Seminar: "OPA driven by thin-disk lasers" by Knut Michel, 1.27.17/1:30PM-2:30PM/CREOL RM 103

Seminar: "OPA driven by thin-disk lasers" by Knut Michel

Friday, February 3, 2017 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
CREOL Room 103

Knut Michel

Abstract:Optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers (OPCPA) have emerged as a powerful tool for generating broadband few-cycle light pulses. They have the potential to generate such pulses at the multi-mJ level.
During the last decade OPCPA based systems have gained increasing recognition in the field of ultrafast science. These systems are used for high harmonic generation (HHG) and the generation of isolated attosecond pulses. Higher repetition rate systems can be found in applications like photoemission electron microscopy or target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy. These applications strongly benefit from kHz repetition rates due to reduced integration times and an improved signal-to-noise ratio. One main part of an OPCPA system is the pump laser. The OPCPA performance and stability is directly linked to the quality of its pump beam. In this talk we will present the latest developments in picosecond thin-disk laser technology and its usage as a powerful and scalable pump for OPCPA systems and other applications.

Biography:Knut Michel is the Managing Director of TRUMPF Scientific Lasers, a joint venture between the TRUMPF Group and Professor Ferenc Krausz, Managing Director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching.
Previously Knut Michel worked as the personal assistant to TRUMPF Managing Partner and head of the business unit laser technology and electronics Dr.-Ing. E. h. Peter Leibinger who is one of the owners of the TRUMPF company.

Knut Michel studied Physics at Technical University in Darmstadt and received his PhD in the field of laser and plasma physics. The focus of his work was laser-accelerated ion beams.

For additional information:

Shermineh Rostami Fairchild

Seminar: "Flat Nanophotonics: Controlling Light at the Nanoscale with Plasmonics and Metasurfaces" by Dr. Koray Aydin, 2.2.17/11:00AM-12:00PM/CREOL RM 103

Seminar: "Flat Nanophotonics: Controlling Light at the Nanoscale with Plasmonics and Metasurfaces" by Dr. Koray Aydin

Thursday, February 2, 2017 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
CREOL Room 103

Dr. Koray Aydin

Abstract:

Nanophotonic materials and devices facilitate strong light-matter interactions at subwavelength scales, thus providing unique opportunities to control and manipulate photons. In this talk, I will present visible frequency metasurfaces for broadband phase control and anomalous reflection, spectrum splitting using metallic metasurfaces enabled by phase engineering at the subwavelength scale. I will also present two different approaches for obtaining narrow-band resonant absorption filters at visible wavelengths. First structure is based on the surface lattice resonances in periodic nanowire and nanoring arrays fabricated on a reflecting metallic substrate. As a second approach, I will briefly mention strong interference effects in unstructured continuous metal-insulator-metal filters. Enhanced photoluminescence enhancement from a single monolayer MoS2 via plasmonic nanostructures will also be discussed. 2D layered materials received great attention due to their unique optical, electrical and mechanical properties however, due to their thickness light-matter interactions is rather weak. We utilize plasmonic nanostructures to strongly enhance electric fields locally at subwavelength scales therefore facilitating increased light emission and absorption in 2D semiconducting materials.

Biography:

Dr. Koray Aydin is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at Northwestern University and leading the Metamaterials and Nanophotonic Devices Laboratory. He has received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from the Bilkent University in 2002 and 2008, respectively. During his PhD, he studied novel electromagnetic phenomena, such as negative refraction, subwavelength imaging, and enhanced transmission, in microwave metamaterials and photonic crystals. He has worked as a postdoctoral researcher between 2008-2010 and a research scientist between 2010-2011 at the California Institute of Technology under the supervision of Prof. Harry Atwater. Dr. Aydin’s postdoctoral research has focused on the experimental and theoretical investigation of active optical metamaterials and functional plasmonic nanostructures. His research interests are in the general area of nanophotonics, with a specific focus towards the realization of nanophotonic devices for use in energy conversion, and biosensing applications. Dr. Aydin is an Associate Member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences and the recipient of the SPIE Educational Scholarship in 2007.

For additional information:

Ryan Gelfand

NSTC/CREOL Distinguished Seminar Series: "The Unprecedented Promise of Perovskite Solar Cells for Cheap Renewable Energy" by Nitin Padture, 1.27.17/11:00AM-12:00PM/CREOL RM 103

NSTC/CREOL Distinguished Seminar Series: "The Unprecedented Promise of Perovskite Solar Cells for Cheap Renewable Energy" by Nitin Padture

Friday, January 27, 2017 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
CREOL Room 103

Nitin Padture, Ph.D.Director of the Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation
Otis E. Randall University Professor of Engineering
Brown University

Abstract:

Solution-processed thin-film perovskite solar cells (PSCs), where the record efficiency has rocketed from 3.8% to 22.1% in just 7 years, offer unprecedented promise of low-cost, high-efficiency renewable electricity generation. Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites are at the heart of PSCs, where the reliable deposition of their high-quality thin films over large areas is critically important. Fundamental phenomena pertaining to crystallization, coarsening, and microstructural evolution involved in the solution-processing of perovskite thin films for PSCs will be discussed with specific examples. The overall goal of our research is to have deterministic control over scalable solution-processing of tailored perovskite thin films with desired microstructures for high-efficiency PSCs. Challenges that lay in the path of PSCs deployment will be discussed, together with the opportunities PSCs offer.

Biography:

Nitin P. Padture is the Otis E. Randall University Professor (designate) in the School of Engineering, and Director of the Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation, at Brown University. Previously he was the College of Engineering Distinguished Professor and founding Director of the NSF-funded Materials Research Science & Engineering Center at the Ohio State University. Padture’s research and teaching interests are in the broad areas of synthesis/processing, characterization, and properties/performance of advanced ceramics and nanomaterials used in applications ranging from jet engines to computer chips to solar cells. He has published some 180 papers and patents, which have been cited about 12,000 times, and he has presented 190 invited/keynote/plenary talks in the US and abroad. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Padture is the recipient of several awards from professional societies.

For additional information:

Jayan Thomas, Ph.D.

OSA Student Chapter Alumni Talk: "Optimizing Super-Resolution Microscopy for High-Throughput Imaging and Cell Biology" by Kyle Douglass, 1.9.17/12:00PM-1:00PM/CREOL RM 103

OSA Student Chapter Alumni Talk: "Optimizing Super-Resolution Microscopy for High-Throughput Imaging and Cell Biology" by Kyle Douglass

Monday, January 9, 2017 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
CREOL Room 103

Kyle Douglass

Abstract:

The shift in cell biology from an observational science to a more rigorous and quantitative approach was—and continues to be—driven by the development of technologies that can probe the molecular foundations of life. Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is one such technology, enabling scientists to visualize structures inside cells with a high degree of specificity and resolutions approaching nanometer length scales. Far from being of limited applicability, super-resolution is now used in many areas of cell biology, from membrane dynamics to single molecule tracking.

Despite its continued adoption by biologists, there remain however many problems that super-resolution is currently ill-suited to address, such as resolving the structure of very dense and heterogeneous protein complexes or accounting for cell-to-cell variability. Overcoming these problems requires biologists, computer scientists, and physicists to work together and to leverage each others' expertise. In this talk, I will discuss how I am using my education in optics and working directly with biologists to build an automated, high-throughput, super-resolution system capable of imaging hundreds of cells with nanometer-scale resolutions in a matter of hours. This system solves the problems described above by more than quadrupling the imaged area over that of similar microscopes and ensuring that the resolution is uniform across the field of view. By combining the resulting big data sets with computational modeling, we are building an understanding of how proteins are packaged together inside an organelle called the centriole and how DNA is folded inside the nucleus.

Biography:

Kyle Douglass began his studies at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, achieving the bachelor of science degree in engineering physics in May, 2007. He began his PhD studies at CREOL immediately afterwards, joining the lab of Professor Aristide Dogariu. While at CREOL, he worked on a number of projects related to optical sensing and control of random media, such as helping to develop a low-coherence, fiber-optics based interferometer for probing microscope relaxation times in blood and other biopolymers.

Following the completion of his PhD in August, 2013, he moved to the Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), which is led by Professor Suliana Manley. He is currently working directly with biologists and chemists to develop high-throughput microscopy systems for studying the structural biology of the centriole and bacterial shape dynamics. His development of a large field of view, automated STORM microscope was recently published and is now enabling his lab and collaborators to obtain unprecedented views of cell-to-cell variability at nanometer length scales.

For Additional information:

Midya Parto

LPTH Press Release: LightPath Technologies Completes Acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation

LightPath Technologies Completes Acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation  LightPath Extends Footprint and Global Scale with Expanded Range of Visible and Infrared Solutions Closes Public Offering of Common Stock and Full Exercise of Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Shares ORLANDO, FL – December 21, 2016 – LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) (“LightPath,” the “Company,” or “we”), a leading vertically integrated global manufacturer, distributor, and integrator of proprietary optical and infrared components and high-level assemblies, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation (“ISP”) for a purchase price of $18 million, subject to post-closing adjustments, of which $12 million was paid in cash with the balance in the form of five-year subordinated notes issued to the sellers.  LightPath also announced today that simultaneous with the closing of the acquisition it has completed the previously announced underwritten public offering of 8,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock, which includes the full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase 1,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to cover over-allotments, at a public offering price of $1.21 per share.  Members of LightPath’s Board of Directors and executive management team purchased shares in the offering.  Net proceeds from the sale of the Class A common stock after deducting underwriting discounts and expenses were approximately $8.85 million. The Company used the net proceeds from the offering for a portion of the purchase price of the acquisition of ISP payable in cash as well as to pay transaction expenses and other costs in connection with the acquisition.  The balance of the cash portion of the purchase price was funded by a $5 million acquisition loan from Avidbank, which also closed today, that is payable on an interest-only basis for  six months and thereafter amortized over 54 months.  Commenting on today’s completed transactions, Jim Gaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer of LightPath, said, “We are excited to have consummated the acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation as planned and welcome ISP employees to the expanding global LightPath team.  This transformative acquisition was made possible through a fully subscribed underwritten public offering of common stock.  The offering successfully attracted to the Company numerous high quality institutional investors, in addition to personal investments from members of our executive management team and Board of Directors.  The combination of LightPath and ISP positions us for continued growth with greater scale and scope to offer a comprehensive platform of visible and infrared solutions.” Roth Capital Partners acted as sole book-running manager and Dougherty & Company acted as co-manager for the offering.  Roth Capital Partners also served as an advisor to LightPath in connection with the ISP acquisition, rendering a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors.  BakerHostetler acted as legal advisor to LightPath.  ZAG-S&W acted as legal advisor to Roth Capital Partners.  KippsDeSanto & Co. acted as financial advisor and Blank Rome LLP acted as legal advisor to ISP in connection with the transaction. The offering described above was made pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 15, 2016.  A copy of the final prospectus relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and may also be obtained from Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, California 92660, by telephone at (949) 720-7227, or by email at rothecm@roth.com. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About LightPath Technologies LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) provides optics and photonics solutions for the industrial, defense, telecommunications, testing and measurement, and medical industries. LightPath designs, manufactures, and distributes optical and infrared components including molded glass aspheric lenses and assemblies, infrared lenses and thermal imaging assemblies, fused fiber collimators, and gradient index GRADIUM® lenses.  LightPath also offers custom optical assemblies, including full engineering design support.  For more information, visit www.lightpath.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including regarding the  anticipated growth following the completion of the ISP acquisition.  These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including market conditions, risks associated with the cash requirements of the Company’s business and other risks detailed from time to time in its filings with the SEC, and represent its views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date.  The Company does not assume any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. ####

LPTH Press Release: LightPath Technologies Prices Underwritten Public Offering of Class A Common Stock

For Immediate Release: LightPath Technologies Prices Underwritten Public Offering of Class A Common Stock ORLANDO, FL – December 16, 2016 – LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH), a leading vertically integrated global manufacturer, distributor, and integrator of proprietary optical and infrared components and high-level assemblies, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 7,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock at a price of $1.21 per share.  The Company also granted to the underwriters a 45-day option to acquire an additional 1,000,000 shares to cover over-allotments in connection with the offering, of which the option to acquire 300,000 shares has been exercised.  After the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, the Company expects to receive net proceeds of approximately $8.15 million, assuming no exercise of the remaining over-allotment option.  The offering is expected to close onDecember 21, 2016, subject to customary closing conditions. Roth Capital Partners is acting as sole book-running manager and Dougherty & Company is acting as co-manager for the offering. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering to provide funds for a portion of the purchase price of the acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation (“ISP”) payable in cash as well as to pay transaction expenses and other costs in connection with the acquisition.  In the event that the Company has proceeds remaining after payment of the cash portion of the purchase price and associated transaction expenses and other costs, it intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes.  The Company currently anticipates that the closing of the acquisition of ISP will occur simultaneously with the closing of the offering. The shares described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 15, 2016.  A copy of the final prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.govand may also be obtained from Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, California 92660, by telephone at (949) 720-7227. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About LightPath Technologies LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) provides optics and photonics solutions for the industrial, defense, telecommunications, testing and measurement, and medical industries. LightPath designs, manufactures, and distributes optical and infrared components including molded glass aspheric lenses and assemblies, infrared lenses and thermal imaging assemblies, fused fiber collimators, and gradient index GRADIUM® lenses.  LightPath also offers custom optical assemblies, including full engineering design support.  For more information, visit www.lightpath.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the proposed public offering and the intended use of proceeds from the offering.  The offering is subject to market and other conditions and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering or the acquisition of ISP may be completed or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.  These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including market conditions, risks associated with the cash requirements of the Company’s business and other risks detailed from time to time in its filings with the SEC, and represent its views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date.  The Company does not assume any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. ####

TOMORROW! Seminar: "Irradiation-Enabled, Energy-Efficient Fabrication of Next Generation Nanocomposites for Plasmonics and Transmissive Optics" by Myungkoo Kang, 12.15.16/1:00PM-2:00PM/CREOL RM 103

Seminar: "Irradiation-Enabled, Energy-Efficient Fabrication of Next Generation Nanocomposites for Plasmonics and Transmissive Optics" by Myungkoo Kang

Thursday, December 15, 2016 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
CREOL Room 103

Myungkoo Kang
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Pennsylvania State University

Abstract
Plasmonics and gradient refractive index (GRIN) optics provide unique opportunities to engineer material systems capable of novel properties that lie outside what is found in nature. Meanwhile, the fabrication of plasmonic devices and GRIN lenses has typically involved multi-step processes such as electron beam evaporation, lithography and lamination, typically limited to the front or back surface of device structures. Ion and laser irradiation has emerged as promising approaches to generate a wide variety of self-assembled nanostructures. While irradiation has been traditionally considered destructive and therefore contrary to most plasmonic and optical material manufacturing strategies, key ion-solid and light-matter interactions have been creatively exploited to enable the seemingly-destructive method to constructively fabricate structures, realizing counterintuitive results in the form of advanced functionalities. In this talk, I will focus on the influences of energetic ion and laser beams on a wide range of material systems including III-V compound semiconductors and chalcogenide glasses at the nanoscale and the formation of spatially-controlled nanostructures with desirable properties in the matrices. These technologies are promising for next generation plasmonic and transmissive optical applications.

The first part of my talk will focus on the utilization of focused ion beam (FIB) irradiation on a wide range of III-V semiconductors to self-assemble a wide variety of nanostructures including nanoparticles, nanorods and nanochains [1-5]. Furthermore, I will present our recent results on the utilization of the tunable localized surface plasmon resonance energies in the FIB-assembled nanopartice arrays to enhance light emission efficiencies of compound semiconductors, thereby providing a promising alternative to plasmonic materials [6-8]. The second part of my talk will focus on our recent progress in creating advanced optical functionality in chalcogenide-based nanocomposites for diverse applications. Specifically, our research team was the first to utilize laser exposure on chalcogenide glasses to create spatially-controlled metallic nanocrystals with refractive indices greater than those of glass matrices at temperatures lower than those required in traditional processes. This approach enables gradient GRIN lenses expected to replace complex optical components, thereby opening up new opportunities for researchers to exploit increased design flexibility and cost-effectiveness for future microlens-based devices [9]. Lastly, I will discuss questions which emerge as consequences of my research projects, and propose near future plans to develop a broadly applicable toolkit that will enable tailoring light-matter interactions for a wide range of applications in plasmonics, GRIN optics and the hybrid technology combining these two emerging fields, named GRIN-Plasmonics.

Biography:

Myungkoo Kang earned his Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Professor Rachel S. Goldman in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan in 2014. During his Ph.D, he extensively studied the influence of energetic ion beams on a wide range of III-V compound semiconductors at the nanoscale and demonstrated the counterintuitive self-assembly of novel nanostructures arrays with arbitrarily tunable dimensions. He systematically characterized localized surface plasmon resonances of ion irradiation-induced Ga nanoparticle arrays with performance comparable to those of Ag and Au nanoparticles, and demonstrated Ga nanoparticle plasmon-induced enhancement of light emission from GaAs up to 3.3X, which is the first ever combination of a new plasmonic material (Ga) and a new fabrication method (ion beam) for plasmonics. Since then, he has been continuing his academic career as a post-doctoral research fellow under the co-supervision of Professor Theresa S. Mayer in the Department of Electrical Engineering (currently vice president for research and innovation at Virginia Tech) and Distinguished Professor Carlo G. Pantano in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. During his tenure as a postdoctoral research fellow, he has developed and demonstrated a new laser exposure-based process for gradient refractive index fabrication using multicomponent Ge-As-Se-Pb thin film and bulk systems with high Pb content that provides an opportunity for next generation mid-wavelength infrared lenses. Using spatially-controlled ion and laser irradiation processes and cutting edge material/optical characterizations such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry, he is striving to understand how energetic ion and laser irradiation processes can be optimized on a wide range of semiconductors and glass systems to efficiently create novel nanocomposites with spatially-tunable nanostructure dimensions and desirable properties that are promising for next generation plasmonic and transmissive optical devices, respectively.

For more information:

Dr. Kathleen A. Richardson