While lasers were the initial focus of this publication, the first issue in 1965 also included a long piece on imaging in the form of laser-based holograms. Electronic imaging increased in importance following the invention of the CCD in 1969, and so we broadened our coverage and eventually acquired Electro-Optical Systems Design magazine. In the days before the term "photonics" was widely used, we became Laser Focus, the Magazine of Electro-Optics Technology.
This publication history and the interwoven story of advances in imaging are detailed in an article this month by contributing editor Jeff Hecht (see page 21)—part of his year-long Looking Back/Looking Forward series on photonics products and technologies over our 50 years of publishing. Coverage of the ongoing revolution in cameras, detectors, and imaging continues in two other articles in this issue. Senior editor John Wallace surveys developments in quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) for long-wave infrared imaging (see page 39). And Gregory Slobodzian at Ophir-Spiricon describes best practices for characterizing laser beam modes with a CCD camera (see page 35).
Imaging is central to biophotonics and the advances have been visually stunning, to say the least. Our BioOptics World section has two features that capture the latest developments. Bülent Peker at Olympus Europa describes how the use of a confocal scanning microscope may help diagnose diabetic neuropathy (see page 58). John Wingerd at Siskiyou writes about using microscopes for optogenetics (see page 62).
The story of cameras, detectors, and imaging is long and rich indeed, and we have lived to tell the tale.
Conard Holton | Editor at Large
Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.