Photonics West 2006 Post-Show Review
Photonics West 2006 wrapped up on a positive note boasting an 80% increase in registered delegates since 2005's exhibition, according to The International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). The drastic increase in attendees was reflected in the jam packed forums and the overflow of conference-goers into hallways during certain sessions.
According to SPIE, the 1,000 vendors expressed satisfaction with the results of the show with many speaking of the large volume of visitors and product interest the show was able to generate for them.
Photonics West 2006, which was held from Jan. 21- 26 in San Jose, CA, was the most successful annual trade show in the photonics industry's history, according to SPIE. Over 16,000 people attended the show exhibitions, which included optics, lasers, biomedical optics, optoelectronic components and imaging technologies.
Below is a sampling of some of the newest technologies and headlines from the exhibit floor.
Andor Technology was bigger and better at this year's Photonics West. In addition to displaying their EMCCD cameras and range of products for Live Cell Confocal Microscopy, Andor Technology launched their new 300 page catalogue of products and applications.
At the show, CorActive presented their Ytterbium Doped Double Clad Optical Fiber (DCOF). The fibers' capabilities have been specifically developed to match the requirements of Industrial LASERs and IR sources. CorActive's DCOF offers a higher doping concentration and among the highest QCE values in the industry. Combining these critical elements in CorActive's Yb DCOF ensures minimum fiber length, minimum pump power and reduced non-linearities. CorActive demonstrated that translates directly into substantial savings when building a high power source or LASER.
Fiberguide Industries Inc. introduced a line of high fiber placement tolerance linear arrays. These devices are designed for use in a wide range of applications in telecom, data transmission, and switching as well as for diode pumped lasers and other general fiber optic instrumentation. Tight tolerance means these V-groove and fiber arrays provide the precision to insure the alignment of single and multi-mode fibers within optical modules. These devices have been tested and are qualified to pass Telcordia GR-1221-CORE specifications. External package design and dimensions are customer specific as well as the number and design of the fibers specified.
FLIR Systems provided a set of hands on IR Camera solutions for various applications including Near IR for laser beam profiling, MidWave IR Thermography for Printed Circuit Board Inspection, and LongWave IR for Predictive and Preventative Maintenance and Electrical Inspection.
The highlight of the booth was their New High Speed SC6000 Scientific camera line for Ultra Sensitive Thermography as well as Tracking/Target Signature and Range Phenomenology applications.
Hamamatsu Corporation showcased the benefits of their CMOS technology for equipment manufacturers, such as the ability to simplify circuit design and reduce component count. Several CMOS-based products were on display, including digital color sensors, linear sensors, and x-ray flat panel detectors that feature some of the largest monolithic CMOS chips on the market. Hamamatsu also promoted their latest multi-channel PMT assemblies, which were designed to help users achieve higher throughput in fluorescence measurement; their new quantum cascade lasers for emitting mid-infrared light at room temperature; and several camera systems, including a board level camera that can be easily integrated by OEMs.
Jenoptik showcased their JOLD-x-FC-1x, a passively cooled fiber-coupled diode laser with conductively cooling, fiber core diameter: 100 µm - 400 µm optical output power: 25 W and 30 W cw wavelengths: 808 nm – 976 nm
Labsphere featured a variety of interactive demos including LED measurement, sensor calibration, and their process for fabricating laser cavities and backlight panel reflectors. They also had a build-your-own-system table that allowed attendees to use available components to build a product for light or laser measurement or build a uniform source of light. The white and black graphics and white lab coats provided a clean, crisp appearance, standing out in a sea of color.
Ocean Optics unveiled the latest innovations in miniature spectroscopy, including a next-generation general-purpose spectrometer and the industry's first cross-platform spectroscopy software. The USB4000 Miniature Spectrometer is a 3648-element linear CCD-array spectrometer with 16-bit A/D resolution and on-board electronics for convenient integration of spectrometer operation and additional functions such as light source control and external device triggering. SpectraSuite is a Java-based spectroscopy software platform that operates on Macintosh, Linux and Windows.
Opto Diode Corporation exhibited their new 60 Die LED array product line. Now shipping, the 60 Die LED array has a 40-degree radiation beam angle with much higher intensity in the center of the working beam, compared to other LED arrays. The extremely bright array features the same excellent thermal conductivity and wide range of wavelengths from 405 nm to 870 nm as Opto Diode's recently introduced 99 Die LED array with a 110-degree angle beam. The new 60 Die LED array family is offered in varying wavelengths with typical peak wavelengths of 405, 470, 525, 610, 830 and 870 nm, respectively. Customized, wider (higher) temperature versions of the 60 Die LEDs are also available upon request.
Optometrics Corporation revealed their UV, VIS, and NIR Transmission Gratings. New UV Transmission Gratings are available in standard sizes. They are manufactured with carefully selected UV materials allowing for optimal performance down to 235nm. The VIS and NIR line of blazed transmission gratings was designed for optimum performance in the visible and NIR spectrum, offering different levels of despersion.
Photron's booth presented the latest camera technology in high speed digital imaging. Their new ultra high speed CMOS imager, the APX-RS camera, is a super light-sensitive, digital video camera and can capture 3000 frames per second at 1024 x 1024 resolution and up to 250,000 fps at reduced resolution. With the rugged, single-piece housing, the APX-RS is ideal for automotive crash testing and high speed imaging of missiles and other projectiles. Photron also presented a Product Spotlight featuring a discussion on how to select the best slow motion camera system for a variety of applications, including military, automotive and scientific.
Sensors Unlimited, Goodrich Corporation unveiled their new booth with a demonstration of their high resolution, high-frame-rate indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) linear digital video (LDV) linescan cameras. The company also presented a Product Spotlight featuring their shortwave infrared InGaAs-based detectors. Uniquely suited to non-destructive identification of materials in industrial processes, SWIR InGaAs cameras and arrays enable the detection of phenomenology that is invisible to the human eye or to other cameras.
Toshiba introduced a new ultra low-light, color video camera at Photonics West 2006. The IK-1000 imaging system features Toshiba's new, proprietary electron-multiplying CCD technology, making it ideal for all ultra low-light applications. The incoming signal is multiplied by a factor of one thousand, allowing a minimum illumination with full color reproduction down to 0.25 mlux (1/1000 lux) in color at 50 IRE.
ZC&R Coatings for Optics introduced a new optical coating that operates in the infrared spectral region from 8.0 to 12.0 mm. IR-BBAR-8-12 is a thorium-free coating, making it ideal for military and commercial applications. It can be tailored for a variety of substrate materials such as Germanium (Ge), Zinc Selenide (ZnSe), Zinc Sulfide (ZnS), Water Clear Zinc Sulfide (CIZnS) and others. Currently fielded, operational and achieving high marks, IR-BBAR-8-12 optical coating joins the ZC&R IR coatings product line along with dual mode visible/3-5, visible/8-12 mm and standard 3-5 and 8-12 mm coatings. In this product line ZC&R also provides optical thin film coatings for substrates such as Silicon, Sapphire, Fused Silica, and BK-7.