Join us for "The Future of Lasers: Two Perspectives"

In case you didn’t get this announcement directly….. Dr. Richardson is UCF Trustee Chair: Northrop Grumman Professor of X-ray Photonics & Director of the Townes Laser Institute at CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics. And Dr. Capasso was an invited speaker at the recent CREOL Industrial Affiliates Day. Should be an interesting webinar.

Jim Pearson

FPC Executive Director

The Future of Lasers: Two Perspectives Join us for a Webinar on June 21 THE FUTURE OF LASERS: TWO PERSPECTIVES brings together two expert veiwpoints on the future of quantum cascade lasers, fiber lasers and next-generation solid-state lasers. Our Expert Panel: Federico Capasso Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Capasso joined Harvard in 2003 after a 26-year career at Bell Labs. His research includes the design of new artificial materials and novel devices, plasmonics, nanophotonics, and the investigation of Casimir forces. He is co-inventor of the quantum cascade laser (QCL), a fundamentally new light source that has now been commercialized. He will discuss QCLs from their invention to exciting advances in the physics, applications and commercialization of these revolutionary lasers that cover the mid- and far-ir spectrum and are impacting sensing, spectroscopy and sub-wavelength photonics Dr. Martin C. Richardson University of Central Florida Trustee Chair Northrop Grumman Professor of X-ray Photonics and Director, Townes Laser Institute In 1990, Richardson and William Silfvast established the Laser Plasma Laboratory at CREOL, the Center of Research in Electro-Optics & Lasers at the University of Central Florida, developing research programs in ultrafast laser development, laser-plasma studies, EUV/X-ray lithography and microscopy and laser materials processing. He became the founding director of the Townes Laser Institute in 2007. The Townes Laser Institute and the college maintain major research programs in high-power fiber lasers, photonic crystal fibers and structures, ultrafast lasers and advanced photonic and communications devices. Richardson will discuss fiber lasers and next-generation solid-state lasers, including ceramic lasers and ceramic-fiber lasers. Title: The Future of Lasers: Two Perspectives Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/361105582

Florida’s Photonics Boom: What’s Behind It (And What’s Ahead)

A Q&A with James E. Pearson and Alexandre Fong, Florida Photonics Cluster

http://www.photonicsonline.com/download.mvc/Retrieve/Floridas-Photonics-Boom-Whats-Behind-It-0001/17101ca8-8170-4254-b607-b553e2674b6f?user=1053521&source=nl:30906

6.1.11 / CREOL 102 / 11am-12pm / Seminar: “Ultrafast Nano-optics”, Markus B. Raschke, University of Colorado at Boulder

Seminar: “Ultrafast Nano-optics”, Markus B. Raschke, University of Colorado at Boulder
CREOL 102
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 / 11am-12pm

Markus B. Raschke
Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, and JILA
University of Colorado at Boulder

Abstract:
Combining plasmonic and optical antenna concepts with ultrafast and shaped laser pulses allows for the precise control of an optical excitation on femtosecond time and nanometer length scales. I will present several new concepts extending tip-enhanced spectroscopy into the nonlinear and ultrafast regime for nano-scale imaging and spectroscopy of surface molecules and nano-solids. Examples include adiabatic nano-focusing on a tip for background free tip-enhanced molecular Raman spectroscopy, spatio-temporal superfocusing and coherent control at the 10 nm-10 fs level, and ultrafast free-induction decay near-field nano-IR spectroscopy of polymer nano-structures. I will discuss model calculations describing the relevant resonant plasmonic-molecular interaction. I will conclude with an outlook for future directions including the possibility for extreme nonlinear optics, strong light matter interaction, and radiative decay engineering.



Light scattering and scanning of a laser-illuminated sharp metal tip allows for measurements of the linear, inelastic, or nonlinear optical response of the sample with nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution.

Biography:

Markus Raschke is currently Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He obtained his PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute for Quantum Optics and the Technische Universität, Munich in 1999. He did his postdoc at UC Berkeley, followed by a research position at the Max-Born-Institute for Nonlinear and Ultrafast Optics and the Humboldt University, Berlin. From 2006-2010 he was Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is recipient of the Feodor Lynen Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Otto-Hahn-Medal of the Max-Planck Society, a Fulbright Fellowship, and a Friedrich Naumann Foundation Scholarship





For More Information:
Dr. Pieter Kik
kik@creol.ucf.edu
Website: http://nano-optics.colorado.edu

LPTH Press Release - Lightpath Technologies Adds Large Beam MWIR Collimating Lens to its Catalog

LIGHTPATH TECHNOLOGIES ADDS LARGE BEAM DIAMETER MID-WAVE INFRARED ASPHERIC LENS TO ITS CATALOG --Targets Growing Infrared Laser Markets including Gas Sensing and Environmental Analysis-- Orlando, FL - (May 23, 2011) - LightPath Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: LPTH), a global manufacturer, distributor and integrator of patented optical components and assemblies, announced today it has added a new Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) aspheric lens to its growing catalog of aspheric lenses designed for infrared applications. This lens is designed as a collimating lens for Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL). QCLs are used in a wide variety of applications including infrared countermeasures (IRCM), and gas analytical instrumentation for environmental sensing. Applications for QCLs and associated infrared optics are growing rapidly as system costs continue to come down. This new lens is an important addition to LightPath’s portfolio because it provides a unique combination of optical specifications with a 7 mm diameter and NA of 0.56. Systems utilizing this lens will achieve larger collimated beams than previously available with off the shelf MWIR aspheric lenses, which in turn will allow for enhanced system performance. The new lens is molded from LightPath’s Black Diamond™ chalcogenide glass making it a less expensive replacement for high-volume, diamond-turned germanium and zinc selenide optics. “Applications that require infrared optics have grown dramatically in the last several years, with a total market size of over $2.5 billion” said Jim Gaynor, President and CEO of LightPath, ”We continue to expand our product line of infrared optics to address this large and growing market. The combination of LightPath’s experience in laser collimation optics and our Black Diamond infrared material platform puts us in a strong position to continue to grow our infrared business.” About LightPath Technologies LightPath manufactures optical products including precision molded aspheric optics, GRADIUM® glass products, proprietary collimator assemblies, laser components utilizing proprietary automation technology, higher-level assemblies and packing solutions. The Company's products are used in various markets, including industrial, medical, defense, test & measurement and telecommunications. LightPath has a strong patent portfolio that has been granted or licensed within these fields. For more information, visit http://www.lightpath.com/. This news release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This information may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed by LightPath Technologies, Inc. in its public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, we do not have any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. GRADIUM® is a registered trademark of LightPath Technologies Contact: Ray Pini, Director of Marketing LightPath Technologies, Inc. Tel: +1-407-382-4003 x336 Email: rpini@lightpath.com Web: www.lightpath.com

Seminar - Discovering your Memory Power and Read Smart!

SPIE Symposium 2011

Every year the SPIE student chapter at UCF hosts a symposium for graduate students in science and technology related fields located in the southeast US region featuring invited talks and a panel discussion. The theme for this year’s panel will be “life after grad school” and focus on the three most common transitions after grad school - to a career in industry, to a career in academia and research labs, and to entrepreneurship and start-ups.

Are you a graduate student in science or engineering wondering how life will be after grad school? How do we go about building a successful academic research career? What will it be like transitioning to the first job in the industry? Have an amazing idea, but what else does it take to be a successful technological entrepreneur? Are you looking to work in an optics related field and would like to discuss the trends in the optics industry?

If yes, then this is the symposium for you! We will be discussing all of these topics and more with our invited speakers and panelists. We invite all graduate students in science and engineering related fields to participate and benefit from this event. The symposium will be particularly beneficial to senior graduate students with an interest in optics related fields. Others, including undergraduates and research scientists, keen on being a part of the discussions are welcome to join as well.

A Creative Capital Strategy – Equipment Leasing