Photonics Spectra Preview - April 2022

Laser Shock Peening

This article will begin by bringing readers unfamiliar with laser shock peening up to speed and survey the technique's benefits in applications from aerospace to automotive. But the meat of his article will explore how particular materials, applications, or laser peening techniques drive laser selection and specification of laser parameters.

Key Technologies: Pulsed Nd:Glass and/or Q-switched lasers

Quantum Cascade Lasers

The author of this article will reach out to instrument developers and experts in security and defense to explore the relative merits of QCL-based detection of chemical threats at MIR wavelengths versus stand-off Raman spectroscopy techniques.

Key Technologies: quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) and MIR/THz spectrometers

High-Power Laser Optics

The author will talk to laser-makers, integrators, and optics suppliers to define common considerations when selecting or specifying optics for high-power laser systems designed for applications such as welding, cutting, marking, and other industrial uses.) and lasers (etc.) that require high-power optics.

Key Technologies: industrial lasers with high-output powers, like Nd:YAG, CO2, etc. and optics either for the internal cavity (e.g. reflective optics) or external beam shaping, guiding, collimating.

Large-Format Imagers

Large-format sensors – typically used for applications, such as astronomy, in vivo imaging, x-ray, and microscopy – are required when the amount of light between low and high illuminated pixels cannot be absorbed by a small pixel, or in applications where sensitivity is a key parameter and can only be achieved by large pixels. Authors Emma McCarthy of Teledyne Princeton Instruments and José Ángel Segovia de la Torre of Teledyne e2v will explore the types of applications where large format sensors are ideal, and how large-format CCD and CMOS sensors have evolved for these applications. They will also describe the trade-offs when choosing the right sensor for particular applications, and how large-format sensors impact integration.

Key Technologies: Large-format CCDs and CMOS chips and optics for remote sensing, astronomy, medical imaging, and microscopy

Silicon Photonics

Demand for silicon photonics is exploding, which is largely good news for the industry. But it also means the pressure is growing on suppliers to quickly ramp up capacity to meet this rising demand, and not from not one market sector, but four: communication networks, lidar, wearables, and quantum computing. In EPIC Insights - the new quarterly column by the European Photonics Industry Consortium - contributor Scott Jordan of Physik Instrumente argues three things need to happen for this ramp-up to be successful. Automation must play a larger role to speed the production of silicon photonics, public-private partnerships and consortia must facilitate rapid scaling of prototypes to full production through standardization of design and manufacturing methods, and contract manufacturers must play a larger role.

Key Technologies: silicon photonics, integrated photonics, photonic integrated circuits