Actually, I was looking for something else but found suddenly this video about CLEO 2009. Very nice, enjoy!
Showing posts with label Lasers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lasers. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Fast Electrically Focus Tunable Lens
When you are reading this post, when you are looking around, your eyes will automatically focus on the spot by reshaping our eye lens. With glass lenses as used in optics, you can achieve that only with moving a lens-system back and forward.
Optotune has introduced now a commercial tunable lens which reshapes its surface and allows continuously focusing between 20mm to 120mm by an external voltage. In the manual version you can even go from -40mm to 40mm, so from concave to convex!
This could find applications in material processing, ophthalmology or microscopy. For further applications have a look at their application homepage
Interesting is also the microscopy application:
Have fun!
Optotune has introduced now a commercial tunable lens which reshapes its surface and allows continuously focusing between 20mm to 120mm by an external voltage. In the manual version you can even go from -40mm to 40mm, so from concave to convex!
This could find applications in material processing, ophthalmology or microscopy. For further applications have a look at their application homepage
Interesting is also the microscopy application:
Have fun!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sam's Laser FAQ
The homepage of "Sam's Laser FAQ" looks on the first moment very old and strange but actually, it is a real treasure about lasers. Sam's Laser FAQ exist already since 1994 by Samuel M. Goldwasser and is updated until today. One has to understand this page as "a practical guide to lasers for experimenters and hobbyists". It is a huge page and the navigation is a bit unusual but nevertheless it is worth to spend some time on it. Have a look on the "comprehensive table of contents". There are tons of chapters and sections as well as many many pictures, covering the scope from different types of lasers to possible experiments to do by oneself. Actually, there is a certain change that you find your laser which you uses in the lab and how you can repair it ;). What is missing on the page is a section about pulsed lasers, especially fs or ps laser as well as amplifications schemes. However, Sam's Laser FAQ addresses mainly hobbiest and for them it is a true treasure... and many hearts of scientists will jump faster if they see the pictures ;).
ps: check out the laser equipment gallery
ps: check out the laser equipment gallery
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Jobs at ICFO, Spain (Barcelona)
Originally, I planned to write about the famous ICFO which stands for "Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques" or in english: the Institute of Photonics Science; but when I visited the homepage, I found a big announcement of seeking researchers. Therefore, now a post about both issues.
ICFO is located in Barcelona (Spain) and was founded 2002. Currently it has around 250 staff members, around 20 research groups and 50 different laboratories. In 2014, the expansion phase should be finished with around 300 staff members and occupying 9000 square meter. The main research lines are biophotonics, nonlinear optics, quantum optics and nano optics. The probably most well known professor is Niek van Hulst, working in the area of nanophotonics (nanoantennas, single molecule ultrafast photonics).
As you already can see from the picture, ICFO is searching new members in all areas and all positions. An overview of positions you can find on the job page (date: 29th July 2011). ICFO has a very good infrastructure and allows you top research.
further pages:
wikipedia-ICFO
(from ICFO page)
ICFO is located in Barcelona (Spain) and was founded 2002. Currently it has around 250 staff members, around 20 research groups and 50 different laboratories. In 2014, the expansion phase should be finished with around 300 staff members and occupying 9000 square meter. The main research lines are biophotonics, nonlinear optics, quantum optics and nano optics. The probably most well known professor is Niek van Hulst, working in the area of nanophotonics (nanoantennas, single molecule ultrafast photonics).
As you already can see from the picture, ICFO is searching new members in all areas and all positions. An overview of positions you can find on the job page (date: 29th July 2011). ICFO has a very good infrastructure and allows you top research.
further pages:
wikipedia-ICFO
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
El laser, la luz de nuestro tiempo
For the 50th anniversaire of the laser in 2010, the OSA student chapter of Salamanca, together with the optics group in Salamanca, has written a book that communicates clearly the concepts and applications of lasers to the general public.
(picture from the OPN book rewiew)
(picture from the OPN book rewiew)A review by the OPN (Optics and Photonics News, published by OSA) can be found here. As the title of the book already suggests, it is written in spanish. An english version is currently discussed. The book is for free (you have read correctly) but only limited copies exist. If you are interested in one, please contact osal (at) usal.es
One of the copies is already in my hands and I can tell you that even after 5 years working in many optic areas, the book still had some nice and interesting suprises for me :). Have fun!
One of the copies is already in my hands and I can tell you that even after 5 years working in many optic areas, the book still had some nice and interesting suprises for me :). Have fun!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Shaking test for a laser...
If you work with homebuild lasers then this video looks quite crazy... It shows a shaking test with a femtosecond laser.
The video was made by Femtolasers Produktions GmbH with one of their turn key laser-systems (Integral).
There is even a more impressive video by Toptica, where they have left falling a laser onto the floor (if i remember correctly) but unfortunately I havent found it yet on the internet nor their homepage. If you have it, please post it!
The video was made by Femtolasers Produktions GmbH with one of their turn key laser-systems (Integral).
There is even a more impressive video by Toptica, where they have left falling a laser onto the floor (if i remember correctly) but unfortunately I havent found it yet on the internet nor their homepage. If you have it, please post it!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Attosecond laser - the world's fastest laser
By chance I found this video over an attosecond laser at the Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) in the group of Prof. Dr. Ferenc Krausz (www.attoworld.de). The video is on public level and nice to watch.
Additional information you can find in the press release (click) or at Attoworld.
Enjoy!
btw... did you found the mistake in the video? Everyone has once a bad day ;)
Additional information you can find in the press release (click) or at Attoworld.
Enjoy!
btw... did you found the mistake in the video? Everyone has once a bad day ;)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Big Laser Assembling...
In May 2008, the assembling of one of the largest laser systems in the world, hosted at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at University of Rochester, was after 3 years completed. This laser system is used for the same objects like at NIF (see post), namely for inertial confinement fusion. The following time lapse movie of the laser construction gives you a nice idea about its dimension. The main view is on this hall, which contains the "OMEGA EP" laser system.
Have fun watching it!
More time lapses movie can be found here.
If you are interested in more information, please check the links in the text.
(taken from LLE homepage)
Have fun watching it!
More time lapses movie can be found here.
If you are interested in more information, please check the links in the text.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sunset in the Lab
Sunset in the lab, that´s how we named the first picture and I think you guess why ;).
We are focusing with a 1030nm beam in a YVO4 crystal generating "white light" which contains only near-infrared wavelengths from 600nm to around 1100nm. The blue light in the crystal originates from third harmonic generation.
The next picture shows stronger white light generation from 450nm to around 1400nm in a YAG crystal
Both pictures were taken in our lab by Thorsten Naeser and can be soon seen at the attoworld gallery.
If you want to know more about white light generation, then you should read following article: Femtosecond continuum generation in bulk laser host materials with sub-μJ pump pulses (journal access necessary).
Have fun!
We are focusing with a 1030nm beam in a YVO4 crystal generating "white light" which contains only near-infrared wavelengths from 600nm to around 1100nm. The blue light in the crystal originates from third harmonic generation.
The next picture shows stronger white light generation from 450nm to around 1400nm in a YAG crystal
Both pictures were taken in our lab by Thorsten Naeser and can be soon seen at the attoworld gallery.
If you want to know more about white light generation, then you should read following article: Femtosecond continuum generation in bulk laser host materials with sub-μJ pump pulses (journal access necessary).
Have fun!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Photonics in Spain: Open for Business
The latest (june/july 2010) euro photonics issue (included in photonics spectra) presents an article about the photonics in Spain:
A brief and very general overview of the situation of photonics development and research is given. ICFO, SECPhO and CLPU are mentioned. The article is nice to read and I guess especially interesting for our Spanish readers :) . Let´s hope future will show what the article says, namely: “Outlook is good”. Enjoy!
PS: the articles in the current photonics spectra issue are really interesting. Don’t forget, you can subscribe for free!
Links:
ICFO - Institute of Photonic Science
CLPU- Center for Ultrashort Pulsed Lasers
SECPhO- Southern European Cluster in Photonics and Optics
Photonics in Spain: Open for Business (free access)
A brief and very general overview of the situation of photonics development and research is given. ICFO, SECPhO and CLPU are mentioned. The article is nice to read and I guess especially interesting for our Spanish readers :) . Let´s hope future will show what the article says, namely: “Outlook is good”. Enjoy!
PS: the articles in the current photonics spectra issue are really interesting. Don’t forget, you can subscribe for free!
Links:
ICFO - Institute of Photonic Science
CLPU- Center for Ultrashort Pulsed Lasers
SECPhO- Southern European Cluster in Photonics and Optics
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
LAB2 - The Virtual Femtosecond Laboratory
LAB2 is a (for free) modular programming tool written in Labview which enables one to simulate basic experiments and devices daily used in femtosecond experiments.
As examples they mention:
LabII was developed in 1998 at the Institute for Optics and Quantum Electronics (IOQ) in Jena. Since Fall 2004 it is at the Institute of Applied Physics in Bern with Prof. Thomas Feurer. The download is free but you have to register. What I like is the detailed manual which will help you to use efficiently LAB2. Basics and concepts are introduced too and always worth to read it. If you have used LAB2 already, please write a comment about your experience with it.
As examples they mention:
- propagation through a linear medium
- prism compressor
- second harmonic generation with depleted fundamental wave
- crystal wizard - how to find the phase matching angle
LabII was developed in 1998 at the Institute for Optics and Quantum Electronics (IOQ) in Jena. Since Fall 2004 it is at the Institute of Applied Physics in Bern with Prof. Thomas Feurer. The download is free but you have to register. What I like is the detailed manual which will help you to use efficiently LAB2. Basics and concepts are introduced too and always worth to read it. If you have used LAB2 already, please write a comment about your experience with it.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
"Milestones of Photon History"
On occasion of the 50-year anniversary of the first demonstration of the laser (actually on the 16 May 1960), "Nature Milestones" highlights key discoveries in optics, which are based on the photon:
A timeline is presented with small but compact articles to the different milestones. It presents a fast but interesting overview/ introduction over many important discoveries which are today everywhere used in optics. It is really worth to read it. If I am not wrong, I think the articles are even open access. You can either read it directly on the page or as pdf:
pfd of milenstones timeline (link)
pdf of all milenstones (link)
have fun
A timeline is presented with small but compact articles to the different milestones. It presents a fast but interesting overview/ introduction over many important discoveries which are today everywhere used in optics. It is really worth to read it. If I am not wrong, I think the articles are even open access. You can either read it directly on the page or as pdf:
pfd of milenstones timeline (link)
pdf of all milenstones (link)
have fun
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Bringing Star Power to Earth"
A lot of high-energy laser facilities exist around the world, or are in planning. One of them is the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL):
NIF is a laser based inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research device. Thereby powerful lasers will heat and compress a small amount of hydrogen fuel to the point where nuclrear fusion reactions take place. The original purpose of the experiments at NIF are simulations of nuclear weapon detonations, as replacement for nuclear tests. However, the knowledge gained will be used too for a possible civil energy winning device by inertial confinement fusion. NIF will be probabyl the first ICF device which should produce more energy than was put in to start the reaction. We will soon know it.
some data:
number of beamlines: 192
energy per beamline: 18.75 kJ
center wavelength: 1053nm
pulse length: few nanoseconds
repetition rate: 4-6 shot per day
focusspot size: 5x of the diffraction limit
final costs: 3.4 billions (USD)
dimensions: nearly three soccer fields (around 21.368m²)
finished: end of march 2009
Like most of the very big constructions NIF had around 5 years of delay and the costs were 4 times more as budgeted. However it works now! In January, they have reported a laser energy of more than 1 mega joule!
NIF has a very good and informative page. Take some time to surf on it, it provides you with much more details as on this short post here. Below, I have put two links to "how NIF works" and the "video gallery". I liked the wikipedia entry too (it contains also over 70 references). Enjoy!
links:
NIF is a laser based inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research device. Thereby powerful lasers will heat and compress a small amount of hydrogen fuel to the point where nuclrear fusion reactions take place. The original purpose of the experiments at NIF are simulations of nuclear weapon detonations, as replacement for nuclear tests. However, the knowledge gained will be used too for a possible civil energy winning device by inertial confinement fusion. NIF will be probabyl the first ICF device which should produce more energy than was put in to start the reaction. We will soon know it.
some data:
number of beamlines: 192
energy per beamline: 18.75 kJ
center wavelength: 1053nm
pulse length: few nanoseconds
repetition rate: 4-6 shot per day
focusspot size: 5x of the diffraction limit
final costs: 3.4 billions (USD)
dimensions: nearly three soccer fields (around 21.368m²)
finished: end of march 2009
Like most of the very big constructions NIF had around 5 years of delay and the costs were 4 times more as budgeted. However it works now! In January, they have reported a laser energy of more than 1 mega joule!
NIF has a very good and informative page. Take some time to surf on it, it provides you with much more details as on this short post here. Below, I have put two links to "how NIF works" and the "video gallery". I liked the wikipedia entry too (it contains also over 70 references). Enjoy!
links:
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
ToptiCalc, a (free) Photonic Scientific Calculator
Few days ago I crossed the way of this "photonic scientific calculator" from Toptica. It is a small calculator but containing interesting and helpful features for our work, small things which saves a lot of time ;). My favorite is the short pulses properties and chirp feature. Other features are:
The calculator is made by the laser and optics company called Toptica and can be downloaded for free. However, you have to register (for free of course) but this should not keep you away. More detailed information about the calculator features can be found on their homepage, or click ToptiCal page. It is also interesting to watch their homepage, especially the applications page. Toptica is a well-known company in optics and offers many products and special solutions to research in optics (i am not sponsored by Toptica ;) )
free download (registration page)
- spectral unit conversion
- calculating spot sizes for focussed gaussian beams
- Fabry-Perot calculations
- reflection and diffraction at plane glass surfaces
- pulse train calculations
- short pulse properties and chirp
- conversion between linear and decibel scale
The calculator is made by the laser and optics company called Toptica and can be downloaded for free. However, you have to register (for free of course) but this should not keep you away. More detailed information about the calculator features can be found on their homepage, or click ToptiCal page. It is also interesting to watch their homepage, especially the applications page. Toptica is a well-known company in optics and offers many products and special solutions to research in optics (i am not sponsored by Toptica ;) )
free download (registration page)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The European X-Ray Free Electron Laser
The European X-Ray Free Electron Laser is a new (in construction) research facility in Germany near Hamburg, using an free electron laser which produces high intensity, coherent x-ray pulses at kHz repetition rate. Their intensities are several magnitudes brighter than those achieved today by conventional synchrotron light source. The XFEL and its unique characteristic will open new reasearch opportunities for scientists.
The video is in german, I am sorry. The english version can be download here or directly watched on the XFEL homepage (right upper side)
(from European XFEL)
The construction time has already started in 2009 and will lead until 2014. Users can operate the facility and beamline in 2015. The project costs are around 1082 million euros (price level 2005) whereas Germany covers 54% and Russia 23%. The rest is split among the other members. Currently 13 countries are participating, all from europe except China. The facility has a total length of 3.4km (including accelerator), starting from DESY in Hamburg.
Characteristics of the European X-Ray Laser:
The XFEL allows researcher to enter new areas which were inaccessible so far. Tiny structures, ultrafast processes and extreme states of matter will be explored. Let me quote from their homepage:
"Using the X-ray flashes of the European XFEL, scientists will be able to map the atomic details of viruses, decipher the molecular composition of cells, take three-dimensional images of the nanoworld, film chemical reactions and study the processes in the interior of planets."
The XFEL opens a lot of new research possibilites, have a look at their research page.
Take time and enjoy the XFEL homepage. It is seriously done and contains a lot of interesting information. Have fun.
additional information: wikipedia -XFEL
Page: European XFEL
The video is in german, I am sorry. The english version can be download here or directly watched on the XFEL homepage (right upper side)
(from European XFEL)
The construction time has already started in 2009 and will lead until 2014. Users can operate the facility and beamline in 2015. The project costs are around 1082 million euros (price level 2005) whereas Germany covers 54% and Russia 23%. The rest is split among the other members. Currently 13 countries are participating, all from europe except China. The facility has a total length of 3.4km (including accelerator), starting from DESY in Hamburg.
Characteristics of the European X-Ray Laser:
- wavelength: 0.1 - 6nm
- repetition rate: 27kHz!
- pulse duration: < 100fs
- average [peak] brilliance: 1.6*10^25 [5*10^33]
- coherence: yes
The XFEL allows researcher to enter new areas which were inaccessible so far. Tiny structures, ultrafast processes and extreme states of matter will be explored. Let me quote from their homepage:
"Using the X-ray flashes of the European XFEL, scientists will be able to map the atomic details of viruses, decipher the molecular composition of cells, take three-dimensional images of the nanoworld, film chemical reactions and study the processes in the interior of planets."
The XFEL opens a lot of new research possibilites, have a look at their research page.
Take time and enjoy the XFEL homepage. It is seriously done and contains a lot of interesting information. Have fun.
additional information: wikipedia -XFEL
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Laserfest
16. May 1960: Theodore Maiman achieves for the first time in history light from a laser.
Thus,2010 is the 50th Anniversary of the first laser.
For this reason, there is an innitiative from APS, OSA, SPIE and IEEE to conmemorate this anniversary: Laserfest.
Events around the world will showcase how the laser works, the history of the laser and its impact on society, and the laser's potential for the future.
I strongly recommend you to visit the website for Laserfest.
Here you can find a lot of information and latest news about lasers, curiosities and of course, info about all the events related to Laserfest that will take place this year.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
ELI - Extreme Light Infrastructure
The Extreme Light Infrastructure, called ELI, is a european project which will provide in ~ 2015 a new infrastructure for an ultra-high intensity laser to investigate laser-matter interactions in the unexplored ultra-relativistic regime.
picture from ELI-Wikipedia
From 13 european countries, more than 50 institutes are involved and cooperating for this project. The preparatory phase will end in November 2010, followed by a construction period of 5 years. The project will have 4 facilities located in Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania. The last location will be decided in 2012. The research focuses onto three fields:
ELI will be a unique laser facility on the world, opening new ways to the secrets of matter on the ultra-short timescale. Although, 2015 seems to be far away, if you start now with your phd or study, you will be finished around the time when ELI will show its "first light", a perfect time or ;)?
Sources and links:
ELI - offical site
ELI-Wikipedia
ELI Beamlines Facility in the Czech Republic (only in czech)
picture from OSAL
picture from ELI-Wikipedia- Ultra high science field (exploring laser-matter interaction)
- Attosecond laser science (temporal investigation of electron dynamics)
- High Energy Beam Science (development of ultra-short pulses of high energy radiation and particles (100 GeV) for fundamental and applied sciences)
ELI will be a unique laser facility on the world, opening new ways to the secrets of matter on the ultra-short timescale. Although, 2015 seems to be far away, if you start now with your phd or study, you will be finished around the time when ELI will show its "first light", a perfect time or ;)?
Sources and links:
ELI - offical site
ELI-Wikipedia
ELI Beamlines Facility in the Czech Republic (only in czech)
picture from OSALThursday, February 4, 2010
Light for the Future!
A short but professional made video about the “Excellence Cluster MAP” in Germany. MAP stands for Munich Centre for Advanced Photonics and is sponsored/ granted by the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG” (German Research Foundation). The first part of the movie shows laser and laserlabs whereas the second parts concentrates on possible applications in medecine. Have a look!
I couldnt implement the video directly into the blog, sorry. Additional information you will find on the same page too. Furthermore, more movies you can watch using the DFG Video Portal. Every monday a new research video will be published there.
MAP: Munich Center for Advanced Photonics
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
Attoworld
I couldnt implement the video directly into the blog, sorry. Additional information you will find on the same page too. Furthermore, more movies you can watch using the DFG Video Portal. Every monday a new research video will be published there.
MAP: Munich Center for Advanced Photonics
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
Attoworld
Monday, January 4, 2010
"Brave New Attoworld"
Since beginning of the new year, the newly designed HOMEPAGE OF THE ATTOSECOND GROUP at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics is online:or: www.attoworld.de (startpage):
Attoworld contains a lot of interesting background information not only what we are doing, but also our techniques, aims, visions, challenges, information for public, even teaching etc... The attoworld section (attoworld) gives you a well understanding of what attoscience is. Take time to surf and to enjoy it. The homepage is very well linked too further information and gives access to many papers (free download).
As people often want to have a look into the laboratories, attoworld presents an extensive gallery of our works: Gallery Labs. But also you will find pictures everywhere at attoworld.
(Both pictures are from the gallery of attoworld. You can find there a detailed caption too.)
Enjoy... and dont forget the breakthroughs of the year vote!
Enjoy... and dont forget the breakthroughs of the year vote!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Very Short Pulses – from Attoseconds to Yoctoseconds!
Coincidentally I noticed a headline:
“Yoctosecond Photon Pulses from Quark-Gluon Plasmas ” [1]
Like many optic scientists I am working with femtosecond laser pulses (1fs=10^-15). Many comrades in my group are dealing with attoseconds (10^-18s). They generate them in high harmonic generation processes and can push them down to around 80as [2,3]! Near to the frontier of the zeptoseconds (10^-21s) scale. In 1as light can travel a distance of 3*10^-10m, which corresponds roughly to the length of three hydrogen atoms. Today, 80as are the limit because of physical reasons in the high harmonic generation process. But new methods are in progress to reach the zeptoseconds scale. Now, a group has proposed a method how to generated yoctoseconds; 1ys is 10^-24 seconds! They describe how high-energetic photon pulses down to the yoctosecond time scale can be produced in heavy-ion collisions, particularly during the formation of a quark-gluon plasma.
How to measure (and to produce them in reality!) and to characterize these yoctosecond pulses… future will know it. However, my comrades have enough to struggle with 80as ;).
[1] Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 152301 (2009)
[2] Science Vol. 320, 1614
[3] Attoworld
“Yoctosecond Photon Pulses from Quark-Gluon Plasmas ” [1]
Like many optic scientists I am working with femtosecond laser pulses (1fs=10^-15). Many comrades in my group are dealing with attoseconds (10^-18s). They generate them in high harmonic generation processes and can push them down to around 80as [2,3]! Near to the frontier of the zeptoseconds (10^-21s) scale. In 1as light can travel a distance of 3*10^-10m, which corresponds roughly to the length of three hydrogen atoms. Today, 80as are the limit because of physical reasons in the high harmonic generation process. But new methods are in progress to reach the zeptoseconds scale. Now, a group has proposed a method how to generated yoctoseconds; 1ys is 10^-24 seconds! They describe how high-energetic photon pulses down to the yoctosecond time scale can be produced in heavy-ion collisions, particularly during the formation of a quark-gluon plasma.
How to measure (and to produce them in reality!) and to characterize these yoctosecond pulses… future will know it. However, my comrades have enough to struggle with 80as ;).
[1] Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 152301 (2009)
[2] Science Vol. 320, 1614
[3] Attoworld
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
