Search

Reports that researchers at Cornell University have created crystalline thin-film waveguides from polymer composites, raising the potential of growing optical materials of unusual size or geometry and broad tunability. Embedding of nanocrystals of chromium-doped forsterite or chromium-doped diopside in a polymer matrix; Pump-probe experiments; Primary mechanism for signal loss.

An interview with Robert Alfano, physics and electrical engineering professor at City College of New York and founder and director of its Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers, is presented. He discusses his career at the school, the expansion of photonics education expanding to minorities and how he can help graduates enter and succeed in the business world. Alfano shares whether his students are looking at careers in business or academia, and his biomedical optics research .

An interview with Laser & Fiber Optics Southeast Regional Center (LASER-TEC) director, doctor Chrys Panayiotou is presented. Topics mentioned include the shortage of technicians in the Southeast U.S., the reason why the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding the center, and the future plans for regional NSF centers. It mentioned the need of educating the technicians to meet the need of staff in the photonics community.

The article talks about the photonics community's concerns about the scientific progress and uncertainty of trade and immigration, with the executive order given by U.S. President Donald Trump. Topics include letters by OSA and SPIE to the President offering assistance in developing border security, concerns that it might limit foreign-born people in the U.S., and the implementation of a fair immigration policy. Also mentioned is the importance of foreign scientists for the U.S. growth.

Reports on the significance of a seven-element fiber-laser array demonstrated at the May Solid-State and Diode Laser Technology Review workshop hosted by the Directed Energy Professional Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Efficicacy of high-power fiber-laser arrays to produce coherent output power that provides significant military capabilities; Construction of an experimental setup based on an architecture of massively parallel elements; Sponsors of the workshop.

Reports on the highlights of optoelectronics-related conferences that took place in the U.S., as of June 2003. Aerosense 2003 conference, which was held on April 21-25 in Orlando, Florida; Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Thermosense conference; Number of attendees; Exhibition of applications in commercial imaging and sensing; Optoelectronics for homeland defense.

The article reflects on the features and characteristics of the ultraviolet (UV) imaging industry in the U.S. It has been stressed that the UV machine vision is developing as a commercial UV hardware drops in terms of price. In fact, new applications are existing since there are more users who are integrating the off-the-shelf UV cameras into the production environments as well as experiment. It could be noted that the reflected-UV imaging is a new area of machine-vision technology.

Explores the growing interest of companies in the United States in application-specific systems that incorporate machine vision. Efforts by Omron Electronics to increase its focus on packaging and vision; Demands for vision-based manufacturing equipment; Investments of Kraft Foods Inc. in advanced manufacturing systems as part of its technology development strategy.

Discusses the importance of machine vision in the medical-device manufacturing industry in the U.S. Automation of device production; Lower product cost and high product quality.

This article focuses on the growth and investments in the field of infrared imaging. This boom in innovation in IR-imaging technology raises hopes for new business ventures and commercial applications. However, whether the federal funding for new technologies is real and sustainable was a matter of debate. Of greater concern for the development of new technologies, overall federal funding for research will fall in FY 2006 by 1.4%, with defense research and development (R&D) staying level and homeland security R&D increasing slightly. As the Federal budget growth levels off, the immediate impact on IR imaging companies is unclear. On one hand, funding pressures will result in the scaling back of programs such as the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems with its goal of a lighter, faster combat force, and use of numerous advanced imaging technologies.

Comments on how three-dimensional sensors are enabling a mode of imaging in the United States. Time-of-flight (TOF) principle; Launch of Canesta's Equinox sensor; Patents on the TOF principle.

Examines the status of the imaging systems technology industry in the United States. Military and homeland security opportunities available to the industry; Factors affecting competition within the industry; Top performing companies in the market.

Forecasts the economic condition of optoelectronics industry in the U.S. Increase in the sales of imaging-related equipment; Productivity of the industry; Revenue increase.

Highlights the 2003 National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference in the U.S. Date and location of the event; Topics discussed; analysis on the revolution in optical communications technology and bandwidth capacity.

Presents news items related to the optics industry in the United States. Includes the initial public offering of Thermo Vision Corp.; Renaming and refocusing of David Group Ltd.'s subsidiaries; Charles J. Abbe's appointment as president and chief operating officer of Optical Coating Laboratory Inc.