• Subscribe
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • PhotonicsNXT
  • Buyer's Guide
  • Get Published!
  • Back Issues >
  • Laser Focus World >
  • Volume 51, Issue 07

    • Volume 51, Issue 07

    (Credit: Andrew H Moberly and Minghong Ma)
    Olfactory bulb (OB) neurons receiving olfactory sensory neuron input exhibit light-evoked responses. (a) An OB slice shows the axons of olfactory sensory neurons co-expressing the odorant receptor M72 and ChR2 (left), and in another slice under fluorescent illumination (right, top) and differential interference contrast (right, bottom), the OB neurons are visible. (b) Whole-cell recording in voltage clamp configuration (Vhold= -70 mV) from an OB neuron: Laser stimulation causes large, inward post-synaptic currents, indicating that light-sensitive olfactory sensory neurons form synapses with this cell.
    Detectors & Imaging

    Microscopy/Optogenetics: Boosting conventional microscopes for optogenetics

    John Wingerd
    July 10, 2015
    A simple, modular optomechanical tool breaks barriers by enabling the seamless addition and control of a secondary light source in standard microscopy setups. The cost-efficient...
    (Courtesy of Dr. Simone Baltrusch, University of Rostock, Germany)
    FIGURE 1. Investigating the pancreatic islet cells in mouse. The Olympus FV10i confocal microscope with 60x oil objective enables visualization of insulin-producing β-cells within regions of the pancreas called islets of Langerhans, including a section staining for insulin (red), with nuclei in cyan (a); and islet cells in culture, with insulin (green) and nuclei stained in blue (b).
    Detectors & Imaging

    Confocal Microscopy/Ophthalmology: Towards noninvasive detection of diabetic neuropathy

    July 10, 2015
    A new breed of compact confocal laser scanning microscopes is meeting everyday demands in life science research.
    Ip Pd Probe Imris
    Lasers & Sources

    Neurosurgery: Laser neurosurgery tool wins excellence award

    Barbara Gefvert
    July 10, 2015
    Monteris Medical's NeuroBlate minimally invasive robotic laser neurosurgery tool took a gold medal in the Surgical Equipment, Instruments, and Supplies category of the 2015 Medical...

    More content from Volume 51, Issue 07

    (Images courtesy C. Kut, J. Rincon-Torroella, X. Li, and A. Quinones-Hinojosa/Johns Hopkins Medicine)
    OCT produces a color-coded map (cancer in red, healthy tissue in green; inset) intraoperatively in real time.
    Detectors & Imaging

    Optical Coherence Tomography/Brain Surgery: OCT-based approach facilitates brain cancer surgery

    Barbara Gefvert
    July 10, 2015
    A computer algorithm can process optical coherence tomography (OCT) data and generate a color-coded map almost instantaneously.
    Barbaragoode2
    Fluorescence

    A mega-update on European biophotonics

    Barbara Gefvert
    July 10, 2015
    If you want to take the pulse of biophotonics in Europe, the biennial LASER World of Photonics (June 22-25, 2015) event is the place to do it.
    FIGURE 1. This two-mirror beam-steering system with piezo actuators is a highly miniaturized version of a conventional galvanometer ('galvo')-based beam-steering system.
    Positioning, Support & Accessories

    Micro Beam Steering: Precision micro beam-steering systems simplify move to handheld instruments

    David Henderson
    July 10, 2015
    Beam steering for handheld and portable devices has fingertip size, battery power, milliradian precision, mobile-phone robustness, and fully integrated microelectronics.
    FIGURE 1. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph shows the cross-section of a fabricated 'butterfly MOF' or butterfly shaped microstructured optical fiber. and a detail of the central region with the GeO2-doped core.
    Fiber Optics

    Microstructured Fibers: Butterfly microstructured fiber complements FBG-based sensing

    July 10, 2015
    Beyond supercontinuum generation and dispersion compensation in communications networks, microstructured optical fibers enable unprecedented temperature-insensitive pressure, ...
    (Courtesy of Sofradir)
    A Sofradir VEGA QWIP-based FPA is used for thermal imaging of military vehicles (top left, IR image from QWIP camera; top right, visible image of vehicle). The FPA, housed in its integrated detector dewar assembly, is seen at lower right; the Thales camera into which the assembly is integrated is see at lower left.
    Detectors & Imaging

    Photonics Products: MWIR and LWIR Detectors: QWIPs capture LWIR images at low cost

    John Wallace
    July 10, 2015
    With their low cost and high uptime, quantum-well infrared detector focal-plane arrays compete well with mercury cadmium telluride for some uses in the long-wave infrared.
    FIGURE 1. m2≈1 (a); m2=1 (b); and m2=2 (c).
    Positioning, Support & Accessories

    Beam Profiling: Second-moment method characterizes higher-order beam modes

    July 10, 2015
    The best methods for making second-moment beam-width measurements with CCD cameras are described and compared to ISO recommendations.
    FIGURE 1. Interferometry tests are performed on an LG760 laser glass slab to inspect quality of the glass finish. SCHOTT produces this potassium-barium-aluminum-phosphate-based glass in Duryea, PA.
    Optics

    Optical Manufacturing: Material improvements bring laser glasses into mainstream applications

    July 10, 2015
    Rare-earth-doped glass is finding use in mainstream medical devices, astronomy and measurement, and materials processing applications.
    (Credit: Jacob Chinn, UA Alumni Association)
    The Internet System Lab provides a research-scale emulation of key pieces of Internet infrastructure and serves as a testbed for novel photonic device technologies.
    Optics

    Business Forum: Making things in academia: From telescope optics to nanophotonics

    Milton Chang
    July 10, 2015
    This month I interview Professor Tom Koch, who is Dean of the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona (UA).
    (Courtesy of Juris Upatnieks)
    FIGURE 1. Emmett Leith (left) and Juris Upatnieks prepare to record a hologram in 1965. The model railroad set became a standard scene.
    Detectors & Imaging

    Photonic Frontiers: Cameras and Arrays: Looking Back/Looking Forward: An electro-optical revolution—the transformation of cameras

    Jeff Hecht
    July 10, 2015
    Half a century ago, holography was the hottest trend in imaging, and the future was going to be holovision. The CCD brought a revolution and today's cameras are digital, from ...
    (Image credit: NIMS)
    Scanning electron microscope images show mesoporous gold films ([a] and [b] on different scales) prepared with an electrolytic solution that creates micelles critical to film fabrication. Different electrolyte compositions produce films with different or 'tunable' pore sizes (c, d, and e).
    Test & Measurement

    Optical Sensing: Holes in gold (inverse nanoparticle arrays) form efficient optical sensor

    Gail Overton
    July 10, 2015
    Newly fabricated mesoporous gold films can create plasmonic effects useful for optical sensing applications.
    (Courtesy of Pramod Kumar)
    A transparent wing from a rain fly has photonic structures at a large range of different scale lengths.
    Test & Measurement

    Biophotonics: Optical probe characterizes biophotonic insect-wing structures

    John Wallace
    July 10, 2015
    Natural photonic micro- and nanostructures on insect wings and carapaces modify light through many different optical effects.
    (Image credit: OptoKnowledge Systems)
    A schematic shows a hollow mid-IR fiber being used in isotope analysis (a). Sensing and delivery fibers can be customized depending on the wavelength needed for specific applications (b).
    Fiber Optics

    Specialty Fibers: Mid-IR hollow optical fibers assist spectroscopy applications

    Gail Overton
    July 10, 2015
    Mid-IR optical fibers and other supporting optical components are oftentimes difficult to source.
    1507lfw 13
    Optics

    Holographic optical storage nears commercialization

    Gail Overton
    July 10, 2015
    A collaboration is developing and producing what it says is the next generation of nanophotonic data storage (N-PDS) technologies.
    Content Dam Lfw Print Articles 2015 07 1507lfw Nb02 Web
    Lasers & Sources

    Hybrid Si quantum-dot LED produces strong blue-white light

    John Wallace
    July 10, 2015
    A silicon quantum-dot-based hybrid inorganic/organic LED that exhibits white-blue electroluminescence has been developed.