a person could use to test if the alcoholic drink they ordered at the bar or restaurant had been doped with a narcotic or other harmful substance. Farland: Incom is currently collaborating with several universities and national labs to develop next-generation PET detectors by combining microchannel plate and traditional photomultiplier tube technology. Pelaprat: Recent developments enable
New technologies will inspire applications we cant even imagine right now, and new diagnostic challenges will drive the market to continue to innovate.
Rob Morris, marketing operations manager at Ocean Optics
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very high imaging accuracy and quality. The new devices will soon percolate into manufacturing. Bakhshpour: There are some great advances and ideas, but most are covered by nondisclosure agreements! Q: How would you say the market has been in the past few years for fiber optics for medical devices? Pelaprat: I would characterize it as important regarding development. This, combined with several FDA approvals, has resulted in a migration into first-level volume manufacturing. While it remains in early stage, there is a tremendous amount of resources spent in R&D. We have also seen some level of consolidation of startups with large medical device public corporations. Bakhshpour: We have a large number of projects in medical and life science applications where the fiber is used as a piece of the diagnostic or therapeutic component of the system. Farland: Traditional medical x-ray technology is being replaced by CMOSbased detectors (enabled by Incoms fiber optic faceplates). Sales of these systems [have] been increasingly strong in the past 18 months, with a very strong forecast over the next several years as market adaptation continues to grow. Morris: The market has been very robust. Although we dont sell medical devices, we sell optoelectronic sensing components to customers who integrate those components into their own devices. This OEM business has been successful, in large part because the inherent properties of fiber optics technology make it attractive for noninvasive analysis. Q: Where do you think the market is going? Farland: Fiber optics-based CMOS detectors. Pelaprat: It can only continue to grow. While it is in [its] infancy today, the combination of engineering creativity with the manufacturing techniques that are now available make it poised to grow. Bakhshpour: The breadth of inquiries for products for medical applications seems to expand each year. Fields such as general surgery, urology, ophthalmology continue to expand their product lines as well as diode laser delivery systems. Life
An Ocean Optics contest winner creates virtual environments to study how people react to physical, visual and auditory cues in the environment, using the spectrometer to measure color and lighting. Practical applications include designing housing and other environments that are safer and more pleasant for the elderly.
sciences and spectroscopy continue to grow and advance. Morris: The market is only going to get bigger. New technologies will inspire applications we cant even imagine right now, and new diagnostic challenges will drive the market to continue to innovate. Also, I believe youll see much more specificity in diagnostics sensing as fiber optic systems evolve. Q: Which application areas would you say are thriving and why? Pelaprat: OCT. There is a big demand, and many patients to treat. Farland: All digital radiography applications are moving rapidly toward this universal platform. Bakhshpour: Laser delivery for medical applications continues to increase. Its a less-invasive treatment for the patient in most cases. Morris: Laser-based applications such as Raman certainly have shown a surge of interest. Raman is a very useful technique for chemical analysis, especially because of the strong specificity of the Raman signature of many samples. In addition, Raman analysis is non-
destructive, requires very limited sample preparation and allows for sample volumes in the microliter range. For applications where C-OH structural information is important, for example, 532-nm Raman is typical. Such measurements are common in biological and pharmaceutical sample analysis. Q: What are the biggest challenges to new advances in fiber optics for medical devices? Pelaprat: Not sure. This is a question for the medical device companies. Farland: As the technology is moving incredibly fast, Incom is forced to continue to innovate and improve upon our technology while simultaneously meeting increased volume demands. Bakhshpour: It is costly and timeconsuming to receive approval on new medical devices. Morris: Regulatory hurdles are certainly one challenge, especially as the regulators struggle to keep up with the pace of development. Another challenge is being able to keep instrument production costs reasonable even as the level of device sophistication increases. laura.marshall@photonics.com
43
Ocean Optics
Early Compliance Saves Money

Dont put off thinking about regulatory approval for a medical device that you are bringing to market experts say youll save big in the long run.
BY MARIE FREEBODY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
FDA Laboratory Building 62 (Engineering and Physics) houses the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
ister with the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) in the UK, or, in the case of all but the simplest devices, they will need to work with a specialist authority, known as a notified body. The process of bringing a medical device to market varies, depending on the type of product you are developing, said Daniel Jones, director of communications at the UKs Association of British Healthcare Industries. There are thought to be over 500,000 different products in 10,000 categories. In Europe, products are classified into
FDA
edical devices must pass strict regulations before they are released for clinical use, and policies vary depending upon where in the world the device is to be marketed. In some countries, navigating the system is so tricky that some companies are beginning to fight back. But wherever you are, the advice is always the same: Start thinking about compliance early. Unfortunately, many of the biggest medical device markets including the US, Japan, Brazil, China and Mexico have the most complex regulations. In Europe, Canada and Australia, things are more straightforward. All medical devices sold within the European Union (EU) must be CE-marked (CE stands for the French phrase Conformit Europenne, or European Conformity). Depending on the nature of the device, manufacturers will either be able to self-certify, meaning that they can complete the process themselves and reg-
the following groups: Class I includes low-risk products and is separated into those products that are not provided sterile or that do not have a measuring function. These are the only devices that can be self-certified. Another category of Class I products includes those that are provided sterile or that do have a measuring function. Medium-risk products fall into Class IIa. Higher-risk products are considered Class IIb or Class III. Class I products such as walking sticks, surgical gowns [things that] represent low risk are based on a system of self-declaration, where a design dossier is submitted to a Notified Body who then issue[s] a CE mark, Jones said. As you move up through the classifications into products that are more complicated, the requirements for evidence become more and more stringent. Class III products represent more complicated devices such as surgical implants. For this classification, the system will require clinical trial data, be it new evidence or through the equivalence method, and regulators will carry out inspections of manufacturing facilities.
* Total health expenditures in USD Total health expenditure is the sum of public and private health expenditures. It includes the provision of health services (preventive and curative), family planning activities, nutrition activities and emergency aid designated for health but does not include provision of water and sanitation. Source: World Health Organization (WHO) National Health Account database, 2010 data.
Worldwide Spending on Health Care* Expenditures: $6.45 trillion Global GDP: $61.96 trillion % of Global GDP: 10.4%
44
Health Expenditure Charts of Europe, North America and worldwide are courtesy of Emergo Group.
www.photonics.com
Europe Spending on Health Care* World Total: $6.45 trillion Europe: $1.89 trillion Share of World Total: 29.4%
you understand who pays for your device in that market private health care insurance only versus government reimbursement. Success in the US The FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is responsible for regulating firms that manufacture, repackage, re-label and/or import medical devices for sale within the US. In addition, CDRH regulates radiationemitting electronic products (medical and nonmedical) such as lasers, x-ray systems, ultrasound equipment, microwave ovens and color televisions. In November 2010, a damning report emerged, blaming unpredictable, inefficient and expensive regulatory processes for jeopardizing Americas leadership position in medical technology innovation.
Although the CE marking process is relatively straightforward, in reality, companies seeking approval for the first time are still advised to seek expert advice from a regulatory specialist. There are many consultancy firms as well as a number of experts who offer guidance through the process. One such specialist in CE marking and product safety is Conformance Ltd. of Great Hucklow, Buxton, England. Nick Williams, director and senior consultant, said his top pieces of advice are to start thinking about CE marking as soon as possible, to be methodical and to keep good records. Ideally, a company would start thinking about the CE marking requirements at the design stage they can then design the product to meet the requirements, Williams said. To CE-mark the product, they would need to obtain a copy of the [Medical Devices] Directive, which contains the legal requirements, and [reference] any associated standards which contain the specifications for design. Chris Schorre, vice president of global marketing at the global consultancy firm Emergo Group, agrees with Williams. If manufacturing a higher-risk product, regulatory compliance must start at the very beginning of the design process, he said. For instance, if you were to design a new Class III device, the MHRA or other government authorities will want to know how you controlled the design of the product, including changes made to it, right from the beginning. With lowerrisk products, this is not as much of an issue. Fortunately, the process of device approval is harmonized across Europe, which means that rules governing how you bring a product to market are the same in the UK as in any other member of the EU.
In the US, the process is different. Although the US accounts for 40 percent of global health care spending, it also has fierce competition in all categories, so Schorres advice is not to enter a market just because its big. Look for smaller markets that have good potential for your products but are underserved, he said. Also, make sure
Top links
for information on medical device approval
International overview Worldwide health care expenditure: http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/infographics Medical device regulations by country: http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/ worldwide-medical-device-regulations Videos and webinars: http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/videos Medical device market information: http://www.emergogroup.com/resouces/ medical-device-market-information CE marking in the UK and Europe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA): http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ howweregulate/index.htm Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI): http://www.abhi.org.uk Conformance Ltd.: http://www.conformance.co.uk/adirectives/doku.php?id=medical European Commission Regulatory Framework: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ medical-devices/regulatory-framework/index_en.htm Emergo Group white paper: http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/white-papereurope-ce-marking FDA approval in the US Overview of device regulation: http://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/deviceregulationand guidance/overview/default.htm Product Classification Database: http://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/deviceregulation andguidance/overview/classifyyourdevice/default.htm Presubmissions assistance for a premarket application: http://www.fda.gov/medicalde vices/deviceregulationandguidance/guidancedocuments/ucm310375.htm US FDA regulatory process for medical devices (7-minute video): http://www.emergogroup. com/resources/videos-us-fda-regulatory-process
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n Devices and Compliance
North America Spending on Health Care* World Total: $6.45 trillion North America: $2.85 trillion Share of World Total: 44.3%
The report surveyed 204 medical technology companies and found that 44 percent of participants indicated that partway through the premarket regulatory process they experienced untimely changes in key personnel, including the lead reviewer and/or branch chief responsible for the products evaluation. A total of 34 percent of respondents also reported that appropriate FDA staff and/or physician advisers to the FDA were not present at key meetings between the FDA and the company. The report concluded that factors such as these make the US premarket regula-
tory process inefficient and resourceintensive, and contribute to significant delays in navigating FDA regulatory processes. On Jan. 22, 2013, DuVal & Associates of Minneapolis filed a citizen petition on behalf of the Minnesota Medical Device Alliance regarding changes made to FDA regulations in 2009. Although the FDA insists that the changes it made make the process more reasonable, transparent and predictable, the petition claims that now, in reality, the FDA is predictably unreasonable and very transparent about it.
A physical science technician inspects medical gloves at an FDA laboratory in Irvine, Calif.
As in Europe, medical devices in the US are similarly classified into Class I, II and III, with Class III being subject to the highest regulatory control. In general, there are two pathways to approval:
North America
Total: $2.85 trillion* Per capita: $5335 2005-2010: +32% 2010 Population: 535,823,000
Europe
Total: $1.89 trillion* Per capita: $2527 2005-2010: +33% 2010 Population: 750,660,000
Asia Pacific
Total: $1.15 trillion* Per capita: $303 2005-2010: +71% 2010 Population: 3,830,585,000
Middle East & Africa

Total: $242 billion* Per capita: $191 2005-2010: +84% 2010 Population: 1,264,970,000
South America
Total: $298 billion* Per capita: $761 2005-2010: +142% 2010 Population: 392,162,000
Worldwide
Total: $6.45 trillion* Per capita: $1010 2005-2010: +43% 2010 Population: 6,800,000,000
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FDA
Steps to approval
The medical device regulations process varies by market and could occupy an entire book; however, all markets follow the same basic steps: Determine if your product qualifies as a medical device. Determine its classification according to national laws. Determine the path to regulatory approval. Conduct clinical trials (mostly high-risk devices only). Prepare a technical file or dossier with detailed technical information about the device. Appoint a local regulatory representative if you have no office in the market you plan to enter. Most countries have this requirement. Comply with local quality management system requirements. Applies in the US, EU and many markets. Submit your technical file and wait for approval from the authorities. Step-by-step details of the process for each market can be found at http://www.emergogroup.com/resources/regulatory-process-charts.
Top 25 Countries
% of world health expenditures 1. United States: 40.1% 2. Japan: 8% 3. Germany: 5.9% 4. France: 4.7% 5. China: 4.6% 6. United Kingdom: 3.4% 7. Italy: 3% 8. Brazil: 3% 9. Canada: 2.8% 10. Spain: 2.1% 11. Australia: 1.6% 12. Netherlands: 1.4% 13. Russia: 1.2% 14. South Korea: 1.1% 15. Mexico: 1.1% 16. India: 1% 17. Switzerland: 0.9% 18. Belgium: 0.8% 19. Turkey: 0.8% 20. Sweden: 0.7% 21. Austria: 0.6% 22. Norway: 0.6% 23. Denmark: 0.6% 24. Poland: 0.5% 25. South Africa: 0.5%
510(k) and premarket approval (PMA). 510(k) is a premarketing submission made to FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is as safe and effective that is, substantially equivalent (SE) to a legally marketed device that is not subject to premarket approval, said Susan Laine from the FDA Office of Media Affairs. 510(k) (premarket notification) to FDA is required at least 90 days before marketing, unless the device is exempt from 510(k) requirements. PMA is the most stringent type of device-marketing application required by the FDA. Unlike premarket notification, PMA is based on a determination by the FDA that the PMA contains sufficient valid scientific evidence to provide reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended use or uses. Which regulatory requirement is needed depends on the class of medical device. For example, most Class I devices are exempt from 510(k) premarket notification; most Class II devices require the 510(k); and most Class III devices require PMA. The FDA cannot provide statistics on the number of companies that fail or give up during the approval process. Laine noted that the clearance and approval process is interactive and not always linear, with some premarket submissions need-
ing additional information from manufacturers before a review can go forward. Also, companies may make businessrelated decisions independent of FDA that result in applications being withdrawn or not completed, she said. So, it is difficult to quantify how many premarket applications are started but not completed, and why that happens. However, when a company submits an application that is lacking necessary information, they receive written feedback from the FDA outlining the deficiencies in their application so they know what is expected to make their submission complete. One effective way that the FDA provides manufacturers with some predictability is in outlining its thinking about an issue or process and providing a clear understanding of expectations in a certain area. The FDA has issued a number of guidance documents in the areas of benefit-risk determinations, presubmissions interaction and standards acceptance. The FDAs best advice to companies is to come to them early when they are still developing a medical device. When companies work FDAs expectations into the medical device development process, they are less likely to experience major surprises during the review process, Laine said. marie.freebody@photonics.com
The 25 countries listed above account for more than 90% of global health expenditures.
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Scanning White-Light Interferometry Fingerprints the Polishing Process

Characterizing the effects of polishing optical surfaces beyond a surface roughness parameter may enable superior finishes.
BY ERIC FELKEL ZYGO CORP.
wide variety of techniques can be used to manufacture high-quality optical surfaces. These range from surface generation, grinding, lapping and full-aperture pitch polishing to more advanced techniques such as deterministic figuring using MRF (magnetorheological finishing), ion beam figuring and
computer-controlled polishing. Specialized processes such as diamond turning and polishing are also used for some applications. Each method removes varying amounts of material, and each leaves behind a signature of its process in the surface. That fingerprint can affect the performance of the final optical system in a variety of ways most typically with less-than-ideal imaging or scattering.
Understanding and characterizing the process used to make a surface can be critical to meeting the requirements of a particular application. 3-D optical profilers using scanning white-light interferometry (SWLI) are powerful tools for this characterization. What is SWLI? At its core, SWLI profiling uses specialized optical microscope objectives not only to provide the imaging and magnification, but also to measure the 3-D topography of the surface (Figure 1). The microscopes illuminator projects light through the objective, where a beamsplitter sends some of the light to the reference mirror and some to the part under test. When the optical path length from the beamsplitter to both the reference and test surfaces is equal, the reflected light from both the test and reference surfaces recombines, resulting in interference fringes at the detector. The shape and position of these fringes are directly proportional to the difference in height between the test surface and the reference mirror. The fringe shapes can be thought of as contours of the surface, where the contour intervals are proportional to the illumination wavelength. Processing algorithms further refine this precision to small fractions of the wavelength. To profile the test surfaces topography, the microscope objective is scanned perpendicular to the test surface. A camera and computer system monitor the changing fringe patterns during the scan, and sophisticated algorithms interpret these patterns to construct a 3-D map of the surface.
Figure 1. A typical scanning white-light interferometer (SWLI) configuration. An SWLI-based optical profiler easily characterizes surfaces, providing both quantitative texture and qualitative visual information.
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Images courtesy of Zygo Corp.
www.photonics.com
a more uniform surface, but pads have advantages of being generally faster and less labor-intensive to set up, maintain and change over. Sa and rms are not enough One of the easiest and most common ways of quantifying surface texture of an optic is through a root mean square (Sq) or average roughness (Sa) number. This is a good start, but it cannot tell the entire story of the surface since different methods can produce wildly different surfaces even if those surfaces have nearly identical Sq or Sa values. This is clearly visible in the surface map images from Figures 3a and 3b, both of which have Sa of 0.22 nm. So how do we distinguish between these surfaces without requiring subjective human analysis? One way is through the power spectral density (PSD) plot. Every surface map can be considered a summation of sine waves with varying amplitude. The PSD uses a Fourier analysis to reduce the surface map into these sine waves. The power (the square of the amplitude) of the component waves is plotted as a function of the frequency. This enables quantitative identification of frequency-dependent process signatures that cannot be seen with simpler roughness analysis. The same PSD analysis can be specified across a wide range of spatial frequencies with largescale form and waviness data from large-aperture figure interferometers, through SWLI profilers, and even down to the finest lateral scale atomic force microscope. The images in Figures 3a and 3b show two polished surfaces with clearly different surface morphology, measured on a Zygo NewView 7300 SWLI profiler. These two surfaces have the same average roughness value (0.2 nm), but careful analysis of the PSD plots below each shows meaningful differences. The sapphire surface, with its roughness content dominated by lower-frequency waviness, has more energy on the left side of the PSD and then drops off quickly between 10 to 30 cycles per mm. The fused silica, however, is more uniform, with its roughness dropping linearly from 10 to 30 cycles per mm. Another example of a surface where PSD is useful is shown in Figure 4 a
Figure 2. Ground Zerodur is measured at 103 magnification. Deep scratches are visible in the dark regions.
Using this technique, surface topography measurements at the subnanometer level can be made over any field of view, usually in 5 to 20 s. With a quiet metrology environment, measurement averaging will yield subangstrom measurements using the same equipment. All of this data is obtained completely without contact, eliminating the possibility of damaging a precision sample. In contrast with other microscope-based 3-D topography techniques, SWLI has the distinct advantage that the height resolution of the measurement is consistent across all magnifications, whether the field of view is 20 m or 20 mm. Process signatures Early in the manufacturing process, raw glass is roughly generated and then ground using various sizes of abrasive materials to reach a nominal shape. These surfaces are typically very rough and diffuse. An SWLI profiler highlights the directional nature of the grinding media and unremoved pits and spikes that form as a result of these operations. Minimizing the presence and magnitude of these marks is ideal in keeping the manufacturing time as short as possible. Figure 2
illustrates a typical rough-ground surface manufactured with 320-m grit. Deep scratches are visible in the dark regions. The crosshatch pattern comes about due to the counter-rotations of the grinding lap and the part. The polishing methods used to complete a finished optic vary widely in the way that they remove material and in the characteristics of the surface when it is complete. The surface texture of the finished optic can have a dramatic effect on the efficiency and light-scattering characteristics of the final surface, and it is important to know what to expect from these processes. For example, polishing with pitch or a pad can lead to extremely different surface characteristics. In Figures 3a and 3b, these different signatures are clearly visible. The sapphire sample was polished using a pad; the fused silica sample was polished using traditional pitch methods. The pad produces a much more rolling surface with significant low-frequency waviness as compared to the more uniform texture from the pitch process. The application of the surface is finally what defines whether a particular method is appropriate; the pitch clearly produced
SWLI has the distinct advantage that the height resolution of the measurement is consistent across all magnifications, whether the field of view is 20 m or 20 mm.
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n Scanning White-Light Interferometry

a b
Figure 3. A surface map and power spectral density (PSD) of pad-polished sapphire (a) and pitch-polished fused silica (b), both shown at 103 magnification. The pad produces a rolling surface with significant low-frequency waviness as compared to the more uniform texture from the pitch process.
FRONTIERS IN OPTICS 2013 LASER SCIENCE XXIX

APS/DLS 29TH ANNUAL MEETING
OSAS 97TH ANNUAL MEETING
Hilton Bonnet Creek Orlando, Florida USA Technical Conference: 610 October Exhibition: 89 October
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9 September 2013
Frontiers in Optics/Laser Science 2013 covers a broad range of topics in optical science and engineering. This conference provides attendees with the perfect forum to exchange ideas and connect with accomplished scientists, researchers, engineers and business leaders.
Plenary Speakers
Univ. of California Santa Barbara, USA
John Bowers
Kapteyn-Murnane Group, JILA, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder, USA
Margaret Murnane
Noble Laureate NIST, Boulder, CO, USA
D. J. Wineland
www.frontiersinoptics.org FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER.

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diamond-turned optical surface. There is a clear, grooved structure that results from the single-point diamond-turning process. The PSD quickly shows the frequency of this structure as a peak at 45 cycles per mm. A surface such as this is often perfectly acceptable for IR applications, but would be completely unacceptable for most visible and UV applications due to significant scattering and imaging degradation. This is an important point, as the final application ultimately determines which process is viable: A clear understanding of the intended purpose of the optical surface is necessary to judge whether a surface is good or bad, but by using SWLI, roughness parameters and PSD analysis, optics manufacturers have a powerful and flexible set of tools to optimize processes and produce superior performing surfaces.
Meet the author Eric Felkel is the product manager for noncontact optical profilers at Zygo CorporaFigure 4. Diamond-turned optical surface with PSD. The clear, grooved structure results from tion in Middlefield, Conn.; email: efelkel@ AH1212K_LM_AGV_HP_7x4_9375_AGR_halfpage.qxd 6/10/2013 9:54 AMprocess. Page 1 the single-point diamond-turning zygo.com.
Micron Level Scanner Accuracy
Ultrafast UV laser technology coupled with a high-speed scannerbased beam displacement system has the potential to revolutionize laser micromachining applications. UV lasers with short focal length optics allow for micron-level spot size while the high speed and acceleration capability of the scanner can execute multiple passes over the material extremely quickly. Utilizing this capability to its fullest potential requires a scanner with micron-level accuracy at the work point. Aerotechs AGV-HP is the first commercially available scanner capable of micronlevel accuracy over a relatively large area (40 x 40 mm). This working area can be greatly extended with Aerotechs Infinite Field of View (IFOV) technology. Key operating parameters for the scanner are outlined below. Check the Aerotech website for the latest information on the entire AGV product line.
10, 14 and 20 mm input apertures CO2, DS, 1552 nm, 1064 nm, 1030 nm, 532 nm, 515 nm, 355 nm and other optics available Low thermal drift optical feedback
26-bit resolution Optional air and water cooling Laser triggering directly from position feedback Non-proprietary programming language
See the Nmark SSaM and AGV galvos in action at www.aerotech.com.
Dedicated to the Science of Motion
Ph: 412-963-7470 Email: sales@aerotech.com www.aerotech.com
A e r o t e c h Wo r l d w i d e
United States France Germany United Kingdom China Japan Taiwan
AH1212K_LM
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Novel Fibers Use Space to Extend Capacity Limits

New optical fibers such as multicore, multimode and hollow core use their spatial properties in the designs of next-generation systems to solve future fiber capacity bottlenecks and other sticky problems.
BY VALERIE C. COFFEY SCIENCE WRITER
R. Sandoghchi and M.N. Petrovich, Optoelectronics Research Centre
he optical network that enables todays smartphones, tablets and computers to stream all that beloved bandwidth is headed for trouble: In a decade or less, most experts say, transmission rates of current fiber networks will face a capacity crunch as singlemode fiber (SMF) approaches its intrinsic capacity limit. Current cutting-edge networks use ever-more-sophisticated techniques to send information down these existing fibers, including modulation formats that encode information optically along with wavelength-, timeand polarization division multiplexing (WDM, TDM and PDM). Now scientists are intensely researching another type of multiplexing, spatial division multiplexing (SDM), to transmit data signals over multiple individual spatial modes of fiber. Existing telecom systems are edging ever closer to the intrinsic capacity limits of standard fiber, said Marco N. Petrovich, principal research fellow at the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton in England. Soon, we may not be able to cope with future data traffic demand. Radical fiber solutions are being investigated to address the limitations of traditional fibers. Since all other dimensions have already been exploited, the only one left is space. Novel fibers may outperform current
Figure 1. A hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber shows visible light transmitted over a short section: Blue light transmitted in the core and multiple wavelengths transmitted in the microstructured cladding give it a rainbow effect.
fibers enough to eventually justify replacing them. Multiplexing is attracting attention in the telecom community for its promise to increase system capacity without increasing cost and energy consumption. SDM requires new types of microstructured optical fiber (MOF) such as multimode (MMF) or multicore (MCF) to transmit information simultaneously down the same fiber using various spatial modes or multiple cores.1 These spatial channels can be physically separated or overlapping, Petrovich said, so that each channel is carrying as much information as a conventional SMF, or perhaps even more. As a result, SDM enables significantly higher transmission rates. Typical SMF has an 8.5-m-diameter single core with a refractive index 0.5
percent larger than the outer cladding, which serves to trap and transmit light down the fiber. A multimode fiber has a much larger central core with an approximately 1.5 percent larger refractive index that guides light in several optical modes, each of which can act as a separate information channel; the optical modes spatially overlap, and suitable processing techniques are required to extract the information carried by each. A multicore fiber, on the other hand, contains several different cores within its cross section, each physically separated.2 Another novel type, hollow-core photonic crystal fiber, guides light in an air core, which engenders low optical nonlinearity and low losses (Figure 2).3 Multicore and multimode fibers are similar in that they are both solid fibers like SMF, albeit with different transverse
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Existing telecom systems are edging ever closer to the intrinsic capacity limits of standard fiber. Marco N. Petrovich
www.photonics.com
Figure 2. (a) Multimode fiber in cross section has several solid cores or rings of cores, typically single mode, around a central solid core within a common cladding. (b) Multicore fiber consists of several different cores or rings of cores around a solid center within its cross section. (c) A photonic bandgap-guided hollow-core fiber features a core of air typically larger in diameter than the low-index regions of the photonic crystal cladding formed through periodic airholes.
Holey versatility Researchers are intently pursuing the development of such a vast number of fiber types optimizing time, wavelength, polarization and spatial multiplexing that it is premature to try to identify a winner in the race. Each addresses a challenge but leaves another challenge. A survey of several recent promising developments helps demonstrate the complex state of new fiber research. Currently, researchers are investigating the use of MOFs in a long list of applications: erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, nonlinear pulse reshaping and saturable absorption, dense wavelength division multiplexed transmission, distributed feedback lasers, high-power fiber lasers, plasmonic sensors and background-free Raman sensing, among other things (Figure 4). But before SDM becomes practical, several issues specific to MMFs and MCFs must be studied; e.g., co-propagating modes in such fibers can interact both linearly and nonlinearly. Linear coupling in MCFs is of special concern because it leads to a periodic transfer of optical
Figure 3. Cross-sectional view of a highly nonlinear chalcogenide holey fiber designed for use as an IR light source between 4 and 5 m. Cladding consists of five rings of airholes (white circles) embedded in an arsenic-sulfide (As2S3)-based matrix. The radius of the airholes in the second cladding ring is r2, whereas the center-to-center airhole separation is denoted as pitch ().
power from one core to neighboring cores. In principle, linear coupling among modes can be efficiently compensated using digital signal processing at the receiver with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. One question that remains is how linear coupling in MCFs affects the nonlinear penalty. In a recent paper, professor Govind Agrawal and colleagues at the University of Rochester Institute of Optics in New York and at Alcatel-Lucent Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, N.J., studied the impact of linear coupling on the nonlinear effects in MCF.7 Their model showed that many intermodal nonlinear terms often can be
neglected in practice. Further numerical simulations on MCFs with up to four cores, transmitting 80-Gb/s signals, demonstrated that linear coupling can mitigate the nonlinear impairments to some extent using MIMO techniques to compensate for all the linear effects. Although rapidly varying birefringence effects were not considered, results indicate that the cores of MCFs can be much closer than is currently believed. In 2012, staff researcher Benjamin G. Lee at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., and colleagues demonstrated a full multicore fiber optic link that transmitted more than 100 Gb/s
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A. Bahr et al (2013), J Opt, Vol. 15, p. 035205
structures. Transmission capacity depends on the number of cores or modes in the fiber. As with SMF, the optical properties of fiber are correlated to basic geometry: core size, number of rings (or cores), hole diameter (d ), hole spacing or pitch () and the ratio d/.4 Issues that can degrade the performance of SDM systems designed with novel microstructured optical fiber include fiber dispersion, random birefringence and nonlinearity. Linear coupling of one multicore fiber to another is a challenge. One of the most difficult technical aspects of SDM in optical fibers is crosstalk management (Figure 3).
(a) Bishnu Pal; (b) Bishnu Pal/Intech Publishers; (c) M.N. Petrovich
n Novel Optical Fibers
Figure 4. (a) Pursuing a method for short-pulse fiber transmission and shaping, Alain Barthlmy and colleagues at Institut XLIM in collaboration with IRCICA in France split femtosecond pulses into 12 bands via 12 cores of a 15-core Yb-doped fiber.5 (b) The French team also transmitted 190-fs pulses at 1030 nm through five cores of a 19-core microstructured fiber. The dark-gray holes are boron-doped rods.6
through a single strand of multimode fiber for the first time.8 They used customdesigned transmitters and receivers interfaced with a seven-core multimode MCF
fiber. The fiber transmitted up to 120 Gb/s over 100 m using 2-D arrays of verticalcavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and vertically illuminated photodiodes
(PDs), fabricated at Emcore in Albuquerque, N.M., to couple with the outer six cores of the seven-core fiber (Figure 5). Bit-error-rate (BER) measurements showed negligible degradation of signal resulting from electrical and optical crosstalk, as Agrawal and his Rochester team predicted. Hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF) is another type of MOF with a holey-looking core, but with important differences compared with multicore and multimode fibers. At the core of these fibers is a lattice of expanded airholes, like a honeycomb, around an oversized core of air. In this fiber, the core has a lower refractive index compared with the cladding, and it guides light via a photonic bandgap effect, whereas conventional solid fiber operates via total internal reflection. HC-PBGF has three advantages over solid fibers: 10003 lower nonlinearity, potential for lower loss and the ultimate low latency light travels approximately 33 percent faster in these fibers, very close to the speed of light in vacuum.9 The much lower nonlinearity, in addition to low transmission loss, enables much higher transmission capacity per fiber. And because HC-PBGFs are multimode fibers, several modes could be used as ultrahigh-capacity data transmission channels (Figure 6).10 The most exciting area of our work at Southampton is hollow-core fibers, Petrovich said. But in the race to find the fiber solution for the next-generation optical fiber networks, it remains to be seen whether multicore, multimode or hollowcore fibers will pull ahead. stellaredit@gmail.com
IRCICA
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www.photonics.com
Figure 5. (a) A multimode, multicore glass optical fiber made from seven graded-index fiber core rods arranged in a hexagonal array (top) achieved a record 120-Gb/s transmission. The fiber features core diameters manufactured at 26 m instead of the usual 50 m to maintain a standard outer-cladding diameter of 125 m. The core is doped with germanium oxide. The 50-m arrow in the image is for scale. (b) The detected power of a 100-m sample of MCF shows negligible core-to-core optical crosstalk in the single-mode-fiber launch location relative to the center of the facet.
References 1. D. Richardson et al (May 2013). Spacedivision multiplexing in optical fibres. Nat Photon, Vol. 7, p. 354. 2. B.P. Pal (2010). Frontiers in Guided Wave Optics and Optoelectronics. Intech Publishers, Vienna, pp. 1-28. 3. http://www.rp-photonics.com/photonic_ crystal_fibers.html. 4. A. Barh et al (2013). Design of an efficient mid-IR light source using chalcogenide holey fibers: a numerical study. J Opt, Vol. 15, p.035205. 5. P. Rigaud et al (in review). Spatially dispersive amplification in a 12-core fiber and femtosecond pulse synthesis by coherent spectral combining. Opt Expr. 6. T. Mansuryan et al (2012). Spatially dispersive scheme for transmission and synthesis of femtosecond pulses through a multicore fiber. Opt Expr, Vol. 20, Issue 22, p. 24769. 7. S. Mumtaz et al (2012). Reduction of nonlinear penalties due to linear coupling in multicore optical fibers. IEEE Phot Tech Lett, Vol. 24, Issue 18, p. 1574. 8. B. Lee et al (2012). End-to-end multicore multimode fiber optic link operating up to 120 Gb/s. J Lightwave Tech, Vol. 30, Issue 6, p. 886. 9. Poletti et al (2013). Towards high-capacity fibre-optic communications at the speed of light in vacuum. Nat Phot, Vol. 7, p. 279. 10. Y. Jung et al (March 2013). First demonstration of a broadband 37-cell hollow core photonic bandgap fiber and its application to high capacity mode division multiplexing. OFC 2013, Anaheim. PDP5A.3
Figure 6. This scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of an HC-PBGF highlights the complex structure composed of a web of very thin (~200 nm thick) struts of silica glass.
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N.K. Baddela and M.N. Petrovich, Optoelectronics Research Centre
(a, b) OFS Laboratories/IEEE
What the Photographers Know: CCD Sensor a Game Changer

Manufacturers of cameras and components offer systems for professional photographers that incorporate the latest technological trends.
BY ERIK-JAN MANOURY TELEDYNE DALSA
This 1/25-second exposure of the Great Wall of China was taken with a Mamiya 645DF and a Leaf Credo 80 digital backfitted with a Mamiya Sekor 28-mm lens set to f/8 and ISO 50.
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www.photonics.com
rofessional photographers who shoot for the worlds most famous glossy magazines have special challenges and certain needs in camera hardware. After all, their reputations are only as good as their equipment, so they look for cameras and components with the latest technologies. They hear in advertising that theres a new 80-megapixel [digital camera] back out, and if you dont have it, you wont get the job, said photographer Tom Schierlitz. Whether theyre shooting Jimmy Choo stilettos for Vogue or glaciers for National Geographic, that 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 5 just wont cut it. Mamiya Leaf of Tel Aviv, Israel, offers digital photographic equipment for the professional market. We focus on medium-format cameras, anything above DSLR, explained Dov Kalinski, Leaf Imaging CEO. Our customers are professional photographers, institutions, schools and serious amateurs who demand the best photographic equipment on the market. A digital camera back attaches to a camera in place of a film holder and contains an electronic image sensor, allowing cameras designed to use film to take digital photographs. These backs are built to be used primarily on the mediumand large-format cameras favored by many professionals. Mamiya Leafs Credo digital camera backs have various applications, including professional photo shoots for brochures and advertising products such as cars, clothing and food things that are not moving. The cameras also are used in the fashion industry to photograph models in live fashion shoots, which is a bit different because the subjects are moving. A third application is landscape photography, which has its own challenges, since the photographers are more mobile and they are shooting outside. Features of the Leaf Credo digital backs include a 3.2-in. high-resolution (1.15-megapixel) bright-touch LCD with a viewing angle of 170. The new Leaf Credo digital camera back platform is the latest example of a long-standing collaboration between Mamiya Leaf and its parent company, Phase One of Frederiksberg, Denmark,
This 1/250-second exposure of a Chinese pagoda was taken with a Mamiya 645DF and a Leaf Credo 80 digital backfitted with a Mamiya Sekor 45-mm lens set to f/4.5 and ISO 50.
and Teledyne Dalsa of Eindhoven, Netherlands. Together, the companies developed a custom sensor and new electronics. Leaf Credo delivers the best price:performance ratio in the large-sensor digital back market, said Ziv Argov, marketing director at Mamiya Leaf. Its impressive combination of high-resolution image quality, ease of use and the latest touch-screen LCD technologies makes the Leaf Credo digital back platform appealing for all photographers, regardless of their styles. Camera specs and features These digital camera backs offer the highest resolution for medium-format camera systems. The three models the Leaf Credo 80, Credo 60 and Credo 40 offer high-quality resolutions of 80, 60 and 40 megapixels, respectively. Each features a full-frame Teledyne Dalsa CCD sensor that ranges in size from 43.9 3 32.9 mm to 53.9 3 40.4 mm, depending on the model. Live View functionality enables precise focusing when shooting untethered, and it offers a wide viewing angle and a built-in bidirectional spirit level for comfortable, effective shooting both indoors and out.
Leaf Credo digital backs work seamlessly with the Mamiya 645DF camera, which offers shutter speeds up to 1/4000 of a second and sync speeds of up to 1/1600 of a second with Leaf shutter lenses designed by Schneider Kreuznach. However, the companys open-platform philosophy enables compatibility with other medium-format camera bodies as well. These digital backs are optimized for shooting with Capture One software, which comprises comprehensive work flow features to capture, organize, edit, share and print images. The CCD sensor in the Leaf Credo 80 has a dynamic range of 12.5 f-stops. The Leaf Credo 60s sensor has a 3:4 aspect ratio a new addition to the sensors that the company uses in its cameras. The Leaf Credo 40 offers the camera familys fastest capture speed at 1.2 frames per second. That might sound slow to those who use cameras for industrial applications, but Dutch fashion photographer Frank Doorhof likes the speed, saying it gives models time to pose properly: I used the Credo 60 in a workshop with a model, and even she commented that the Credo 60s pace was much nicer for her to pose to. The lines high-resolution LCD touch
Images courtesy of Mamiya Leaf.
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n CCD Sensor for DSLR
screen offers rendering of 16 million colors for quick and easy verification of focus and tonal accuracy. A new dualcore microprocessor enables powerful performance for the fastest available image viewing, focusing and editing. A redesigned graphic user interface simplifies navigation and extends beyond the LCD area, allowing the user to navi-
gate and click outside the image area. Finally, support for both FireWire 800 and the new USB 3.0 interfaces delivers fast transfer speeds when shooting tethered. More pixels, less space The idiom doing more with less still rings true when it comes to technology. As the microchip continues to shrink, more devices can fit on a single wafer. But shrinking electronics bring about a new set of challenges. To maximize the dynamic range of the sensor, Mamiya Leaf developed high-speed and low-noise electronics. For all of our digital backs, and especially the Leaf Credo, the challenge
For an industry that depends on stunning visuals, its the sensor that makes the difference.
lies in fitting all the electronic components into a limited space, Kalinski explained. Many specialized components are required for fast acquisition, but they can get hot, too, and theres no fan for active cooling. To solve the power and heat issues, Mamiya Leaf developed a unique lowpower design that keeps the components at an optimal temperature but still lets the user operate the camera for several hours. Sensor development Mamiya Leaf and Teledyne Dalsa first collaborated on sensors for digital camera backs in 1997. The first result was a 6-megapixel sensor that measured 24 3 36 mm. Today, the sensor has grown to 53.7 3 40.3 mm and packs 80 megapixels. In that time, Mamiya Leaf, Phase One and Teledyne Dalsa have customized sensors whose resolution, dynamic range and spectral response satisfy the exacting demands of high-end photography. Over the years, the strong synergy between our companies has enabled us to leverage the latest technologies to pack an ever-increasing number of pixels onto a larger and larger CCD sensor, Kalinski said. For an industry that depends on stunning visuals, its the sensor that makes the difference. Thats what largely sets apart medium-format cameras from consumer and prosumer DSLR models. The difference in sensor size is, in my opinion, very important for the look of the image, but also for the resolution and overall sharpness, Doorhof wrote in a blog post. The smaller the sensor, the more problems you will run into when placing a lot of pixels in that area, [and] this will translate into loss of detail on smaller apertures but also into noise. But more important for me is the depth of field: The larger the sensor, the more you are able to shoot with a shallow depth of field in conditions where you normally cant.
Meet the author Erik-Jan Manoury is a technical application manager and product manager at Teledyne Dalsa in its Digital Professional Imaging Group in Eindhoven, Netherlands; email: erik-jan.manoury@teledynedalsa.com.
This pocket watch was photographed with a Mamiya 645DF and a Leaf Credo 80 digital backfitted with a Mamiya Sekor 80-mm lens set to f/8, and was a 0.25-second exposure at ISO 50.
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DSLR: digital single-lens reflex
www.photonics.com
green light
Concentrating the power of 2000 suns
A new photovoltaic
system could harness the power of 2000 suns and convert a whopping 80 percent of incoming light into useful energy providing sunny, remote locations with electricity, fresh water and cooler air at lower prices than conventional devices allow. Just 2 percent of the solar energy from the Sahara Desert could meet the worlds electricity needs, according to a study from the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association and Greenpeace International. But current solar technologies are too expensive and slow to produce; they also require rare-earth minerals and lack the efficiency to make such massive installations practical. In Switzerland, scientists at IBM Research and ETH Zurich, both of Zurich; Airlight Energy of Biasca; and Interstate University of Applied Sciences Buchs NTB of St. Gallen have developed a lower-cost solution to harness the power of 2000 suns; funding will be under a
three-year, $2.4 million grant from the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation. The high-concentration photovoltaic thermal (HCPVT) system features an inexpensive design and achieves a cost-per-aperture area of less than $250 per square meter three times lower than comparable systems and a levelized cost of energy of less than 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. The prototype HCPVT system uses a large parabolic dish composed of many
The prototype system under development. The photovoltaic chips are mounted on microstructured layers that pipe liquid coolants within a few tens of microns off the chip to absorb the heat and draw it away 10 times more effectively than with passive air cooling. T = temperature; p = pressure.
Images courtesy of IBM Research.
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green light
with triple-junction photovoltaic chips each 1 3 1-cm chip can convert between 200 and 250 W, on average, over a typical 8-hour day in sunny locations. We plan to use triple-junction photovoltaic cells on a microchannel-cooled module which can directly convert more than 30 percent of collected solar radiation into electrical energy and allow for the efficient recovery of an additional 50 percent waste heat, said Bruno Michel, manager of advanced thermal packaging at IBM Research. We believe that we can achieve this with a very practical design that is made of lightweight and high-strength concrete, which is used in bridges, and primary optics composed of inexpensive pneumatic mirrors its frugal innovation, but builds on decades of experience in microtechnology. The entire receiver combines hundreds of chips to provide 25 kW of electrical power. The photovoltaic chips are mounted on microstructured layers that pipe liquid coolants within a few tens of microns off the chip to absorb the heat and draw it away 10 times more effectively than with passive air cooling. The coolant maintains the chips at almost the same temperature for a solar concentration of 2000 times and can keep them at safe temperatures up to a solar concentration of 5000 times. The direct-cooling solution with very small pumping power was inspired by the hierarchical branched blood supply system of the human body and has been tested by IBM scientists in high-performance computers, including Aquasar. An initial demonstrator of the multichip receiver was developed in a previous collaboration between IBM and the Egypt Nanotechnology Research Center. The design of the system is elegantly simple, said Andrea Pedretti, chief technology officer at Airlight Energy. We replace expensive steel and glass with low-cost concrete and simple pressurized metallized foils. The small high-tech components, in particular the microchannel coolers and the molds, can be manufactured in Switzerland, with the remaining construction and assembly done in the region of the installation. This leads
A prototype of the HCPVT system is currently being tested at the IBM Research lab in Zurich. Several prototypes will be built in Biasca and Rschlikon, Switzerland, as part of this collaboration.
mirror facets attached to a sun-tracking system, which positions the dish at the best angle to capture the suns rays. The rays reflect off the mirrors onto several microchannel liquid-cooled receivers
CHINA INTERNATIONAL OPTOELECTRONIC EXPO OFFICE

Add: Room 607, East Block, Coastal Building, Haide 3rd Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518054, China Tel: +86 755 8629 0891 Fax: +86 755 8629 0951 E-mail: international@cioe.cn
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to a win-win situation where the system is cost-competitive and jobs are created in both regions. ETH Zurich will develop the solar-concentrating optics. Advanced ray-tracing numerical techniques will be applied to optimize the design of the optical configuration and reach uniform solar fluxes exceeding 2000 suns at the surface of the photovoltaic cell, said professor Aldo Steinfeld. Current concentrating photovoltaic systems collect electrical energy and dissipate thermal energy into the atmosphere. The HCPVT system aims to eliminate the overheating problems of solar chips while also repurposing the energy from thermal water desalination and adsorption cooling. To capture the medium-grade heat, IBM engineers used an advanced technology developed for water-cooled highperformance computers such as Aquasar and SuperMUC to absorb heat from the processor chips. This heat was repurposed to provide space heating for the facilities. Instead of heating a building, the
Rendering by Airlight Energy of the prototype high-concentration photovoltaic thermal system under development by an international collaboration of researchers. The prototype system uses a large parabolic dish attached to a tracking system that determines the best angle based on the position of the sun. The entire receiver combines hundreds of chips and provides 25 kW of electrical power.
systems 90 C water will be used to heat salty water, which will be passed through a porous membrane distillation system, where it is vaporized and desalinated. This process could provide 30 to 40 liters of drinkable water per square meter of
receiver area per day while generating electricity with a more than 25 percent yield, or 2 kilowatt-hours per day a little less than half the amount of water the average person needs per day, according to the United Nations. A larger installation could provide enough water for a town. The system also could provide air conditioning by means of a thermaldriven adsorption chiller. Such devices, with water as working fluid, could replace compression chillers, which stress electrical grids in hot climates and contain working fluids that are harmful to the ozone layer. The HCPVT solution could provide sustainable energy and potable water in locations around the world; it could also find use in remote tourism locations on small islands, since conventional systems require separate units, with consequent lost efficiency and increased cost. The prototype is now being tested at IBM Research-Zurich. Additional prototypes will be built in Biasca and Rschlikon, Switzerland, as part of the collaboration.
Your idea. Our solution.

Cylinder Optics. Toric Optics. Flat Optics. Special Optics.
Hellma USA Inc. 80 Skyline Drive Plainview, N.Y. 11803 phone 516-939-0888 fax 516-939-0555 www.hellmaUSA.com
Hellma Optics offers customized solutions to turn your unique concepts into fully realized components. Our unparalleled combination of experience and precision manufacturing allows us to provide you with any style optic. Hellma Optics is the worldwide choice of the most demanding customers.
See us at Intersolar Expo Booth #5443
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Optics & Optical Fabrication

UV-IR Coatings
Newport Thin Film Laboratory has been providing quality coatings worldwide for 35+ years, helping customers overcome engineering hurdles by designing and manufacturing coatings for commercial, aerospace, military, UV curing, germicidal, semiconductor, medical technology and scientific applications. NTFL is a fully equipped coating facility specializing in the design and manufacture of vacuum-deposited optical thin films. We produce a wide variety of coatings, most of which are designed and manufactured to specific customer specifications. Coatings: Heat Control, Antireflection, Protective, Mirrors, Sapphire, Dielectric, Metal, ITO, Beamsplitters, Optical Filters.
(800) 854-0089 sales@newportlab.com www.newportlab.com
Plano Optics
In addition to spherical optics, Westech produces custom high-volume precision windows and mirrors. Materials include BK7, fused silica, CaF2 and borofloat. Coatings include MgF2, BBAR, AlSiO2, enhanced Al and dielectric. Email drawings or specifications for same-day price quotes.
(585) 377-2490 jcarlino@westechoptical.com www.westechoptical.com
Making Life Easier for Photomultiplier Users

Using photomultipliers is now even easier with the new HV2520 series of compact, low noise, low power HV Bases. Incorporating socket, voltage divider and HV supply, this series of HV Bases operates from low-voltage DC and is compatible with a wide range of 25mm and 30mm diameter photomultiplier types in analog, pulse counting or photon counting applications. Being very efficient, the HV Bases can support high signal currents while avoiding the heat dissipation issues associated with resistive voltage dividers. They can also be integrated into the QL30 series of photomultiplier housings.
(800) 399-4557 sales@electrontubes.com www.et-enterprises. com/ about-us/news
Zyla sCMOS Essential for Biologists

Zylas 5.5-megapixel sCMOS sensor uniquely offers both Rolling and Global Exposure modes (also known as Rolling Shutter and Global Shutter). This provides superior application and synchronization flexibility and the ability, through global exposure, to closely emulate the familiar Snapshot exposure mechanism of interline CCDs.
(800) 296-1579 info@andor.com Andor.com/zyla
Custom Optics
Swift Glass specializes in providing short lead times for high-volume manufacturing requiring optical tolerances and multiple diameter variances. Capabilities include: double-sided lapping and polishing; ceramic and crystal lapping and polishing; precision parallel components; scratch-dig to 20-10; machining center for close dimensions; surface coating availability; optical edge polishing; color filters; -in. diameter to 36 in. square. (607) 733-7166 quality@swiftglass.com www.swiftglass.com
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Optics & Optical Fabrication

Automatic Centering Machine with Robot
Model SPCM-M1-AT50 from Mildex centers and bevels lenses or plano workpieces in a fully automatic cycle, including loading and unloading of the workpieces by robot. The machine has two integrated lens holding pallets. Depending upon lens size, up to 600 lenses can be loaded for automatic processing. Once processing parameters are set by the operator, the machine can run uninterrupted for four to eight hours. The small footprint saves factory floor space. Please visit our Demo at OptiFab 2013.
(585) 473-6540 mildex@eznet.net www.mildex.com
Complete Turnkey & Scribing Solutions

PG&O supplies complete in-house turnkey optics solutions, including precision and commercial components, thin-film coatings, fabrication, precision scribing and a large inventory of glass. Products include windows, mirrors, prisms and assembled optics, from square, rectangular and circular parts to complex shapes and precision optical prisms. Ideal for Military/Defense, Avionics Displays, Medical, Life Sciences, Imaging, Digital Cinema, Solar, Industrial and Astronomy applications.
(714) 540-0126 info@pgo.com www.pgo.com
September 1112, 2013

Schaumburg Convention Center Schaumburg, IL USA
Its an event where technology, manufacturing and innovation all come together in one place. Rick Neff
Cincinnati Incorporated
REGISTER NOW!
Presented by:
From Stents to Automobiles, Lasers Deliver Superior Quality, Performance and Prots!
3
RD
www.laserevent.org
ANNUAL
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new PRODUCTS
Power Meter 1 Laser Ophir Photonics, a Newport Corp. brand,

has added a 30-kW laser power meter to its line of high-power laser detectors. Its design enables direct measurement of high powers and power densities suitable for materials processing lasers used in metal cutting and welding applications. The device measures YAG and fiber lasers in the 800to 2000-nm range, and CO2 lasers at 10.6 m. A wide aperture of 74 mm allows it to handle largediameter beams. Based on thermopile technology, the device features a reflective cone that deflects the laser beam onto the inner circumference of the sensor, increasing the radiated area and reducing the power density to manageable levels. gary.wagner@us.ophiropt.com
Cameras 3 CCD Two new Blackfly cameras from Point Grey

Research Inc. feature global shutter CCD sensors that provide low read noise, quantum efficiency near 70 percent and improved near-IR response. The 13 -in., 0.5-MP BFLY-PGE-05S2 model uses the ICX693 Super HAD CCD II sensor from Sony and supports 808 3 608 resolution at 50 fps. The sen sor offers a 6-m-square pixel with signal-to-noise ratio performance similar to the ICX424 device. The 13 -in., 0.9-MP BFLY-PGE-09S2 uses the ICX692 EXview HAD CCD II from Sony and supports 1288 3 728 resolution at 30 fps. The cameras are compatible with third-party imaging libraries via the GigE Vision standard and include Power over Ethernet. info@ptgrey.com
Semiconductor Lasers 5 9xx-nm Semiconductor lasers from Jenoptik Laser

GmbH have obtained 74 percent efficiency and are suitable as pumping sources for solid-state and fiber lasers, and for direct diode applications. The 9xx-nm single emitters have a 90-m aperture and provide 12-W output; at this power level, and when mounted on a passive heat sink, they have an efficiency of 64 percent. Their beam divergence is 26 in the fast-axis direction and 6.5 in the slowaxis direction (full width half maximum of the peak at 12 W), making them suitable for coupling in a 105-m fiber. The 9xx-nm mini bars contain five emitters with a 90-m width and 1000-m spacing each. taisia.vlasova@jenoptik.com
Sensor 2 Hygiene The W4S-3 hygiene photoelectric sensor

from Sick is suited for harsh wash-down environments in the food and beverage industry. The company says the devices stainless steel housing retains cleaning agents better than plastic housings and eliminates bacteria growth in applications where food may become lodged in small grooves, crevices or mounting holes. Rated IP69K, it withstands tough environments and temperatures ranging from 240 to 70 C. It provides a simple teach button and an LED indicator that shows status and power. Its proprietary third-generation custom ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) incorporates OES3 technology that provides background and foreground suppression at an extended range. info@sick.com
Spectrometer 4 Raman B&W Tek Inc. has enhanced its NanoRam

Raman spectrometer with an embedded 2-D bar-code scanner, batch scanning capabilities, IP-64 rated (dust tight and splash proof) housing and Ethernet connectivity for better tracking and reporting. The handheld instrument, an analyzer for material identification and verification within cGMPcompliant facilities, provides a high-brightness OLED touch-screen display and intuitive software for technical and nontechnical users. Also available are two sampling accessories: a 12-in. immersion shaft for sampling out of large drums and a tablet holder to measure finished products with uniformity. sales@bwtek.com
Spectrometers 6 Benchtop The SuperGamut series benchtop spectrometers from BaySpec Inc. incorporate multiple spectrographs and detectors, an optional light source(s) and sampling optics into one turnkey system to deliver high-speed response and longterm reliability for hyperspectral imager characterization, custom light source measurement and pulsed radiometry applications. The instrument uses volume phase grating technology and can be operated at wavelengths from 190 to 2500 nm. Users can combine one, two, three or multiple spectral engines, depending on wavelength range and resolution requirements. sales@bayspec.com
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quality metrics. It is offered in three editions: Engineering, for research and engineering environments; Enterprise, for system integrators and engineers who deploy test systems to production; and Deployment, for nontechnical operators in field or production environments. The system is suitable for police and identification applications, security systems, document storage, digital archiving and industrial imaging. imaging-gauge@appliedimage.com
epoxy gel, offering dimensional stability, softness and resilience for applications including the encapsulation of sensitive electronic parts and the sealing of optical components. The adhesive has an exceptionally low Shore A hardness of about 5-10. The gel can be cast in sections up to 2 to 3 in. It bonds well to substrates including metals, glass, ceramics and many rubbers and plastics, and has a working life of 7 to 9 h. The service temperature range is 2100 to 200 F. technical@masterbond.com
DPSS Laser
The Airtrac from RPMC Lasers Inc. is an ultracompact diode-pumped solid-state laser from Aret Associates for applications including laser designation, lidar, LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy), ranging and medicine. The air-cooled laser provides 50 mJ of pulse energy at 1064 nm, with pulse widths of 6-ns full width half maximum and repetition rate capability up to 30 Hz. Despite its size (6.5 cu in./0.43 lb), its resonator design promotes a uniform beam. The design is scalable, allowing for higher pulse energies and the addition of nonlinear optics to reach eye-safe wavelengths. Both the 532-nm and optical parametric oscillator crystals are internal to the laser. info@rpmclasers.com
Board-Level Camera
Baumer Ltd. has released the MXG03 board-level camera, which is equipped with the CMV300 VGA sensor by CMOSIS. The camera delivers 250 fps for applications including packaging, industrial automation, semiconductor manufacturing, life sciences and laboratory testing. Available in monochrome or color versions, the instrument uses a flex print to connect the sensor and system board, enabling it to fit into small spaces and almost any mechanical design. An integrated global shutter with correlated double sampling allows it to detect fast movements with low readout noise and good image quality. A GigE standard interface provides high bandwidth, reduces integration and supports the installation of camera networks. sales.us@baumer.com
Label Printer
The DL500 label printer from Primera Technology Inc. uses a laser diode with high-precision and matched optics a combination never before used in a roll-fed, desktop laser label imager, according to the company. The process allows fast in-house production of highly durable labels for a wide range of rough-service applications, including labels for medical devices and health care equipment, automobile VIN (vehicle identification number) and under-hood parts numbers, warning and instruction labels, aerospace and solar panel labels, and serial tags for outdoor equipment, automobile parts and building materials. Text, graphics and linear or 2-D bar codes can be laser-ablated onto a range of adhesive-backed label materials. sales@primeralabel.com
4-Channel Scanner Card

Lake Shore Cryotronics Inc.s Model 3062 is a four-channel scanner card for its models 336 and 350 temperature controllers, used in low-temperature physics research. The card adds four additional input channels for cryogenic temperature sensors. The scanner option channels can be configured for negative temperature coefficient resistor, positive temperature coefficient resistor or diode sensors, enabling the monitoring of additional critical points in a system. The card can be installed in the field, so returning the controller for upgrading is unnecessary. It is supported by model 336 firmware version 2.3 and later and by model 350 firmware version 1.1 and later. info@lakeshore.com
Image Analysis System

From Applied Image Inc., the Imaging Gauge analysis system is a tool for R&D scientists, system integrators, technicians and field operators to assess and standardize camera quality from image to image and place to place over time. The Windows-based system includes test targets and software to analyze the target and report image-
Handheld LIBS Analyzer

The LEA handheld elemental analyzer from Lasersec Systems Corp. is based on laserinduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). It offers advantages in applications using x-ray fluorescence and optical emission spectroscopy. The device can identify all elements, and can analyze both conducting and nonconducting samples. It requires
Epoxy Gel
Available from Master Bond, the Super Gel 9 is an optically clear, two-component urethane-modified
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no sample preparation or cleaning between tests, and no operator certification is needed. The instrument is suitable for RoHS/REACH compliance, forensics, explosive materials ID, mineral exploration, research and pharmaceuticals manufacturing. sales@lasersec-systems.com cellular imaging. Data from the SpectraMax i3 system is captured and analyzed using the proprietary SoftMax Pro Software. info@moldev.com
USB 3.0 Cameras

From The Imaging Source is a new series of compact USB 3.0 cameras with CCD and CMOS sensors. The cameras ship in industrial casing (29 3 29 3 47 mm) with a C/CS lens mount, trigger and digital I/0 inputs. The color, monochrome and Bayer models are available with resolutions from VGA to 5 megapixels. They are suitable for machine vision applications in automation, traffic surveillance, quality assurance, medicine, logistics, microscopy and security. Drivers for LabView, HALCON, DirectX, Twain and WDM are included. All camera parameters and settings can be set via the shipped software. A number of automatic modes are available for varying light conditions. info@theimagingsource.com
Laser Diode Collimators

New laser diode collimators from The Optoelectronics Co. have high alignment accuracy and are aimed at OEMs and system integrators who use laser-based technology in their products. The collimators measure 6 3 8 mm and offer an elliptical output beam with a collimated diameter of 2.5 3 2 mm, which is bore-sighted for greater precision. By adjusting the distance between the laser diode and the collimating lens, the factoryfixed beam can be set for a collimated or focused output. The collimators are available in lasing wavelengths from 635 to 852 nm, with output power from 0.9 to 75 mW. sales@oe-company.com
and UV illumination. At very short wavelengths, solarization-resistant fibers with low UV damage are recommended. From 190 to 240 nm, damage to conventional optical fibers leads to losses in transmission and even blinding of the fiber (solarization). The companys FBPI fiber features a high solarization resistance and has suitable transmission properties across a wavelength range from 200 to 2100 nm. The buffer material for the UV fibers is mostly polyimide, which can withstand temperatures of up to 300 C. info@lasercomponents.com
Raman Spectrometer System

Tec5USA Inc.s Raman spectrometer system is designed for process control. Based on the established MultiSpec spectrometer system, the new cassettes contain a laser light source and a highresolution spectrometer. A fiber optic Raman probe completes the measurement setup. A temperaturestabilized semiconductor laser provides 50 to 500 mW of 785-nm excitation light. The system is housed in a plug-in cassette with a front-panel controller fiber optic output connector to allow an easy connection to the Raman probe. The spectrometer cassette uses a high-throughput, highresolution spectrograph based on a sensitive TE-cooled scientific-grade CCD detector. info@tec5usa.com
EMCCD Camera
The Falcon Blue digital monochrome frame transfer EMCCD camera from Raptor Photonics Ltd. delivers UV transmission using an MgF2 window to pick up signals from 180 to 1100 nm. Running at 35 Hz, the 1-MP instrument offers readout noise of <1 e with electron-multiplying gain on, and a spectral range with 24 percent quantum efficiency at 200 nm. It is suitable for scientific and industrial applications that require higher frame rates at lower wavelengths. Sample applications include adaptive optics and astronomy, bio- and chemiluminescence, fluorescence imaging, spectroscopy and flow cytometry. sales@raptorphotonics.com
Piezo Linear Actuator

Physik Instrumente (PI) has added the P-604 model to its PiezoMove family of motion-amplified, flexure-guided piezo linear actuators. Providing a displacement of 300 m and measuring only 20 3 13 3 4 mm, the lightweight actuator is optimized for OEM instrumentation applications in fields including precision optics, the life sciences, medical design, bio-/nanotechnology, and microfluidics/ nanodispensing. Customer-specific adaptations can be provided. info@pi-usa.us
Multimode Detection Platform

Molecular Devices SpectraMax i3 multimode detection platform is a stand-alone reader that can be combined with various proprietary modules for added capabilities including time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization and assay screening. The platforms base system features an integrated optical system enabling top and bottom reads for 6- to 384-well microplates and three broad detection modes: luminescence, absorbance and fluorescence. The patented user-exchangeable cartridge design expands the systems detection capability, enabling fluorescence and bright-field
Linear Motor Stages

The XM series of linear stages from Newport Corp. is now available with a minimum incremental motion of 1 nm for nanopositioning applications, including laser machining, semiconductor wafer processing, sensor test and calibration, and ultraprecision assembly. The improved performance is the result of an optimized driver design with the XPS-DRV02L drive module to deliver dynamic performance with consistent motion. With a frictionless direct-drive device, the stages offer motion
UV Fiber Assemblies
Assembled patch cords based on UV fibers are available from Laser Components GmbH for applications including fluorescence spectroscopy, UV laser power transmission, medical technology
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performance that is not limited by backlash, hysteresis, wind-up or stiction. In addition, its center-driven ironless motor coil ensures zero cogging for smooth velocity control with minimized heat generation. beda.espinoza@newport.com
are not susceptible to the reverberation of sound off of structures in the vicinity of gunfire. info@calsensors.com
Frame Grabbers
Teledyne Dalsas Xtium-CL PX4 frame grabbers support a wide variety of area- and line-scan color and monochrome cameras, all in a compact, single-slot solution, and deliver twice the sustained host transfer bandwidth across extended cable lengths. The onboard Data Transfer Engine (DTE) produces maximum bandwidth without the need for specialized motherboards or chip sets. By enabling maximum sustained throughput and ready-to-use image data, the frame grabbers minimize CPU usage and improve processing times for host applications. Their enhanced memory architecture allows them to handle various sensor-tap topologies while sustaining color decoding at the maximum frame-per-line rate. sales.americas@teledynedalsa.com
Muzzle Flash Detectors

Optical detectors from Cal Sensors can sense muzzle flash from more than 100 m, offering faster response and fewer false targets. Operating at the speed of light, they provide an almost instantaneous response to a gunfire event, offering realtime detection capabilities and giving targets the critical seconds needed to duck and apply countermeasures. Unlike acoustic detectors, they do not detect other loud noises such as car backfires, and they can be designed to reject any optical signals outside the desired detection bandwidth. They also
Microscopy Imaging
Scientific camera manufacturer SPOT Imaging Solutions has launched the high-speed Insight Gigabit camera for live microscopy imaging. It is suitable for presentations at conferences and in the classroom. Low-noise circuitry enables 14-fps imaging with 4-MP resolution and a large field of view. Its Kodak 21.4-mm scientific CCD sensor can
capture fixed images in all common formats. The camera adapts to any microscope, and its software interface is compatible with PCs or Macs, enabling zooming and focusing during live viewing. Presenters can add measurements and annotate images in real time. info@diaginc.com
Fiber-Coupled Modules
Seminexs high-brightness 25- and 50-W fibercoupled multichip modules can operate in the 13xx- to 17xx-nm region. At 1315 nm, they deliver up to 50 W through a single 400-m-core fiber. The devices are suitable for a number of applications, including remote sensing, illumination and
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new products
materials processing. A variety of modules from 10 to 50 W are available, with many shipping directly from stock. info@seminex.com as well as metal. The IR wavelength enables measurement of rough-ground optics prior to the final polish. An optional vibration-insensitive dynamic mode is also available for measurements under most environmental conditions without vibration isolation or turbulence control. info@laserphysics.co.uk for common Raman excitation wavelengths to enable the user to see more signal with less background. istsales@iridian.ca
Motor and Gearhead

The EC4 from maxon motor is a 4-mm-diameter brushless DC motor and gearhead for miniature pumps, surgical robots, diagnostic devices, endoscopes and other miniaturization applications. To overcome the low output power found with microdrives of this size, the company increased its performance by using the latest winding technology, along with the most powerful magnets available. The motor comes in a short version with 0.5-W nominal power or a long version with 1-W nominal power. The speed/torque gradient of the EC4 is 50,000 rpm mNm21 with a continuous torque of 0.4 mNm. info@maxonmotorusa.com
Ultrasmall Sensors
The R2 ultraminiature photoelectric sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs Inc. are available in four sensing modes for use in the semiconductor, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. The through-beammode devices measure 24 3 6.5 3 11.2 mm and provide an industry-standard mounting footprint, a flush- and wear-resistant antistatic glass lens and a 45 cable outlet for mounting flexibility. They can be installed in extremely tight spaces and close to moving objects. Enhanced LEDs indicate their operating state. The no-load supply current is <10 mA, sensing distance is up to 2.5 m, and response time is 600 s. sales@us.pepperl-fuchs.com
Optical Microscope
Bruker Corp. has added the ContourGT-K model to its ContourGT line of 3-D optical microscopes. The scalable device features patented, higherbrightness dual-LED illumination and vertical resolution for benchtop metrology applications. It delivers Z-axis resolution across all fields of view and 2- and 3-D imaging capability for noncontact profile, roughness and thickness measurements on a wide range of surfaces. The systems gaugecapable, streamlined design includes integrated air isolation for robust vibration tolerance in challenging production environments. The instrument incorporates Bruker Vision64 software and a library of preprogrammed filters and analyzes for access to advanced measurements for LED, solar cell, thick-film and other applications. steve.hopkins@bruker-nano.com
Linear Variable Filters

Optical thin-film maker Deltas new line of linear variable order sorting filters features wide transmission and reflectance bands, increasing the performance of grating-based spectrometers. The company offers a linear variable long-wave pass filter and the corresponding linear variable shortwave pass filter, together with a linear variable dichroic. The filter types can be used separately, while combining the two types enables the construction of bandpass filters that can be tuned continuously with center wavelengths from 320 to 850 nm. The filters feature improved transmis sion level and edge steepness, and offer blocking better than OD3 over the complete reflection range. filters@delta.dk
PDA Spectrometer
Horiba Scientifics VS-7000-PDA is a mini fiber optic linear photodiode array (PDA) spectrometer with a UV-VIS range from 200 to 860 nm, VIS from 380 to 750 nm or UV-NIR from 200 to 1050 nm. The compact device provides a colossal full well from 100 Me2 to 1 Ge2, low noise (2.6 counts), high readout speed of 3.5 ms maximum and a signal-tonoise ratio of 10,000:1. Its concave holographic grating features very low stray light in the UV region, and the high dynamic range of its CMOS PDA detector enables OEM applications including liquid chromatography. joanne.lowy@horiba.com
LWIR Laser Interferometer

Laser Physics UK is now offering 4D Technologys AccuFiz long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) laser interferometer, suitable for measuring concave, convex and afocal IR components, and IR telescopes and lens systems. Based on its ability to capture high slopes, the interferometer measures aspherical optics without the need for a holographic element. It operates at a wavelength of 10.6 mm for an accurate measurement of polished and rough glass
Raman Spectroscopy Mirrors

To complete its line of standard filters for Raman spectroscopy, Iridian is offering dichroic mirrors with high reflectance (>95 percent) at the laser line and high transmittance (>95 percent) of the Raman signal. Because the scattered light in Raman spectroscopy is significantly weaker than the excitation light, high signal-to-noise optical filtering is critical. Typical Raman systems require laser cleanup filters and edge-pass filters, and dichroic mirrors; these filter types are now offered
A portable hydrogen mass spectrometer leak detector released by Vacuum Instrument Corp. tests the integrity of components, systems and parts using hydrogen leak detection techniques. Designed for use with 5% H2 and N2 gas mixtures, the MD-490S H2 provides an alternative for companies with high helium costs and associated supply issues. The unit delivers a response time of <0.5 s, sensitivity to the smallest detectable leak rate of 5 3 1027 Atm-cc/s H2 (atmospheric sniffer mode), with a leak range of 1023 to ~1027 Atm-cc/s direct reading of H2 leak rate (compensated for atmospheric sampling), tuned for mass 2. sales@vicleakdetection.com
H2 Leak Detector
Camera Module
Obzerv Technologies Inc. has released the PIC-75, a passive intensified night-vision CCD camera module that amplifies low light in a wide range of wavelengths to reveal more details in total
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darkness. The camera comprises an image intensifier coupled to a CCD sensor; the image intensifier is based on a microchannel plate (MCP) that amplifies an image focused onto a photocath ode. The image is transmitted to a CCD sensor via proprietary fiber optic bundle coupling. The camera can be operated in continuous mode or gated at high frequencies. The CCD sensor does not require cooling, and progressive-scan mode is possible without frame-to-frame artifacts. info@obzerv.com
TEC for Testing

The LDT-5412B thermoelectric temperature controller (TEC) from ILX Lightwave, a Newport Corp. brand, can be used for testing laser diodes, photodetectors and other optoelectronic devices. It features 6 W of temperature control, an intuitive front panel and long-term 0.01 C temperature stability for wavelength-sensitive and other highstability applications. The controller incorporates a low-noise, bipolar current output with closedloop temperature control and displays both measured thermistor resistance and TEC output current. A new linearized thermistor sensor mode allows the device to display and control to a user-targeted temperature for 10 k thermistors. sales@ilxlightwave.com
DPSK Reference Transmitter

Photline Technologies ModBox 1550-nm differential phase shift keying (DPSK) reference transmitter is designed for use in optical telecommuni cations laboratories, test beds and production. The 12-Gb/s optical modulation unit generates high-performance DPSK optical data streams and incorporates a modulation stage based on a high-data-rate LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder modulator, coupled with a high-performance radio-frequency driver and automatic bias control circuitry. It also can receive an internal laser source and a receiver stage based on a delay line interferometer and balanced detector. The ModBox also is available at 1310 nm and for data rates up to 56 Gb/s. Alternative modulation formats such as DQPSK and NRZ also are available. contact@photline.com
58 g and comes standard with a 20-m entrance slit. info@avantes.com
Miniature Spectrometer
The AvaSpec-Micro from Avantes is a spectrometer measuring only 38.5 ml. An addition to the CompactLine, the device is 30 percent the size of its predecessor, the AvaSpec-Mini. It offers a resolution of up to 0.8 nm with a 2500-pixel detector. Available wavelength ranges are 370 to 750 nm for visible light and 225 to 850 nm for UV-VIS measurements. The instrument is suitable for OEM applications and is powered by a standard USB 2.0 connection, which also is used for data transfer. For industry applications, four configu rable digital I/O ports are available. It weighs
Excimer Laser
A 193-nm tabletop excimer laser from Microtrace LLC is now available for micromarking, microma chining and microdrilling. The modified laser system is suitable for a variety of substrates, including diamond, ceramic, glass, composites, polymers and metals. It can also inscribe microscopic serial numbers, logos and bar codes. The company said that the premodified system has a proven track record of performance in the diamond and gemstone industry to inscribe microscopic serial numbers, logos and bar codes on diamonds. info@microtraceresolutions.com
Coming in August
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new products
Motorized Focus Stage

Introduced by Santa Barbara Imaging , the FS50X motorized focus stage features submicron positioning, a cross-roller stage, a stepper motor drive and an integrated stepper motor controller in a compact form factor. The system is available with either a variable speed/direction mouse controller or with stepper motor control by an external device. Applications are in low- to high-magnification microscope focusing with manual or automated program control for fine-components inspection and fluorescence imaging, and for OEM products requiring an embedded vision system. sales@santabarbaraimaging.com
instrument provides fourth-order linearization, a complete set of communication (COM) ports and a large choice of software tools. Its Soft Start/Stop technology offers sample protection, providing digital control for nanopositioning tasks. It features a DSP 32-bit floating point; 8.3-s sampling rate servo control; interchangeability (parameters autoloading); Ethernet, RS-232 and USB 64-b Windows 7 compatibility; and up to six-channel networking in daisy-chain. info@queensgate.com
Xenon Source
The HPX-2000-HP-DUV xenon light source from Ocean Optics is a 75-W short-arc lamp for UV-VIS absorbance spectroscopy and other applications where a high-intensity lamp is required. It provides continuous spectral output from 185 to 2000 nm and offers up to 2000 h of bulb life. The lamps integrated shutter can be controlled via a switch on the front panel or a TTL signal over the rear panel, so that taking dark measurements or making other adjustments does not affect stability or compromise experiment integrity. Adding an external filtering option such as the companys direct-attach cuvette holder turns the source into a broadband excitation source for fluorescence. info@oceanoptics.com
Sapphire Windows
Using its proprietary crystal growing technology, Monocrystal, a supplier of sapphire products for LED and metallization pastes for solar industries, has developed sapphire windows and blanks up to 12 in. for the optical market. Advancements in the modified Kyropoulos growing method have enabled the company to grow 120-kg sapphire crystals on scale. Monocrystal said that this technological advantage has enabled it to offer a wide range of optical products not available on the market before. sales@monocrystal.com
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. To advertise, call Kristina Laurin at (413) 499-0514, or email advertising@ photonics.com.
Digital Controller
Available from Queensgate Instruments, an Elektron Technology brand, the NPC-D-5110DS digital controller supports calibration parameters readout, enabling stages and actuators to be easily interchanged without recalibration downtime. The
70
www.photonics.com
Happenings
AUGUST PAPERS
SPIE Medical Imaging (February 15-20) San Diego Deadline: Abstracts, August 12 Authors are encouraged to contribute to SPIE Medical Imaging 2014, which will address topics in the field ranging from fundamental scientific principles to clinical applications. Medical image acquisition, display, processing, analysis, perception, decision support and informatics will be considered. For authors wishing to publish their work in a journal after the conference, SPIE says that its copyright policy grants them the right to include material from their Medical Imaging Proceedings papers in a peer-reviewed journal of their choice. Contact SPIE, +1 (888) 504-8171; help@spie.org; spie.org. ODF 14 (February 12-14) Tokyo Deadline: Paper submission, August 20 Engineers and scientists are invited to submit original papers to the Ninth International Conference on Optics-Photonics Design & Fabrication. Topics to be discussed include lens design, illumination simulation, diffractive optics and holography, thin films, fiber optics, optical lithography, optical data storage and new technologies, including nonlinear and ultrafast optics, metamaterials, plasmonics and quantum optics. A special session on active optical components and systems is also on the agenda. Contact Secretariat, Tsuyoshi Hayashi, Proactive Inc., +81 78 332 2505; odf14@pac.ne.jp; www.odf.jp. SPIE Smart Structures/NDE (March 9-13) San Diego Deadline: Abstracts, August 26 Papers are sought for the multidisciplinary conference, SPIE Smart Structures/Non-Destructive Evaluation. Among the topic areas to be covered are electroactive polymer actuators and devices, active and passive smart structures and integrated systems, behavior and mechanics of multifunctional materials and composites, industrial and commercial applications of smart structures technologies, and sensors and smart structures technologies for civil, mechanical and aerospace systems. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
Eighth International Symposium on Image and Signal Processing and Analysis (ISPA 2013) (Sept. 4-6) Trieste, Italy. Contact Claudia Maraspin, ispa2013@theoffice.it; www.isispa.org. IEEE Photonics Conference 2013 (Sept. 8-12) Bellevue, Wash. Contact Mary S. Hendrickx, +1 (732) 562-3897; m.hendrickx@ieee.org; www.photonicssociety.org. CAOL 2013: International Conference on Advanced Optoelectronics and Lasers (Sept. 9-13) Sudak, Ukraine. Contact Oleksiy Shulika, +380 57 702 1384; a.shulika@ieee.org; caol.kture.kharkov.ua. SPIE Photomask Technology (Sept. 10-12) Monterey, Calif. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org. AITA 2013: 12th International Workshop on Advanced Infrared Technology and Applications (Sept. 10-13) Turin, Italy. Contact Davide Moroni, Institute of Information Science and Technologies, +390 50 315 3130; davide.moroni@isti.cnr.it; ronchi.isti.cnr.it/AITA2013. AMOS: Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (Sept. 10-13) Maui, Hawaii. Contact AMOS, +1 (808) 875-2318; info@amostech.com; www.amostech.com.
(Aug. 4-8) Indianapolis. Contact Nicole Guy, Microscopy Society of America, +1 (703) 234-4115; meetingmanager@microscopy.org; www.microscopy.org.
l Microscopy & Microanalysis (M&M 2013)
Seventh International Summer School: New Frontiers in Optical Technologies (Aug. 5-9) Tampere, Finland. Contact Mircea Guina, Optoelectronics Research Centre, +358 40 849 0004; mircea.guina@tut.fi; www.tut.fi. ISOM13: International Symposium on Optical Memory (Aug. 18-22) Incheon, South Korea. Contact ISOM13 Secretariat, cisd@yonsei. ac.kr; www.isom.jp. NUSOD 2013: 13th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices (Aug. 19-22) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Contact Joachim Piprek, NUSOD Institute LLC, +1 (302) 565-4945; piprek@nusod.org; www.nusod.org. 2013 CALCON Technical Conference: the Annual Conference on Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing (Aug. 19-22) Logan, Utah. Contact Stephanie Halton, +1 (435) 713-3058; stephanie.halton@ usurf.usu.edu; www.calcon.sdl.usu.edu.
l SPIE Optics + Photonics (Aug. 25-29) San Diego. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice@spie.org; spie.org.
Biophotonics Riga 2013 (Aug. 26-31) Riga, Latvia. Contact asi@lu.lv; www.lu.lv/ fotonika-lv. ASEPE-2013: Second Asian Symposium on Electromagnetics and Photonics Engineering (Aug. 28-30) Tabriz, Iran. Contact University of Tabriz, +98 411 3393 852; info@asepe.ir; www.asepe.ir. Third Workshop on Specialty Optical Fibers and Their Applications (Aug. 28-30) Sigtuna, Sweden. Contact Walter Margulis, +46 8 632 77 23; walter.margulis@acreo.se; www.wsof2013.org. Tenth International Conference on Group IV Photonics (GFP) (Aug. 28-30) Seoul, South Korea. Contact Megan Figueroa, +1 (732) 562-3895; m.figueroa@ieee.org; www.gfp-ieee.org.
l LME Lasers for Manufacturing Event (Sept. 11-12) Schaumburg, Ill. Contact Laser Institute of America, +1 (407) 380-1553; www.lia.org.
FOAN 2013 Fourth International Workshop on Fiber Optics in Access Networks (Sept. 11-12) Almaty, Kazakhstan. Contact Edvin kaljo, BH Telecom d.d. Sarajevo, skaljo@ bhtelecom.ba; www.foan2013.com.ba. POF 2013: 22nd International Conference on Plastic Optical Fibers (Sept. 11-13) Bzios, Brazil. Contact Secretariat, +55 21 2562 8200; pof2013br@lif.coppe.ufrj.br; www.pof2013. org.br. EOS Topical Meetings at Capri 2013 (Sept. 12-14) Capri, Italy. Events of the European Optical Society. Includes Fifth EOS Topical Meeting on Optical Microsystems (O S 13) and First EOS Topical Meeting on Optics at the Nanoscale (O NS 13). Contact Principa Dardano, +39 08161 32347; capri@myeos.org; www.myeos.org. 20th IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP) (Sept. 15-18) Melbourne, Australia. Contact David Suter, University of
SEPTEMBER
Cell Imaging Techniques Course (Sept. 1-6) Oxford, England. Royal Microscopical Society, +44 1865 254760; info@rms.org.uk; www.rms.org.uk. AOIM 2013: Ninth International Workshop on Adaptive Optics for Industry and Medicine (Sept. 2-6) Stellenbosch, South Africa. Contact South African Institute of Physics, +27 12 841 2655; aoim2013@saip.org.za; www.saip.org.za/ aoim2013.
l Indicates shows Photonics Media will be attending.

Complete listings at www.photonics.com/calendar.
71
Happenings
Adelaide, +61 88 308 3661; dsuter@cs.adelaide. edu.au; www.ieeeicip.org. First EOS Topical Meeting on Frontiers in Optical Imaging (FOI 2013) (Sept. 16-18) Murten, Switzerland. A European Optical Society event. Contact EOS-Events & Services GmbH, +49 511 277 2672; foi2013@myeos.org; www.myeos.org. Metamaterials 2013: Seventh International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwaves and Optics (Sept. 16-19) Bordeaux, France. Contact contact@ congress2013.metamorphose-vi.org; congress 2013.metamorphose-vi.org. 11th International Conference: Atomic and Molecular Pulsed Lasers (Sept. 16-20) Tomsk, Russia. Contact Institute of Atmospheric Optics SB RAS, +7 3822 492738; contact@iao.ru; symp.iao. ru/en/ampl/11. JSAP-OSA Joint Symposia 2013 at the 74th JSAP Autumn Meeting 2013 (Sept. 16-20) Kyoto, Japan. An event of the Japan Society of Applied Physics and The Optical Society. Contact JSAP, joint_osa@jsap.or.jp; www.gakkai-web.net/ gakkai/jsap/jsap_osa/hp. 11th International Conference on Correlation Optics (Sept. 18-21) Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Contact Oleg V. Angelsky, Chernivtsi University, phone/fax: 380 3722 44730; oleg@optical.chernovtsy.ua; www.itf.cv.ua/corropt13. 2013 World Molecular Imaging Congress (Sept. 18-21) Savannah, Ga. Contact Christiaan Koop, World Molecular Imaging Society, +1 (310) 215-9730; wmis@wmis.org; www.wmicmeeting.org. SPIE Laser Damage (Sept. 22-25) Boulder, Colo. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customerservice @spie.org; spie.org. ECOC 2013: European Conference on Optical Communications (Sept. 22-26) London. Contact IET, fax: +44 1438 765 659; ecoc2013@theiet.org; www.ecoc2013.org. SPIE Remote Sensing and SPIE Security + Defence (Sept. 23-26) Dresden, Germany. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customer service@spie.org; spie.org. 2013 BMES Annual Meeting (Sept. 25-28) Seattle. Contact Biomedical Engineering Society. +1 (301) 459-1999; bmes.org. Optics of Liquid Crystals 2013 (Sept. 29-Oct. 4) Contact Liang-Chy Chien, +1 (330) 672-3827; lchien@kent.edu; www.lcinet.kent.edu/ conference/19.
OCTOBER
Avionics, Fiber-Optics and Photonics Conference (Oct. 1-3) San Diego. Contact Megan Figueroa, conference planner, +1 (732) 562-3895; m.gueroa@ieee.org; www.avfop-ieee.org.
Frontiers in Optics 2013/Laser Science XXIX (Oct. 6-10) Orlando, Fla. Contact The Optical Society, +1 (202) 416-1907; custserv@osa.org; www.osa.org. ICALEO International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (Oct. 6-10) Miami. Contact Laser Institute of America, +1 (800) 345-2737 (US); +1 (407) 380-1553 (International); icaleo@lia.org; www.lia.org. Opto 2013 (Oct. 8-10) Paris. Contact Thierry Guermonprez, +33 1 44 31 83 21; thierry. guermonprez@gl-events.com; www.enova-event. com.
SPIE Optifab 2013 (Oct. 14-17) Rochester, N.Y. Contact SPIE, +1 (360) 676-3290; customer service@spie.org; spie.org. RadTech Europe 13 (Oct. 15-17) Basel, Switzerland. Contact Felicitas Bessmann, Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG, +49 511 9910 282; felicitas.bessmann@vincentz.net; www.european-coatings.com/radtech.
Francisco. Contact Laura Preston, Smithers Apex, +1 (207) 781-9633; lpreston@smithers.com or info@smitherspira.com; www.smithersapex.com.
OLEDs World Summit 2013 (Sept. 17-19) San
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Photonics Spectra. Your campaign starts here.

Contact your sales representative at (413) 499-0514 or at sales@photonics.com
72
www.photonics.com
Advertiser Index
Photonics Media Advertising Contacts
a
Aero Research Associates Inc. ........................22 www.aerorese.com Aerotech Inc. .............................. 51 www.aerotech.com Andor Technology plc ................62 www.andor.com Applied Scientific Instrumentation Inc. ..............32 www.asiimaging.com
i
ISP Optics Corporation .............................42 www.ispoptics.com
Precision Glass & Optics ..................................63 www.pgo.com Prism Awards .............................11 www.prismawards.org
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, FL, Rocky Mountains, AZ & NM Rebecca L. Pontier Associate Director of Sales Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 112 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 becky.pontier@photonics.com NY, NJ & PA Timothy A. Dupree Regional Manager Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 111 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 tim.dupree@photonics.com Northern CA, AK, NV, Pacific Northwest, Yukon & British Columbia Joanne C.Mirke Regional Manager Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 226 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 joanne.mirke@photonics.com Central CA, South Central US & Eastern Canada Maureen Riley Moriarty Regional Manager Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 229 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 riley.moriarty@photonics.com Southern CA, HI, Southeastern US, Midwest, Europe & Israel Matt Beebe Regional Manager Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514, Ext. 103 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 matt.beebe@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 Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514 Fax: +1 (413) 442-3180 editorial@photonics.com Mailing addresses: Send all contracts, insertion orders and advertising copy to: Laurin Publishing PO Box 4949 Pittsfield, MA 01202-4949 Street address: Laurin Publishing 100 West Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 Voice: +1 (413) 499-0514 Fax: +1 (413) 443-0472 advertising@photonics.com
k
Kurt J. Lesker Co. ......................19 www.lesker.com
r
Ross Optical Industries ................................38 www.rossoptical.com
l
Laser Institute of America ........................ 28, 63 www.laserinstitute.org
b
Bristol Instruments Inc. ............ 14 www.bristol-inst.com
s
Siskiyou Corporation .............................33 www.siskiyou.com SPIE ..................................... 15, 34 www.spie.org Stanford Research Systems Inc. ............................. 3 www.thinksrs.com SUTTER INSTRUMENT ..........................32 www.sutter.com Swift Glass Co., Inc. ..................62 www.swiftglass.com Sydor Optics Inc. .......................30 www.sydor.com
c
Cargille Laboratories ................. 61 www.cargille.com China International Optoelectronic Exposition ...............................60 www.cioe.cn Coherent Inc. ............................... 7 www.coherent.com Corporate Assets Inc. .................. 9 www.corpassets.com
m
Mad City Labs Inc. .................................70 www.madcitylabs.com Master Bond Inc. .......................40 www.masterbond.com Mildex Inc. ..................................63 www.mildex.com MOXTEK Inc. ................................ 6 www.moxtek.com
n
National Reconnaissance Office .....................................CV2 http://dii.westfields.net Newport Corporation .................29 www.newport.com Newport Thin Film Laboratory Inc. .......................62 www.newportlab.com
e
Edmund Optics ........................CV4 www.edmundoptics.com Electro-Optical Products Corp. ........................40 www.eopc.com Energetiq Technology Inc. .......................20 www.energetiq.com Esco Optics ................................12 www.escooptics.com ET Enterprises/ADIT/ Electron Tubes ........................62 www.et-enterprises.com
t
Tohkai Sangyo Co., Ltd. ......................70 www.peak.co.jp Toshiba Imaging Systems Division .................... 27 www.toshibacameras.com
o
The Optical Society of America ...............................50 www.frontiersinoptics.org
u
United Lens Company Inc. ............................ 8 www.ulc-inc.com
f
Fermionics Opto-Technology ..................... 21 www.fermionics.com
p
Photonics Consortium .............................13 Photonics Media....23, 67, 69, 72 www.photonics.com PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. .......54 www.pi-usa.us piezosystem jena GmbH ...........72 www.piezojena.com
w
Westech Optical Corporation .............................62 www.westechoptical.com
z
Zygo Corp. ................................CV3 www.zygo.com
h
Hellma USA ................................ 61 www.hellmausa.com
73
lighter SIDE
Wave a hand, create a touch screen
Smartphone apps can

take care of everything but walking the dog (although there may be an app for that, too). Its convenient, sure, but you have to dig your phone out of your pocket, and youre stuck with the interface designed by an apps creator. Wouldnt you rather draw your own virtual touch-screen interface on any given surface and tell it what to do? The technology is in development at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and could be as easy to install as a lightbulb. Called the WorldKit system and created by Robert Xiao, Chris Harrison and Scott E. Hudson at the universitys Human-Computer Interaction Institute it is basically a ceiling-mounted projector and depth camera. In earlier research, depth camera systems such as Kinect have been combined with projectors to turn surfaces into touch-driven interfaces. The CMU teams work has shown that these interfaces can be created with hand gestures. Users can instantiate create and define interfaces by swiping their hands over surfaces, sort of like a digital paintbrush, Harrison said. The depth camera sees the room in 3-D, and by having that information, it can determine when a persons hand touches a table, wall or other surface. The wideangle projector allows users to render the interactive interfaces and content onto the surfaces. This means that a user could create a personalized television remote on the arm of a sofa or paint an interactive calendar on an office wall, all with the wave of a hand. Apps you paint are already hooked up to functions, Harrison said. So, for example, before sitting down, you could say Remote. Then you can sit down, lasso an area with your hands, and boom
Using WorldKit technology, doctoral student Robert
theres a remote control there. Its sort of like how you can download a Facebook app to your smartphone, and its connected to Facebook. People have envisioned futuristic offices, hospitals and classrooms for a very long time, but retrofitting these rooms with interactive capability is very expensive, Harrison added; WorldKit could sidestep the complexity of creating smart environments. The findings were presented in April at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. More work is needed before a wide release: The team must bring down the cost, integrate everything tightly and make it much smaller, Harrison said. If we can achieve a lightbulblike experience, where you just screw it in and, bam, there is touch interaction everywhere that would be the dawn of a new era of computing. Caren Les caren.les@photonics.com
Xiao glides his hand to instantly create a touch screen near an office door. The ad hoc screen could serve as an interactive calendar or messaging unit.
The prototype WorldKit 2.0 device for creating touch screens on everyday surfaces could be installed like a lightbulb.
74
Images courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University.
www.photonics.com
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Photonics Spectra July 2013

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Inrad Optics installs vacuum deposition system

A 700- to 890-nm parallel optic transmitter testboard module for 4 3 25 Gb/s.

Imra files patent suit against Coherent in Germany

Exotic Electro-Optics and LightWorks merge, rebrand as LightWorks Optical Systems

Photonics Spectra July 2013

Prism winner nabs Edison Award

This month in history

Mercedes-Benz concept car has laser headlights

July 2013 Photonics Spectra

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Photonics Spectra July 2013

To Reach the Peak of Performance

Raytheon books $106M laser-guided bomb contract

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A patterned, low-defect antireflection coating on a 200-mm silicon wafer.

Four Small Business Innovation Grants awarded for OLED lighting

Photonics Spectra July 2013

Fermionics 1/3 Column:Layout 1

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Femtosecond photonic crystal fiber beam transport.

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