Yesterday’s R&D activities make way for higher precision and more extreme surfaces available today for novel optical system designs. This presentation will overview the latest advances in freeform optics and what kind of freeforms are available today. Applications such as off-axis telescope systems and high-power laser mirrors will be discussed and conversation starters to consider when purchasing a freeform optic. This presentation will also take a glimpse into current research topics and what capabilities might be in available in the future.

When it comes to long-range, multispectral optical systems, large mirrors play an integral role. They take many shapes — spherical, aspheric, parabolic, or freeform — and are used for a wide spectrum of light, including visible, UV, and IR. Over the last 10 years, optical systems with reflective elements have been used by system integrators in the defense and aerospace industries, in surveillance and monitoring, and in certain commercial applications. For example, large mirrors may be integrated into the optical systems of large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in long-distance aerial monitoring of agricultural field temperature using IR. In this webcast, we will discuss challenges in the optical design and manufacturing of refractive optics, while presenting relevant case studies.

Numerical simulation is instrumental for developing and researching optical and photonic components and systems. With multiphysics-enabled wave and ray optics modeling techniques, engineers can conduct any number of realistic virtual experiments to better understand and optimize their designs, while reducing time and costs for building physical prototypes. Optical simulation spans a wide variety of application areas, including fiber optics, waveguides, couplers, cameras, spectrometers, and laser cavities, any of which might incorporate coupled structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analysis.

This panel discussion will cover best practices for wave and ray optics simulation, coupled multiphysics analysis, and the use of specialized simulation apps to bring the benefit of simulation to more people.

Techniques like cavity ring-down spectroscopy, frequency modulation spectroscopy, and comb-referenced spectroscopy enable precision measurements of molecular gases. These techniques are used regularly in the near-infrared, where light sources are widely available. Engineering and software advances now provide convenient access to the 2 – 4 µm spectral region with high power, wide tuning, and narrow linewidth. In this webinar, we will demonstrate that a CW Optical Parametric Oscillator, TOPTICA's TOPO, can unlock the potential for research in the molecular stretching region of the spectrum.

The photodiode, in either single-detector form or in linear or two-dimensional arrays, is widely used as the photodetecting element in optical systems for applications ranging from sensing to imaging and telecommunications. Being solid-state, they are small, rugged, reliable, and often low in cost.  

This webcast presents an overview of photodiode technology and applications, concentrating on silicon devices but covering photodiodes of other materials such as indium gallium arsenide.