Latest Articles

RSS

Highly Efficient Photonic Filters Promise Enhanced Data Transmission for Optical Networks

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory have come up with a potentially perfect way to sort and distribute the massive amounts of data that travel daily over optical fibers to people throughout the world.

16 Feb 2008

Medical Diagnostic Imaging Systems - Brief Descriptions of Commonly Used Medical Diagnostic Imaging Systems

Brief Descriptions of Commonly Used Medical Diagnostic Imaging Systems

10 Feb 2008

Camera Lenses - How Camera Lenses are Made

Designing camera lens starts off by pinpointing the potential market that will use the final product. The designer then has to decide on the optical design, material and the suitable fabrication method once the market has been identified.

9 Feb 2008

Plasma Televisions (TV) - How Plasma Screens and Displays Work

Plasma display technology has emerged as an alternative to cathode ray tube or CRT-based televisions. Plasma display technology offers a number of advantages such as the possibility of producing a very large screen and a narrow body.

6 Feb 2008

Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Study Reactions on the Microscale

In a significant step towards improving the design of future catalysts and catalytic reactors, especially for microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” devices, researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) at Berkeley, have successfully applied magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the study of gas-phase reactions on the microscale.

29 Jan 2008

Glossary and Definitions of Terms Related To Optics and Photonics

28 Jan 2008

Periscopes - What is a Periscope?

A periscope is an optical instrument that uses a system of prisms, lenses, or mirrors to reflect images through a tube.

28 Jan 2008

How Do Mirrors Work?

As we look around a room, we see most objects by the light that is diffusely reflected from them. Diffuse reflection of light takes place when the surface of the object is not smooth.

28 Jan 2008

Holograms and How Holograms Are Made

Holograms are no longer a mysterious part of science fiction. They are now an integral part of numerous consumer goods including credit cards, drivers licences, software CDs and even the cash currency of some countries.

27 Jan 2008

Freeform Optics - Manufacturing Optical Components Using Freeform Surfacing Equipment

In some instances, features of an optical system like lenses, mirrors and other reflectors, are required that cannot be readily made using conventional optics manufacturing processes like grinding, lapping and polishing.

27 Jan 2008