Practical Aberration Correction Using Freeform Optics — Pushing the Boundaries of Laser System Performance
Thu, Jun 12, 2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT
Many laser systems — whether they are for industrial, biomedical, or defense applications — are designed to create a well-defined output spot or beam; this is required for the laser process to be as efficient, productive, and effective as possible. Optical aberrations in the laser system (pointing, defocus, spherical, astigmatic, coma, etc.) come from a variety of sources and affect the extent to which the actual output spot (or beam) deviates from that of the design intent of the system. To compensate for aberrations, it is vital to make appropriate measurements of the aberrations, and then ideally represent them as Zernike coefficients. Then, it is possible to design a freeform surface — using refractive principles — as a freeform aberration compensator. If the freeform surface can be designed and manufactured with a fast turnaround, the aberration compensator can be regarded as an “in-build” solution. By making the freeform in fused silica using a precision direct write laser machining process, it demonstrates the manufacture and testing of aberration compensators that have extremely low scatter and low loss. These fused silica freeform aberration compensators can therefore be used in either extreme high-power applications, e.g., laser inertial fusion, or extremely sensitive low-light applications, e.g., fluorescence microscopy and cytometry. Presented by PowerPhotonic.
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The Evolution of Microscopy – Current Landscape and Considerations
Wed, Jun 18, 2025 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
David Biss of Optikos walks through a brief history and primer on microscopy, which was largely unchanged until the last 70 years. With that backdrop, this presentation delves into common types of modern microscopy: confocal microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, and superresolution microscopy. He explores a comparison of similarities and differences between these modalities and considerations for selection. Attendees will learn that the optical principles of lens design for microscope objectives have not changed significantly over time, i.e., the importance of contrast and resolution. However, new microscopy modalities have improved the core principles to address specific market applications. Specifically, microscopy has evolved significantly from early single-lens devices to sophisticated techniques capable of observing individual molecules and complex biological processes. Key advancements include improvements in lens technology, the development of various light sources, the introduction of fluorescence microscopy, and the rise of super resolution microscopy techniques. Presented by Optikos.
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Laser-Powered Time Travel — With Physicist and Professor Emeritus, Ron Mallett
Time travel is not just theoretical, it’s proven. But that doesn’t mean we are anywhere close to a functioning time machine just yet. Professor Ron Mallett has been fascinated with the idea of time travel since he was a little boy. A year after his father passed away, he discovered a Classics Illustrated edition of H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine.” That comic sparked the imagination of 10-year-old Mallett, convincing him to pursue a career in science and to learn more about controlling the clocks. Decades later, he believes he has cracked the code on time travel. It just requires circular lasers and some cosmic intervention. On this episode, Mallett shares with us the science behind his theories, what it will take to traverse the past and present, and which Hollywood movies actually got time travel right.
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Call for Articles
Photonics Media is currently seeking technical feature articles on a variety of topics for publication in our magazines (Photonics Spectra, BioPhotonics, and Vision Spectra). Please submit an informal 100-word
abstract to editorial@Photonics.com, or use our online submission form.
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