Contents: November 2008 edition

11 Nov 2008

If you like what you read, subscribe to Optics & Laser Europe magazine now

ASK THE EXPERT

Measuring ultrashort pulses needs precision

Techniques for measuring ultrashort pulses have come a long way in the last 10 years. Marie Freebody speaks to Rick Trebino about the intricacies of working at femtosecond timescales and how the devices that characterize such pulses can be commercialized.

ASTRONOMY

Phoenix unlocks the icy history of Mars

Mars is a cold desert planet with no liquid water on its surface. Jacqueline Hewett speaks to Peter Smith, the principal investigator on NASA's Phoenix mission, to learn how optical instruments and a robotic arm are charting the water ice that lies under the planet's surface.

CHINA

Visiting China essential to explore local market

The saying "look before you leap" applies to any optics business thinking of establishing a presence in China. Jacqueline Hewett speaks to Richard Farmer of ATG Airports and Richard Freeman of Zeeko about their first-hand experiences of China's optics industry.

ATTOSECOND SCIENCE

Europe leads the way in attosecond research

Breaking the 100 as barrier and making the first movie of electron motion are just two recent milestones achieved by European researchers. Nadya Anscombe talks to key players in the attosecond community to see what the future holds.

TECHNOLOGY TUTORIAL

CMOS technology moves to the next generation

Developments in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology allow the sensors to penetrate into high-performance applications that were previously not practical. Lars Hansen of Basler Vision Technologies, Germany, describes the current state of the art.

REGIONAL FOCUS

The Netherlands offers focal point for photonics

Sitting at the heart of Europe, the Netherlands is a photonics hub. Marie Freebody speaks to people who live and work in the country to uncover the reasons behind this success.

BACK CHAT

Protecting the IP is the key to investing in university research

The way that UK university research is turned into profitable spin-outs is changing, with several specialist investment companies now operating as funding sources. Rob Rule explains the benefits for both parties.