Contents: May 2007 edition

18 May 2007

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BACK CHAT

INSIDE VIEW: Adapting to new ideas is the key to staying on top in optics

What’s the best way to prepare yourself for a long and rewarding career in optics? OLE speaks with Berndt Zingrebe, managing director of Sill Optics, who celebrates 25 years with the company this year.

PETAWATT OPTICS

Petawatts place tough requirements on optics

Creating optics for petawatt lasers requires careful consideration of the actual use conditions and an understanding of thin-film performance trade-offs. David Kemp and Dave Collier of Alpine Research Optics, US, share their experiences with OLE.

METROLOGY

ZYGO unveils its high-precision optics capabilities

Although most people know ZYGO for its expertise in metrology and interferometry, the company has a rich history in high-precision optics fabrication. Jacqueline Hewett speaks to John Stack, the president of ZYGO’s Optical Systems Division, who lifts the lid on what he sees as the best-kept secret in the optics industry.

SOLAR ENERGY

Holographic film points light in the right direction

Flick through the technology press and you could be fooled into thinking that solar energy is now all about ultrathin films and flexible photovoltaics. Rick Lewandowski, CEO of Prism Solar Technologies, US, tells James Tyrrell that silicon is definitely still in the frame thanks to a clever holographic film that can squeeze more power out of traditional solar cells.

PRODUCT GUIDE

CCDs evolve to suit vast array of scientific uses

Charge-coupled devices have been developing at a rapid pace over the past few decades. Antoinette O’Grady gives an overview of what’s on offer today and provides useful guidelines on choosing the right detector format and the right architecture for your application.

THIN FILMS

Expert tailors thin-films to diverse applications

Thin-film coating and filter manufacturer Barr Associates has developed products for applications as wide-ranging as the study of the planet Pluto to pinpointing early signs of cancer. OLE catches up with technical experts at the US company to find out more.