Welcome to your Digital Edition

of Tech Briefs and

Photonics & Imaging Technology
January 2024

January 2024 www.techbriefs.com Vol. 48 No. 1

January 2024

5 Emerging Technologies
in Manufacturing

Blue Laser
Power Beaming for
Planetary Exploration
Space-Based Hyperspectral
Imaging: Seeing the Unseen
Scaling Up
Fusion Research Designing Optics for Lunar
with Simulation Rovers and Satellites
Thermal Solutions OPO Lasers Put Optical
for Surviving the Components to the Test
Lunar Night
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January 2024 www.techbriefs.com Vol. 48 No. 1

5 Emerging Technologies
in Manufacturing

Scaling Up
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with Simulation
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 January 2024 • Vol. 48 No. 1

Contents
Features 7
6 Products of Tomorrow

11 5 Emerging Technologies in Manufacturing

18 Optimizing a CVD Process for a High-Performance

Tungsten Material

33 Beyond the Shadows: Engineering Solutions for

Surviving the Lunar Night
26
37 NASA Spinoff: ‘Digital Winglets’ for Real-Time
Flight Paths

40 Navajo Pottery-Inspired Ceramic Water Filter

Solutions
21 Sensors
33
21 Photoelectric Sensor Essentials

22 Optical Concentration Sensor for Liquid Solution

24 Single Drop of Ethanol to Revolutionize Nanosensor Production

25 A Molecular-Sized, More Efficient Electronic Sensor

26 Robotics & Automation

New for Design Engineers
26 Snake-Like Robot for Traversing Extreme Terrain on Earth,
Moon, and Beyond 35 New on the Market

27 Dynamic Hydrogel Makes Soft Robot Components and

Building Blocks Product of the Month
28 A Temperature-Modulating Robotic System 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, has in-
troduced the SLS 300 smaller-foot-
29 A Precision Arm for Mini Robots print 3D printer designed for use in
settings other than a manufactur-
30 Sustainable Technology ing floor, for example, offices, ma-
terial research labs, or workshops.
30 New System Uses Only Solar Energy to Generate Hydrogen

31 Add-On Device Makes Home Furnaces Cleaner and Safer

35
32 Baking Soda Could Turn Concrete into an Effective Carbon Sink

Departments On the Cover

In the ever-evolving landscape of manufacturing, innova-
tion is the driving force propelling the industry forward.
4 Click The next-generation transformative technologies are al-
ready having a significant impact on manufacturing by
7 5 Ws changing the way engineers design, develop, and bring
products to the market. As we navigate the intricate web of
8 Q&A technological advancements and shifting market demands,
five distinct trends are emerging. Learn more on page 11.
10 Videos of the Month (Image: Kristian/Adobe Stock)
39 Advertisers Index
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the flat fee of $3.00 per copy be paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center (222 Rose Transactional Reporting Service is: ISSN 0145-319X194 $3.00+ .00

2 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

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VIDEO PODCAST
BLOG

AUSA 2023: The Next Generation of Army Top Prizes Awarded in 2023 Create the
Ground Vehicles Future Design Contest
The 2023 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) an- Throughout its history, the CTF Design contest has done its
nual meeting and exhibition featured several prototypes and part to bring out the best technologies for the future. For the
in-production variants of new and next-generation armored first time in its illustrious history, the contest saw the finalists in
vehicles, tanks, and trucks. This video summarizes some of the each of the seven categories pitch their ideas live to a team of
latest Army vehicle technologies that were on display at AUSA. judges, who selected the Grand Prize winner.

Watch this video and more on Read the full story at

TechBriefs.TV TechBriefs.com/blog

QUIZ INTERVIEW
BLOG

How Much Do You Know About DC Power Robotic Ankles Stabilize Amputees
Supplies? Robotic prosthetic ankles that are controlled by nerve im-
DC power supplies are ubiquitous in the modern electronic pulses allow amputees to move more “naturally,” improving
age. All electronic devices need DC power. Although our smart their stability, according to a new study from North Carolina
phones, for example, use batteries, those batteries need to be State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel
recharged using a DC power supply. So, how much do you Hill. For the study, the researchers worked with five people who
know about DC power supplies? had amputations below the knee on one leg.

Find the answer on Read the full interview at

Techbriefs.com/tb/stories/quiz TechBriefs.com/blog

Instagram: @TechBriefs X: @TechBriefsMag Facebook: @TechBriefsMagazine LinkedIn: Tech Briefs Media

4 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

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 This column presents technologies that have

Products of
applications in commercial areas, possibly
creating the products of tomorrow. To learn
more about each technology, see the contact

Tomorrow
information provided for that innovation.

Ultrafast
X
Mode-Locked
Lasers
Accurate
X
Lasers are essen-
Speech
tial tools for observ-
Decoder
ing, detecting, and
measuring things A speech pros-
in the natural world that we can’t see with the naked thetic developed by
eye. But the ability to perform these tasks is often a collaborative team
restricted by the need to use expensive and large in- of Duke University’s neuroscientists, neurosur-
struments. A research team at CUNY has developed geons, and engineers can translate a person’s brain
a novel approach for creating high-performance signals into what they’re trying to say. Compared to
ultrafast lasers on nanophotonic chips that can fit current speech prosthetics with 128 electrodes, the
on a fingertip. The work centers on miniaturizing device accommodates twice as many sensors in a sig-
mode-lock lasers — a unique laser that emits a train nificantly smaller footprint. The team tested the
of ultrashort, coherent light pulses in femtosecond brain implant on four patients undergoing brain
intervals, which is an astonishing quadrillionth of a surgery. The device recorded activity from each pa-
second. The new advance will enable pocket-sized tient’s speech motor cortex as it coordinated nearly
devices that can perform detailed GPS-free preci- 100 muscles that move the lips, tongue, jaw, and lar-
sion navigation, medical imaging, food safety inspec- ynx. Overall, the decoder was accurate 40 percent
tion, and more. of the time. That may seem like a humble test score,
but it’s impressive given that similar brain-to-speech
Contact: Shawn Rhea technical feats require hours or days-worth of data
Phone: 212-817-7180 to draw from. The device might one day help peo-
E-mail: [email protected] ple unable to talk due to neurological disorders re-
gain the ability to communicate through a
brain-computer interface.

Contact: Leanora Minai

Phone: 919-681-4533
E-mail: [email protected]

X Ultrathin E-Tattoo
A new system developed at the Italian Institute of Technology is an ultra-thin wearable device
— an electronic temporary tattoo — capable of reproducing the localized sensation of touch.
The new device is few micrometers thick and designed to arouse a tactile sensation, thus to
generate a force that pushes on the skin of the person who is wearing it, which can then per-
ceive a touch. The e-tattoo is small and easy to wear, allowing to apply it in everyday life, and it
is able to generate a very localized force, capable of restoring a tactile sensation on the skin to
which the device adheres perfectly. Preliminary usage test results showed great promise in terms of functionality,
suggesting the use of this technology as a possible new standard in the manufacturing lightweight, portable, and
energy-efficient tactile displays.

Contact: Valeria delle Cave

Phone: +1 0039-010-2896
E-mail: [email protected]

6 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

5 Who
Ws of the
Silk Transistor
Researchers at Tufts University have
created microprocessor-scale transistors
that can detect and respond to biological
states and the environment.

What
A team at Tufts University’s Silklab has
created transistors by replacing the insu-
lating material with biological silk. Tradi-
tionally, transistors in microprocessors
are made from inorganic materials such
as silicon and metals. However, by incor-
porating biological silk as the insulating A breath sensor device created using hybrid silicon-silk transistors can rapidly and
material, these new hybrid transistors accurately track breathing patterns in real time. (Image: Silklab)
can detect and respond to biological
states and environmental conditions. By altering the ionic composition of the silk, these transistors can process variable
information, similar to analog computing. This breakthrough in microprocessor technology paves the way for self-train-
ing microprocessors and new interfaces between electronics and biology. Having billions of transistor nodes with
connections reconfigured by biological processes in the silk could lead to microprocessors that could act like the
neural networks used in AI. The team’s first demonstration of a prototype device used hybrid transistors to create an
ultrafast and highly sensitive breathing sensor, which detects changes in humidity.

Where
Tufts University, Medford, MA

Why
This breakthrough holds substantial potential for health applications, including medical diagnostic equipment.
The hybrid transistors can potentially detect cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, sleep apnea, blood oxygenation,
and glucose levels.

When
The development of silk fibroin hybrid transistors into microprocessors poses interesting possibilities for the future
of computing.

For more information, contact Mike Silver at [email protected]; 617-627-0545.

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 7

 Q& A
Contact-Free 3D Hybrid Printing with
New High-Performance Materials
Javier Ramos, CTO, Tech Briefs: In what way did it more functional chemistries like ep-
and his team from Ink- enable new chemistries? oxies, thiol-enes, and COPs, which are
bit Corporation, Med- emerging types of chemistries that are
ford, MA, along with Ramos: When you are printing layer very difficult or impossible to print.
researchers from MIT by layer with inkjet printing, you are
and ETH Zurich, have jetting little droplets of material about Tech Briefs: Are you producing any
developed a 3D inkjet half the diameter of a human hair onto practical things right now?
printer that uses con- the substrate. All these droplets coalesce
tact-free computer vi- and form a film of fluid before the ma- Ramos: Inkbit, has a print service, and
sion feedback to print hybrid objects with a terial is polymerized. Typical 3D print- we also sell and install our printing sys-
broad range of new functional chemistries. ing systems today flatten these layers to tems. We have a few machines in the
ensure accurate geometry. You cannot field with customers in the robotic space.
Tech Briefs: Can you give me an print without any sort of feedback con- And then from a service perspective, we
idea of how you got started with trol, either mechanical planarization have customers in a wide range of appli-
this idea of using computer vision or machine vision control. When me- cation areas: medical models, functional
for feedback to do 3D printing? chanical systems contact the material, prototyping, product development —
they’re essentially scraping it flat. With the common theme being that the parts
Javier Ramos: We started out of MIT, a material that’s highly reactive, the ma- are usually multi-material.
where I was part of a team working on a terial sticks to the roller, polymerizes it,
research project to advance multi-materi- and gums it up — it essentially glues the Tech Briefs: What are your plans for
al printing. One of the things we found roller in place. So, you’re limited in the the future?
was that the existing inkjet 3D printing kinds of chemistries you can use to some
technology had severe limitations with that are less reactive and are compatible Ramos: Our challenge is to make this
accuracy, precision, and the type of mate- with mechanical flattening devices. And technology widely readily available to the
rials that could be printed. That was pri- those chemistries usually tend to be less manufacturing world so people can start
marily because the systems had rollers or functional. When you remove that me- building products and changing the way
scraping devices that would planarize chanical constraint, you can print ma- they design and produce components.
every layer as it was printing. We thought terials that are highly reactive and cure
there could be a better way of doing it over time. By not needing mechanical To read the full interview, visit www.
digitally with machine vision. planarization suddenly you can get into techbriefs.com.

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8 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
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Videos of the Month
Meet FibeRobo: A Novel Body-Temperature Shape-
Changing Fiber
Watch this video to learn more about FibeRobo, a novel body-
temperature shape-changing fiber based on liquid crystal
elastomers. These fibers, once formed into the larger textile
structure through knitting, weaving, and sewing techniques,
enable myriad applications from medical devices, athletic wear, to
interactive eating experiences, and transforming fashion pieces.

3D Printing Extremely Viscous Materials Using

Ultrasonic Vibrations
Watch this video to see how extremely viscous (μ >1000 Pa·s)
plastic solids can be 3D printed using a relatively simple and
low-cost nozzle vibration approach that can enable the
widespread fabrication of electronics, biomedical devices,
pharmaceuticals, and food using viscous heterogeneous material
precursors in residential, educational, and industrial settings.

Leveraging Digital Twins for Battery Design and Test

Real-world testing can be time-consuming and costly. By
using digital twins in testing, engineers can simulate any
operation and predict maintenance needs. Digital twins will
continue to be increasingly used in designing and testing EV
batteries. In this video, we discuss digital twins and their
importance to designing and testing EV batteries.

Screen-Printed, Flexible Sensors Transform Earbuds

into Brain-Activity-Level Recording Device
A pair of earbuds can be turned into a tool to record the
electrical activity of the brain as well as levels of lactate in the
body with the addition of two flexible sensors screen-printed
onto a stamp-like flexible surface. Watch this video to learn more
about the technology, which was developed at the University of
California San Diego.

10 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

 5 Emerging Technologies
in Manufacturing

I
n the ever-evolving landscape of manufacturing, innovation is
the driving force propelling the industry into new frontiers.
The next-generation transformative technologies are already
having a significant impact on manufacturing by changing
the way engineers design, develop, and bring products to the
market. As we navigate the intricate web of technological
advancements and shifting market demands, five distinct trends
are emerging. These include:

1. Artificial Intelligence
2. 6G Connectivity
3. Digital Twins
4. Extended Reality
5. Sustainable Manufacturing

The expected business disruption from these emerging

technologies is significant and manufacturers are preparing
their workforces to embrace these new trends. From the
integration of AI into the cloud and interconnected digital twins
to extended reality for immersive training and collaboration,
Kristian/adobestock

this feature explores five transformative currents shaping the

future of manufacturing and heralding a new era of improved
production, efficiency, and sustainability.

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 11

Emerging Technologies

Artificial Intelligence
How Cloud Technology and AI Drive a More
Productive Future
Stephen Hooper, Vice President of Design and Manufacturing, Autodesk

T
oo little capacity — and too much
complexity — are stifling the ability
of people and industries to design
and make much of what the world needs
to thrive.
Emerging cloud-connected technolo-
gy is poised to help solve these challeng-
es. In the cloud, data becomes a precious
resource, and artificial intelligence en-
ables businesses to squeeze every ounce
of value from it. AI can automate tedious
tasks, analyze and surface important in-
sights, and augment design and manu-
facturing in ways that let people be more
creative and productive.
To make the most of the cloud — and
AI — the manufacturing industry cannot
simply move workflows from desktops
and servers to secure data centers. The
industry needs radically new technology environments, where moment she needs it. And those increments build exponential-
files are no longer the primary source of information sharing. ly when they extend to more collaborators. That’s why it’s not
Where the currency for collaboration is data, from product de- enough to build a central data model in the cloud. The data
sign details, dimensions and materials to cost, schedules and needs to be open and extensible, so it can link to any technolo-
sustainability metrics. When projects live in the cloud, in a sin- gy solution used through the design-to-make process.
gle data model, from inception to manufacturing, information Autodesk’s new partnership with Cadence offers an exam-
can be automated to flow to the right people and machines. ple of how an open data model enables teams to harness AI
Data in the cloud opens new lines of sight. A product design on their preferred tool. Cadence provides AI-powered print-
can be reconfigured to replace delayed materials with available ed circuit board (PCB) design, and their integration connects
ones. And every collaborator upstream and downstream can Cadence PCB tools directly to Autodesk Fusion. Changes in
see those updates at just the moment they need them. Mistakes either Cadence’s tools or Fusion are reflected in both tech-
and waste can be minimized when the same sets of information nologies. Each team member can work in their tool of choice
flow to and from an engineer at a computer, a machinist on the without losing data or time between each stage of the product
shop floor, or an executive on an airplane. lifecycle.
Limited resources are maximized when teams stop searching Autodesk has also partnered with CloudNC, which harnesses
massive, proprietary files for scraps of relevant data and manu- AI to automate toolpath creation. Users upload a 3D model of
ally transferring design details between tools that don’t play any part and with one click, program the CNC cutting of that
nicely with one another. part. Early analysis shows an 80 percent reduction in program-
Industry clouds provide the environment for this new way to ming times.
collaborate. Using a central data model, an industry cloud frees In another innovation, AI is automating documentation,
data from proprietary files and connects it to the tools, people, a necessary but tedious task for product designers. Autodesk
and practices that need it. The data itself is granular, interoper- built a Fusion cloud service that automates creating 2D draw-
able, and accessible. That means smaller pieces of data — light- ings from the 3D data model — drawings that conform to
weight data that’s relevant to a certain person, function, or dis- industry standards.
cipline — can quickly flow between the various software and These advances offer a glimpse of where cloud-connected
devices that each discipline uses, increasing everyone’s insights data and AI are headed, but ultimately companies are in the
and productivity. driver’s seat. They’ll decide how to combine automation with
Consider the alphabet soup of software that exists today in manual work. How to use AI as an assistant to generate a great-
design and manufacturing: CAD, CAM, PLM, PDM, CAE, PCB, er range of ideas. How to use it for mundane work so designers
and MES. When data is restructured in the cloud, the wall be- and engineers have more time to be creative. And how to mine
nycto/adobestock

tween each silo vanishes, which enables data to move between data for insights to improve product designs and processes.
solutions and keep pace with demand. This new era of technology eases the twin challenges of ca-
Productivity breakthroughs start in increments. They’re pacity and complexity and offers more flexibility than ever for
gained with every piece of data that an engineer can unlock the businesses to respond to a fast-changing world.
12 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 6G
Will It Trigger a Manufacturing Revolution?
Roger Kauffman, Senior Director, Product Management and Marketing, Molex

T
he next evolution in mobile networks is on the hori-
zon with 6G. Set to surpass 5G with enhanced speed,
reduced latency, and expanded capacity, countless
applications will benefit. Manufacturing is anticipated
to be one of the greatest beneficiaries. While the tech-
nology is still years away, manufacturers planning for the
future should start thinking about the possibilities of 6G
and how to ensure readiness.
Today’s consumers demand faster and more de-
pendable experiences across devices — from smart-
phones and wearable devices to in-vehicle infotain-
ment systems. In response, network providers are
enhancing and expanding 5G infrastructure, the
current leading-edge wireless technology. But is it
enough? Industrial applications in factories and ware-
houses are already pushing 5G to its limits, demand-
ing more data at faster speeds. For manufacturing, 6G
can’t come fast enough. infrastructure will facilitate the real-time monitoring, con-
With testing expected to begin in 2030, 6G will mark a new trol, and automation of industrial processes to boost efficien-
era in connectivity — but it won’t be a flip of the switch. Similar cy and productivity.
to the transition from 4G to 5G, the switch from 5G to 6G will Imagine an electric vehicle assembly plant with no conveyor
require significant infrastructure investment. The enhanced system. Instead, the vehicles drive themselves around the fac-
coverage and greater bandwidth necessary to support 6G ap- tory floor from station to station, making stops at the bumper
plications will require construction of new transmission towers. installation robot, windshield station, and final quality inspec-
To handle the unprecedented data traffic 6G is expected to tion. Eventually, the completed car rolls out to the street, heads
support, fiber-optic cable deployments will be essential. In ad- to the dealership or the buyer’s driveway. Yes, this would re-
dition to these hardware considerations, sophisticated new soft- quire vast amounts of data collected by multiple systems simul-
ware must be deployed to efficiently orchestrate the intricate taneously and in real time — but this is exactly the type of ap-
web of 6G-connected devices. plication enabled by 6G.
Millimeter wave frequencies (mmWave) are radio frequen- While the previous example imagines vehicles driving
cies with a wavelength between 1 mm and 10 mm. These fre- through the factory floor and visiting stationary assembly sta-
quencies offer notable benefits compared to other frequency tions, the opposite could be true in other manufacturing pro-
bands, primarily substantial bandwidth capacity to handle large cesses. 6G could enable mobile autonomous robots to move
amounts of data. around the factory floor, free from physical safety barriers, en-
These characteristics render mmWave frequencies partic- abling them to complete tasks from pick-and-place to mechan-
ularly suitable for high-demand applications that prioritize ical assembly.
speed and dependability — like those driving the need for 6G. While enhanced data security protocols are anticipated
Nonetheless, mmWave frequencies come with certain limita- with 6G, no system can be expected to be completely invul-
tions. Transmission range is relatively short. Buildings, walls, nerable, and therefore, 6G is expected to take several steps
and trees pose other challenges, as these signals are easily forward in the arena of data security. This enhanced security
blocked by common physical objects found in the environ- is intended to safeguard data both during its transmission and
ment. To counteract these limitations and ensure comprehen- in cloud storage.
sive coverage, networks using mmWave frequencies will require Since the advent of 1G in 1979, wireless technology has
densely packed base stations. progressed through a new generation every 10 years. As the
To upgrade the communications infrastructure of an entire impending sixth-generation standard, 6G won’t achieve full
manufacturing operation to 6G, the benefits must outweigh functionality immediately upon release. Infrastructure devel-
the steep financial investment. For a factory that is running at opment will be a gradual process, with broadband providers
high efficiency over Wi-Fi, a transition to 6G would have to rep- competing to offer the most expansive and reliable network.
resent a can’t-miss manufacturing paradigm shift. What could This evolution will mirror that of 5G, which is still being refined
move the needle for widescale 6G adoption? to unlock its full capabilities.
6G is set to be a cornerstone of the ongoing advancement While consumers will race to buy 6G-enabled devices, man-
of Industry 4.0, leveraging capabilities of artificial intelli- ufacturers must take a more measured approach to adoption.
gence (AI), machine learning (ML), and digital twin tech- This will require careful analysis of existing factory infrastruc-
nology — areas that rely on the immediate processing, analy- ture, local 6G availability, and a thorough understanding of the
Molex

sis, and response to vast amounts of data. This technological costs involved in the transition.
Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 13
Emerging Technologies

Digital Twins
The Next Steps
Wendy Klotz, Strategic Business Development, DELMIA, Dassault Systèmes

D
igital twin (DT) technology has come a long way from its
origins at NASA. Even before Dr. Michael Grieves pre-
sented the concept of using digital, virtual product mod-
eling in 2002, physical equivalents were in use. We would likely
have lost Apollo 13 had there not been a physical duplicate on
the ground for testing — right down to the duct tape on hand.
Today, DT technology is widely used in manufacturing, espe-
cially for tech-heavy products. Companies are expanding their
digital models into actionable virtual twins that enhance manu-
facturing processes for production, assembly, testing, and
maintenance. For example, Airbus now has a virtual twin of its
manufacturing line for helicopters. Production machinery
across assembly lines is simulated in 3D and updated in re-
al-time to monitor production changes. The process increases
production process transparency, leading to higher efficiency
and improved product quality.
There have been three distinct developmental levels of DT
technology: discrete, composite, and interconnected. Compa- and composite twins will be integrated within and between
nies starting with digital twins create them for a single product, manufacturing firms and other key stakeholders. The IDT
part, or process. The twin monitors and optimizes performance becomes the operating system, enabling application software
within a specific value chain. Composite DTs integrate discrete to read data from and send control signals to various devices,
DTs with other external data sources to simulate and predict including IoT-enabled products. This development mirrors a
the future behavior of a system. larger industrial shift to digital, platform-based business
Interconnected DTs provide benefits to the broadest possible models.
audience. They enable the use and commercialization of vast Tesla’s use of gigafactories is revolutionizing EV manufactur-
amounts of heterogeneous data. They establish cross-company ing and spreading to other manufacturing segments. Large
data spaces and the ability to share based on cross-company casting machines, known as gigapresses, produce large, intri-
standards. This data is not stored centrally but instead at the cate parts of a chassis in one unified piece. By integrating large
source. chassis sections into single-cast pieces, Tesla has innovated key
The Interconnected Digital Twin (IDT) is one of two trends design and manufacturing efficiency aspects.
currently under adoption by progressive manufacturers. The Reducing or eliminating traditional multi-part assembly cre-
second is the gigafactory. ates a more cost-effective production cycle. Gigacasting short-
The concept of IDT takes the original technology and ele- ens the assembly line and accelerates overall vehicle produc-
vates it to the systems level. IDTs are networks of virtual repre- tion time. In most cases, it has also offered lightweighting
sentations, facilitating communication and data exchange opportunities that were not possible with traditional design
across the stages of product and process lifecycles. IDT goes and manufacturing methods. Gigacasting is not just a manufac-
beyond isolated instances of digital mirroring to promote com- turing innovation but a strategic element in designing more
prehensive simulation and real-time monitoring system-wide, effective and sustainable electric vehicles.
creating a virtual twin experience. Gigacasting is still evolving. Tesla has noted it is a difficult
A research team at RWTH Aachen University recently complet- process to master. Different parts of a gigacast part cool and
ed a Delphi study on the growth and potential of IDTs with 35 contract at varying rates. Assembly is complicated. Due to toler-
international experts participating. The research team also did a ance issues, there are unconfirmed reports from early use of
complementary analysis of 22 use cases. Their forecast reveals gigacasting that Tesla could only use 10 percent of its gigacast
four key concepts that will result from the increased use of IDTs: parts.
1. Digital manufacturing will become more decentralized in IDTs are not merely a wider visual representation; they are
data exchange; dynamic models that behave and respond to conditions just as
2. Digital manufacturing will become more transparent to in- they would in a real-world operational scenario. Tesla, Toyota,
crease environmental sustainability; Stellantis, and others adopting gigacasting are also among the
3. Digital manufacturing will become increasingly dependent leaders in using virtual twin technology. As gigafactories be-
on AI-assisted decision-making; come more common, the increased use of IDTs will become
chesky/adobestock

4. Digital manufacturing will become more outcome-oriented essential to continued innovation.

through subscription models enabled by real-time bidirec- Interconnected Digital Twins and gigacasting won’t just
tional data flows. co-exist; they will synergistically enhance each other to advance
According to the researchers, IDTs will challenge existing manufacturing efficiency. It embodies a paradigm shift toward
understanding of value creation and capture. The discrete more sustainable and intelligent manufacturing processes.
14 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 Extended Reality
Immersing into the Future of Manufacturing
Jared Worth, Content Writer, igus, Inc.

I
n recent years, the industrial landscape has witnessed a re-
markable transformation driven by cutting-edge technolo-
gies. Among these, extended reality (XR) technology has
emerged as a key catalyst for innovation, offering a spectrum of
benefits that redefine the way industries operate. XR, encom-
passing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed
reality (MR), has demonstrated its potential to revolutionize
various facets of industrial processes, fostering enhanced effi-
ciency, safety, and collaboration.
Apple and Meta have been leading the charge in the devel-
opment of XR technology, with both companies announcing
new XR headsets in June 2023. The Meta Quest 3 released in
October, boasting mixed reality capabilities and powerful tech-
nical specifications. Apple’s own headset promises extensive
AR and MR capabilities aimed largely at professional use in the
workplace. As more and more companies continue to develop ulate complex tasks and procedures in a safe and controlled virtu-
top-of-the-line hardware, the manufacturing industry needs to al environment. This not only enhances the skills of the workforce
adapt and find ways to take advantage of these developments. but also minimizes the risks associated with learning on the job.
One of the primary advantages of XR in the industrial space lies Maintenance and repairs are integral components of industrial
in its ability to revolutionize training and skill development. Tradi- operations, and any downtime can result in significant financial
tional training methods often fall short when it comes to provid- losses. XR facilitates remote assistance through AR applications,
ing hands-on experience, particularly in high-risk environments. enabling on-site technicians to collaborate with experts located
igus

XR enables immersive training scenarios, allowing workers to sim- elsewhere. Using AR, technicians can overlay digital information

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 15

Emerging Technologies

onto physical equipment, providing real-time guidance and diag- The globalized nature of modern industries often requires
nostics. This accelerates troubleshooting processes, reduces collaboration among geographically dispersed teams. XR tech-
downtime, and ultimately contributes to substantial cost savings. nology facilitates seamless remote collaboration by providing
XR offers a dynamic platform that enables engineers, design- immersive communication channels. Whether through virtual
ers, and manufacturers to collaboratively visualize and iterate meetings, shared AR workspaces, or holographic conferencing,
on product designs in a virtual environment, fostering en- XR fosters effective communication and collaboration, elimi-
hanced creativity and innovation. Through VR, teams can sim- nating the barriers imposed by physical distances.
ulate and analyze the entire product lifecycle, from conceptual- An unparalleled advantage of VR technology in particular lies
ization to production, identifying potential issues and refining in its capacity to unite individuals from diverse locations within
designs before physical prototypes are created. AR, on the oth- a shared virtual space. This is why igus has developed the “igu-
er hand, integrates virtual elements into the real-world environ- verse,” an industrial metaverse platform for users across the
ment, allowing workers on the manufacturing floor to access globe to share ideas, concepts, and insights. Customers can also
real-time information, assembly instructions, and maintenance speak with igus experts for assistance in choosing products, per-
guidelines, improving efficiency and reducing errors. forming maintenance and repairs, or optimizing designs.
The igusGO app is one such example of AR for product de- Ensuring the safety of workers is a paramount concern in
velopment, allowing users to see where various igus products industrial settings. XR technology contributes to safety by cre-
could be implemented within an application. This technology ating realistic simulations for training purposes, enabling em-
minimizes the need for physical prototypes, accelerates proto- ployees to practice emergency procedures in a controlled virtu-
typing cycles, and ultimately streamlines the entire product de- al environment. Additionally, AR applications can provide
velopment process. real-time safety information, such as hazard warnings and
XR technology plays a pivotal role in streamlining complex equipment status, directly in the field of vision, minimizing the
workflows and enhancing overall operational efficiency. In risk of accidents and enhancing overall workplace safety.
manufacturing, for instance, AR applications can overlay digi- As industries continue to navigate the complexities of a rap-
tal information onto physical production lines, offering re- idly evolving technological landscape, the adoption of Extend-
al-time data on performance metrics, quality control, and ed Reality technology emerges as a strategic imperative. The
equipment status. AR apps can even be used to overlay life-size transformative benefits, ranging from improved training and
digital machines over a physical space to assist with floor plan- maintenance procedures to increased operational efficiency
ning. This level of transparency allows for quicker decision-mak- and enhanced safety protocols, position XR as a powerful tool
ing, proactive problem-solving, and optimization of processes. for innovation in the industrial sector.

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16 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

 Sustainable Manufacturing
Re-Imagining Production
Eryn Devola, Head of Sustainability, Siemens Digital Industries

A
s the world struggles to reduce carbon emissions and
other environmental impacts, it is increasingly clear that
goods production must become more sustainable. Given
that manufacturing is responsible for 37 percent of global en-
ergy consumption, industry is feeling the pressure to address
the challenge and there are a few key trends that are accelerat-
ing the push to become more sustainable.
Net-zero commitments are forcing businesses to transform
their production processes to deliver significant carbon emis-
sion reductions. Evolving customer expectations add pressure
from the demand side for products with minimal environmen-
tal impact. Capital is flowing more readily toward companies
employing sustainability goals. And resource scarcity is fueling worlds across the value chain, such that intelligent predictions
the transition to circular economies. But this shift also offers a can be made reliably. The comprehensive digital twin provides
big incentive, as sustainable production is a catalyst for business the collected knowledge from simulations, production data, car-
innovation and growth. bon footprint information, and more for actionable decisions.
For sustainable production to be a worthwhile investment, it When industrial manufacturers invest in digitalization and auto-
must be put at the heart of the business and address sustainabil- mation to become a sustainable Digital Enterprise, they can achieve
ity from all angles. Sustainability improvements suffuse every a wide range of important outcomes. With systems in place to col-
decision, process, and system making it nearly impossible to lect, analyze, and act on production data — real and digital — a
create a sustainable business with a bolt-on solution. A business business can analyze their entire operation in the digital twin for
needs to be thinking about how it can create sustainable out- different sustainability scenarios. That leads to a more complete
comes from the beginning, visualizing the needed data to make understanding and risk mitigation in production by identifying
the most informed decisions. While most improvements will when and where emissions occur across the supply chain.
fall into these five categories, each business will create a custom Businesses can also use the digital twin to achieve huge ener-
solution fitting their requirements: gy savings with digitalized drive systems and enterprise-wide
• Decarbonization: reducing CO2 emissions, internally and ex- energy management — reducing energy costs and the associat-
ternally ed emissions today. The same can be said for more tangible
• Energy efficiency: using less energy for the same outcome resources. Water and raw material use can be minimized
• Resource efficiency: optimizing use and re-use of inputs while throughout production by understanding process dynamics
reducing waste more clearly while planning around the unavoidable and ex-
• Circularity: leveraging new materials and methods while ex- pected waste. A global manufacturer may need to understand,
tending equipment repairability and upgradeability plan, and optimize logistics and warehouse operations to mini-
• People-centricity: building a culture of empowerment, health, mize their environmental impact.
and safety. Into the future, manufacturers will be able to implement dig-
Innovation, flexibility, and adaptability will be required to ital workflows and training to ensure proper safety in a facility.
drive these categories and to be competitive in future markets. Teaching new processes and safety procedures will be critical as
These requirements will invariably overlap in nearly every man- businesses consider new materials and incorporate new pro-
ufacturing process. Understanding how and when they do will duction methods in their sustainability goals.
be a key enabler for sustainable manufacturing. Our goal is to continue adapting our existing tools to make
Embedding sustainability into every stage of operations will sustainability a primary decision driver across the development
be critical in accurately reflecting the possible changes needed cycle. That means linking data sources across the value chain
for sustainable production and it starts at the beginning. and feeding that data into the digital twins. But it also entails
When defining a production strategy, manufacturers need to helping our customers change their perspective on how to
incorporate cost, schedule, requirements, and sustainability. Line, think about sustainability, viewing it as an additional outcome
process, and plant design should be based on holistic sustainabili- from leveraging a digital twin that adds value and drives inno-
ty KPIs that are balanced with profitability. Production planning vation, rather than a forced requirement.
needs to extend from raw materials to end-of-life for an accurate
reflection of the KPIs. During operation, production and plant For more information, visit:
monitoring will provide the deep insights on performance and www.sw.siemens.com
enable real-time adaptation to meet sustainability targets. www.igus.com
Making these goals and recommendations a reality requires www.3ds.com
the Digital Enterprise — to seamlessly integrate and digitalize www.molex.com
Siemens

the entire production value chain. Harnessing the power of data www.autodesk.com
for sustainable production relies on combing the real and digital
Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 17
Optimizing
a Chemical
Vapor Deposition
Process for a
High-Performance
Tungsten Material

T
o make fusion power not only Tougher than Tungsten To ensure that the Wf/W produced
physically possible but also eco- Tungsten also has downsides. It is usu- by this process can be used in a fusion
nomically possible, we need to ally brittle, and coupled with exposure to reactor, the CVD process itself needs to
develop high-performance fusion neutron bombardment and overheating, be optimized to ensure that the material
reactors. However, these reactors call for it can experience even further embrittle- produced has the right relative density
high-performance materials. Consider ment over the operational lifetime of a and fiber volume fraction. Researchers
one of the many parts of a reactor, the fusion reactor. One solution to its brittle- from Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
diverter, as an example. ness is to produce a material called tung- (FZJ), Institute for Energy and Climate
Diverters (Figure 1) divert ash and oth- sten-fiber-reinforced tungsten (Wf/W), a Research, and Max Planck Institute for
er plasma contaminants out of the fusion tougher material that, through its com- Plasma Physics in Germany aimed to in-
vessel. These components must be able posite structure, offers crack-dissipating vestigate this process and how it could
to withstand the harshest environment mechanisms that give it a pseudoductile be optimized.
in the entire reactor setup. What materi- composite behavior, as in a fiber-rein-
al then is a good option for these parts? forced ceramic. Developing a Complete Model
Tungsten offers diverters a reasonable op- When producing Wf/W, one of the for CVD Production of Wf/W
erational lifetime and can withstand huge current methods of choice is chemical One of the key factors of the CVD
particle and heat fluxes, being heavily vapor deposition (CVD), also a popular process for Wf/W production is the
bombarded by neutrons, and undergo- production process in the semiconductor tungsten deposition rate, which de-
ing plasma erosion and thermal cycling. industry. In this process, gas molecules pends on the temperature and partial
Tungsten has a high thermal conductivi- adsorb on the surface of, and then react pressures involved. The tungsten depo-
ty, and it does not produce radioisotopes in, a reaction chamber that contains a sition rate is hard to predict because it
with a long half-life from transmutation heated substrate. Their interaction caus- involves a lot of different parameters,
or trap too much hydrogen, unlike some es a thin, highly pure material film (here, including the surface temperature and
other material choices for the diverters. W) to deposit onto the substrate. partial pressure at the reaction sites,
18 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 kinetics often contradict each
other from study to study. Rau-
mann found a new rate equation
for the CVD process, putting the
smaller pieces from literature to-
gether as a whole.1 But how?
He designed an experimen-
tal single-fiber setup with very
well-known boundary conditions.
With the help of the COMSOL
Multiphysics® software and a pa-
rameter study, he found the rate
equations. He then used the equa-
tions to model the Wf/W production
with multiple fibers. For this, Rau-
mann applied COMSOL Multiphysics®
again, followed by a parameter optimiza-
tion. The resulting parameters were also
applied in reality with success.

Developing and Validating a

Multiphysics Model
The The single-fiber setup to develop
goal of the new models for the chemical vapor
the FZJ deposition rate of tungsten is shown in
research was Figure 2, including a preheater and
to reduce porosity a main heater. The researchers want-
in Wf/W. For this, Leonard ed to see how fast the tungsten would
which depend on the reactor geometry, Raumann, Material Engineer at FZJ, grow and how this rate of growth was
heater temperature, gas flow rates, and needed to find the W deposition rate affected by the temperature and par-
gas composition. equation as a first step. Existing literature tial pressure. They then adjusted the
One important motivation for pre- about CVD for tungsten is controver- tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) reaction
dicting the CVD process is to avoid sial and incomplete, because the equa- order between one and zero, depend-
the formation of pores in the tungsten tions and values for tungsten deposition ing on the temperature and the WF6
material. During the CVD process, gas
flows through the fiber substrate and
a) b)
tungsten is deposited between fibers.
The area between the fibers is supposed
to be filled up with the solid W; howev-
er, some gaseous domains can become
isolated from fresh reactants when the
path from the bulk of the gas phase is
closed, or obstructed, by the W deposits.
In other words, the pores do not have
access to the reactants needed to fill
them with tungsten, thus they remain
pores throughout the process.
In order to reduce or avoid materi-
al strength-reducing pore formation,
the substrate geometry and the param-
eters of the CVD process need to be
carefully adjusted. Figure 1. A diverter in a fusion reactor. (Image: COMSOL)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 19

Chemical Vapor Deposition

partial pressure. To do so, they used

WF6,H2 numerical modeling to study the flu-
a) b) c) id dynamics of the gas mixtures, heat
transfer of the thermal losses, and
chemistry and rate equations for the
chemical reactions at the deposition
Pre surface (Figure 3).
heater A macroscaled CVD reactor model
returned the partial pressures as input
Upper for microscale transient simulations. For
Main
fiber this, Raumann modeled the W coatings
heater
holder growing onto multiple adjacent W fibers
as well as the surface-to-surface contact
Thermo- of the W coatings and the corresponding
couple Tube potential pore formation. In Raumann’s
W fiber
dissertation,1 he validated these models
successfully by comparing experiments
(WFx,H2) HF for the deposition rate, pore structure,
Figure 2. Model geometry based on a simplified experimental setup. W fiber is shown to the right and relative densities of the CVD process
(thin gray vertical line). (Image: COMSOL) of Wf/W (Figure 4). In a third step, the
multifiber model was used for a CVD
Nr(1)=1090 Time=0 min
Surface: Temperature (degC)
Nr(1)=1090 Time=0 min
Surface: Temperature (degC) Mesh
Nr(1)=1090 Time=0 min
Surface: Partial Pressure WF6 (mbar)
Nr(1)=1090 Time=0 min
Surface: Partial Pressure WF6 (mbar) process parameter optimization to suc-
m m Mesh Mesh
m cessfully improve the simulated and later
-0.065 -0.08 -0.065
-0.07
600
-0.07
also experimental material density.
-0.075 -0.082 580 5.5 5.5
-0.075
-0.08
-0.085
-0.084 560
-0.08
Scaling Up Fusion Research
-0.085 5 5
-0.09
-0.086 540 -0.09
The FZJ-IPP team is currently plan-
-0.095
520
-0.095
4.5 4.5 ning to apply the validated model to a
-0.1 -0.088 -0.1
-0.105
500 -0.105
3D geometry to scale up Wf/W produc-
-0.09
-0.11 -0.11
4 4
tion even further. They aim to devel-
-0.115 480

-0.12
-0.092 -0.115
op a new approach that would involve
-0.12 3.5 3.5
460
-0.125 -0.094 -0.125
one coil delivering the W fabric (CVD
-0.13
-0.096
440 -0.13 3 3 substrate) to another, with one coil un-
-0.135 -0.135
-0.14
420
-0.14
bound and the other coiled and heated
-0.098
-0.145
400 -0.145
2.5 2.5
up. This allows the fabric layer stacking
0 0.01 0.02 m 0 0.005 m 0 0.01 0.02 m 0 m
to take place with the chamber closed,
Figure 3. Temperature (left) and partial pressure (right) during the CVD process. Fiber surface at so that all layers can be deposited in one
radius r = 0.075 cm and inner tube surface at r = 0.4 cm. (Image: COMSOL) CVD process (there is also a lower risk of
contamination this way).
a) Experimental Scaling up the production process
for tungsten-fiber-reinforced tungsten
means new possibilities for fusion power.
Before this research, producing one lay-
er of the tungsten material took around
five hours, but by optimizing the CVD
process parameters, it can take just 30
b) Simulated minutes to produce one layer of Wf/W
— which is 10 times faster. By optimizing
production processes for high-perfor-
mance materials for fusion reactors, we
can ensure that fusion power is both pos-
sible and cost efficient.
Pore # 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
c) Overlayed This article was contributed by COM-
SOL (Burlington, MA). For more infor-
mation, visit www.comsol.com.

Reference
1. L. Raumann, Modeling and validation of
chemical vapor deposition for tungsten
fiber reinforced tungst en, dissertation,
Figure 4. Experimental results (top), simulation results (center), and an overlay of both results (bottom) Energy & Environment, Schriften des For-
of pore formation during the CVD process. (Image: COMSOL) schungszentrums Jülich, 2020.

20 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

Sensors
Photoelectric Sensor Essentials
Photoeye sensors use light as a non-contact object detection method, which is useful for
many types of equipment automation and monitoring.
IDEC Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA

P hotoelectric (PE) sensors represent

a discrete sensor technology widely
used throughout industry. Also called
gered by small contaminants in the path,
and must be installed such that they don’t
affect the eyes of workers in the area.
across the target path. They are easier
to install than through-beam, and even
work with reflective targets.
photoelectric switches or photoeyes, In addition to light sources, users must • Diffuse-reflective: These are similar to
they use the presence or absence of light evaluate four major operating categories retro-reflective, but no reflector is need-
to provide an on/off output to supervi- of PE sensors to determine which is best ed. They provide good detection of
sory automation and monitoring systems for their application (Figure 2): known targets over a short distance, but
(Figure 1). Although the technology has • Through-beam: Requires installation of they can be affected by target color and
been in use for many years, there are a separate emitter and receiver module reflectivity.
many device configurations and some spanning the target path. These work • Background suppression: This type uses
recent advancements worthy of note. well for detecting products moving one emitter and two receivers in a sin-
Other sensors may use physical touch, through a machine or conveyor. gle device, and it is tuned to recognize
or non-contact physical properties such • Polarized retro-reflective: The emitter a standard background at a close and
as sound or electromagnetics, to detect and receiver are combined into a single fixed distance, so the device can reliably
objects. However, PE sensors are often the device and point at a passive reflector detect even small targets.
better choice for sensing manufacturing
products such as boxes or bottles, or even
parts of a machine itself, because of these
leading advantages:
• Non-contacting: Avoiding contact means
the sensor won’t be damaged, and the
target can’t be marred.
• Wide range: Sensors are available for
ranges from very close to very far, and
targets do not need to be perfectly
aligned for detection.
• Variable targets: Almost any opaque
material can be sensed, and specialized
versions are available for other types of
materials.
PE sensor technology operates by de-
tecting the light reflected from an object
or obscured by an object. An emitter gen-
erates the light, and a receiver detects the
presence or absence of light. These devic-
es use long-life solid-state elements to gen-
erate the light, and because the light pat-
tern spreads out once it leaves the emitter,
there are several common types of light
sources, depending on the application:
• Red LED: This general-purpose light
source works well for many applications,
and it produces a visible spot or beam
making it easy to align.
• Infrared LED: This source is efficient
and less susceptible to nuisance triggers
from dust, but it is not visible to users,
making it more difficult to align.
• Red laser: Lasers provide a tight beam
diameter which works at long ranges, Figure 1: Using light as the sensing medium, PE sensors provide a non-contact method for detect-
but they are more expensive, can be trig- ing objects ranging from close/small to far/large. (Image: IDEC Corporation)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 21

 Sensors

Beyond these characteristics, design-

ers will need to consider the device form
factor, response time, wiring methods,
and voltage/signaling needs. Small de-
vices with short response times, flexible
configuration options, selectable op-
erating modes, and other nice-to-have
features such as laser-marked QR codes
for accessing instructions via a mobile
device provide the best usability for most
applications.
PE sensors often provide the best dis-
crete detection price/performance ratio
for a wide variety of applications including
machinery, material handling systems, pro-
cessing/manufacturing, and many others.
This article was written by Bruce Fink,
Product Marketing Manager at IDEC Cor-
Figure 2: IDEC offers a family of PE sensors using various light sources and operating modes incor-
porating the latest high-performance technologies and ease-of-use features, so users can find the poration (Sunnyvale, CA). For more infor-
optimal device for their discrete detection applications. (Image: IDEC Corporation) mation, visit https://us.idec.com/.

Optical Concentration Sensor for Liquid Solution

Light scattering approach to precisely measuring solution concentrations.
Kennedy Space Center, Meritt Island, FL

Innovators at the NASA Kennedy Space

Center have developed a new optical sen-
sor for measuring concentration in a liq-
Typical concentration sensors, like the
one initially used in the UWMS, rely on
changes in electrical conductivity to
it hits a first detector (i.e., a photodiode)
to establish a reference of the amount of
light before scattering. Simultaneously,
uid solution. The sensor was designed for measure the concentration of a solution. the light from the LED scatters through
measuring the pretreat solution concen- These measurements using conductivity the pretreat solution and then hits a sec-
tration within the Universal Waste Man- are prone to voltage drift over time, lead- ond photodiode to measure the amount
agement System (UWMS), a specialized ing to unreliable measurements as the of light after scattering. The difference
toilet designed for the International Space sensor ages. The optical sensor devel- between the amount of light measured
Station (ISS) and other future missions. oped here uses light scattering to mea- by the two detectors is used to calculate
The sensor was developed to replace the sure the solution concentration without the concentration of the pretreat solu-
current pretreat concentration sensor the issue of voltage drift. tion (based upon Beers Law).
within the UWMS that uses electrical con- In this sensor, light from a green LED The optical concentration sensor has
ductivity instead of light-based methods. is passed into the sensor housing where been demonstrated to effectively mea-
sure pretreat concentrations in both
Reference scattering volume PFA tube still and flowing liquid conditions and is
resistant to contamination issues as ne-
cessitated by the UWMS. Using estab-
Scattering lished methodologies and commercial
surface components, the new sensor can pre-
cisely measure the concentration or
pretreat within the waste treatment
23 mm Green solution using the light passed through
LED Pretreat and scattered by the solution. The opti-
scattering cal sensor can be adapted to measure
volume the concentration of solutions across
various industries.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
Reference Pretreat commercialize this technology. Please
Photodiode Photodiode contact NASA’s Licensing Concierge at
[email protected]
32 mm or call at 202-358-7432 to initiate licensing
discussions. For more information, visit
https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/
Schematic of the optical sensor for measuring pretreat concentration. (Image: NASA) KSC-TOPS-91.
22 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 Optical Measurement Sensors
for sub-micron precision in industrial applications

confocalDT
ƒ Confocal sensors for displacement, distance,
position and thickness measurement
ƒ Leading technology with nanometer resolution
ƒ Ideal for automation and production control,
even for semicon industry
interferoMETER
ƒ Ideal for fast measurements
ƒ White light interferometers for
industrial applications
ƒ Absolute distance measurement
with nanometer accuracy
ƒ Distance-independent thickness
measurements
ƒ High signal stability due to innovative
evaluation algorithms and active
temperature compensation
ƒ Best-in-Class:
Resolution < 30 picometers

optoNCDT
ƒ Leadership in laser distance measurements:
precise, compact & smart
ƒ Measurement of displacement, distance
and thickness on numerous surfaces
ƒ Ideal for automation, production control
and test bench
ƒ Extreme measurement accuracy

CONTACT US
www.micro-epsilon.com

Raleigh, NC 27617 / USA · Phone +1/919 787 9707 · [email protected]

 Sensors

Single Drop of Ethanol to Revolutionize Nanosensor

Production
Engineers have developed a new technique to make the processing of nanosensors cheaper,
greener, and more effective by using a single drop of ethanol.
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

M acquarie University engineers have

developed a new technique to
make the manufacturing of nanosen-
The nanoparticles assemble them-
selves into a network held together by
weak natural bonds which can leave so
layers of nanoparticles, creating chan-
nels that allow electrons to pass through
layers so the sensor will function.
sors far less carbon-intensive, much many gaps between nanoparticles that “The furnace destroys most poly-
cheaper, more efficient, and more ver- they fail to transmit electrical signals, so mer-based sensors, and nanosensors
satile — substantially improving a key the sensor won’t function. containing tiny electrodes, like those
process in this trillion-dollar global The team uncovered the finding while in a nanoelectronic device, can melt.
industry. working to improve ultraviolet light sen- Many materials can’t currently be used
The team found a way to treat each sors, the key technology behind Sun- to make sensors because they can’t with-
sensor using a single drop of ethanol, watch, which saw Nasiri become a 2023 stand heat,” said Nasiri.
as opposed to the conventional process Eureka Prize finalist. “Adding one droplet of ethanol onto
that involves heating materials to high Nanosensors have huge surface-to-vol- the sensing layer, without putting it into the
temperatures. ume ratio made up of layers of nanopar- oven, will help the atoms on the surface of
“Nanosensors are usually made up ticles, making them highly sensitive to the nanoparticles move around, and the
of billions of nanoparticles deposited the substance they are designed to de- gaps between nanoparticles disappear as
onto a small sensor surface — but most tect. But most nanosensors don’t work the particles to join to each other,” added
of these sensors don’t work when first effectively until heated in a time-con- Nasiri. “We showed that ethanol greatly im-
fabricated,” said corresponding author suming and energy-intensive 12-hour proved the efficiency and responsiveness
Associate Professor Noushin Nasiri. process using high temperatures to fuse of our sensors, beyond what you would get
after heating them for 12 hours.”
Flame Spray Pyrolysis The new method was discovered after
the study’s lead author, Jayden (Xiaohu)
a b Chen, accidentally splashed some etha-
5.5 mm
7.6

DNC trate
trate Glass subs
m

Glass subs nol onto a sensor while washing a cru-

m

cible — an incident that would usually

Self-assembled destroy these sensitive devices.
nanoclusters “I thought the sensor was destroyed,
HAB = 12 cm

Nanoparticle but later realized that the sample was

Spraying time outperforming every other sample we’ve
ever made,” said Chen.
c “When Jayden found this result, we
went back very carefully trying different
18.5 μm

Supporting
flames quantities of ethanol. He was testing over
and over again to find what worked,”
Flame reactor said Nasiri. “It was like Goldilocks —
three microliters was too little and did
Capillary-Force Driven Self-Assembly nothing effective, 10 microliters was too
d e f g much and wiped the sensing layer out,
five microliters was just right!”
The team has patents pending for
the discovery, which has the potential to
Glass substrate Glass substrate Glass substrate Glass substrate make a very big splash in the nanosensor
world, and Nasiri has already been ap-
proached by companies in Australia and
internationally who are keen to work with
her to put the technique into practice.
“We have developed a recipe for mak-
ing nanosensors work and we have test-
ed it with UV light sensors, and also with
Schematic of a) Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) and b) the evolution of DNC upon the ongoing deposi- nanosensors that detect carbon dioxide,
tion time and the correspondingly deposited DNC film. c) The cross-sectional SEM image of depos- methane, hydrogen, and more — the
ited DNC film after spraying for 100 s at the HAB of 12 cm. d–g) Illustrations of the key morpholog- effect is the same,” said Nasiri.
ical transformation process from the DNCs to NMACs with frozen frames of the actual morphology
under the video metrological investigation. All scale bars are 10 μm. (Image: onlinelibrary.wiley. For more information, contact Fran
com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202302808) Molloy at [email protected].
24 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
A Molecular-Sized, More Efficient Electronic Sensor
This piezoresistor is about 500,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Curtin University, Perth, Australia

A ustralian researchers have devel-

oped a molecular-sized, more effi-
cient version of a widely used electron-
Kosov said understanding the rela-
tionship between molecular shape and
conductivity will allow basic properties
“This new capability is critical to the
future development of all molecular
electronics devices,” Kosov said.
ic sensor, in a breakthrough that could of junctions between molecules and For more information, contact Vanes-
bring widespread benefits. attached metallic conductors to be de- sa Beasley at vanessa.beasley@curtin.
Piezoresistors are commonly used to de- termined. edu.au; +61 892-66-1811.
tect vibrations in electronics and automo-
biles, such as in smart phones for count-
ing steps, and for airbag deployment in
cars. They are also used in medical devic-
es such as implantable pressure sensors, as
well as in aviation and space travel.
In a nationwide initiative, researchers led
by Dr. Nadim Darwish from Curtin Uni-
versity, Professor Jeffrey Reimers from the
University of Technology Sydney, Associate
Exceptional Performance.
Professor Daniel Kosov from James Cook
University, and Dr. Thomas Fallon from the
University of Newcastle, have developed a Unparalleled Reliability.
piezoresistor that is about 500,000 times
smaller than the width of a human hair.
Darwish said they had developed a more ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
sensitive, miniaturized type of this key elec-
tronic component, which transforms force
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“Because of its size and chemical nature, of ultrasonic transducers that deliver outstanding performance
this new type of piezoresistor will open and reliability. Our extensive product line includes ruggedized ultrasonic
up a whole new realm of opportunities weatherstation instruments, the widest range of transducer frequencies
for chemical and biosensors, human-ma- for industrial use, and we offer customized designs to bring
chine interfaces, and health monitoring your innovative products from concept to production.
devices,” Darwish said. “As they are mo-
lecular-based, our new sensors can be used Contact us at [email protected] to discover the AIRMAR advantage.
to detect other chemicals or biomolecules
like proteins and enzymes, which could be
game-changing for detecting diseases.”
Fallon said the new piezoresistor was
made from a single bullvalene molecule
that when mechanically strained reacts to
form a new molecule of different shape, al-
tering electricity flow by changing resistance.
“The different chemical forms are
known as isomers, and this is the first time
that reactions between them have been
used to develop piezoresistors,” Fallon
said. “We have been able to model the
complex series of reactions that take place,
understanding how single molecules can
react and transform in real time.”
200WX AT200
Reimers said the significance of this
was the ability to electrically detect the ARK120-THD
change in the shape of a reacting mole-
cule, back and forth, at about once every
1 millisecond.
“Detecting molecular shapes from their AIRMAR.COM
electrical conductance is a whole new con-
cept of chemical sensing,” Reimers said.
Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 25
Robotics & Automation
Snake-Like Robot for Traversing Extreme Terrain on Earth,
Moon, and Beyond
A versatile robot can autonomously map and explore previously inaccessible destinations.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA

A team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labo-

ratory that’s creating a snake-like ro-
bot for traversing extreme terrain is tak-
learn, adjust, repeat. Called EELS (short
for Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor),
the self-propelled, autonomous robot
crust of Saturn’s moon Enceladus by de-
scending narrow vents in the surface
that spew geysers into space.
ing on the challenge with the mentality was inspired by a desire to look for signs Although testing and development
of a startup: Build quickly, test often, of life in the ocean hiding below the icy continue, designing for such a challeng-
ing destination has resulted in a highly
adaptable robot. EELS could pick a safe
course through a wide variety of terrain
on Earth, the Moon, and far beyond, in-
cluding undulating sand and ice, cliff
walls, craters too steep for rovers, under-
ground lava tubes, and labyrinthine
spaces within glaciers.
“It has the capability to go to locations
where other robots can’t go. Though
some robots are better at one particular
type of terrain or other, the idea for
EELS is the ability to do it all,” said JPL’s
Matthew Robinson, EELS Project Man-
ager. “When you’re going places where
Team members from JPL test a snake robot called EELS at a ski resort in the Southern California you don’t know what you’ll find, you
mountains. Designed to sense its environment, calculate risk, travel, and gather data without re-
al-time human input, EELS could eventually explore destinations throughout the solar system. want to send a versatile, risk-aware robot
(Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech) that’s prepared for uncertainty — and
can make decisions on its own.”
The project team began building the
first prototype in 2019 and has been
making continual revisions. Since last
year, they’ve been conducting monthly
field tests and refining both the hard-
ware and the software that allows EELS
to operate autonomously. In its current
form, dubbed EELS 1.0, the robot weighs
about 220 lbs (100 kgs) and is 13-feet (4
m) long. It’s composed of 10 identical
segments that rotate, using screw threads
for propulsion, traction, and grip. The
team has been trying out a variety of
screws: white, 8-inch-diameter (20-cm-di-
ameter) 3D-printed plastic screws for
testing on looser terrain, and narrower,
sharper black metal screws for ice.
Because of the communications lag
time between Earth and deep space,
EELS is designed to autonomously
sense its environment, calculate risk,
travel, and gather data with yet-to-be-
determined science instruments. When
something goes wrong, the goal is for
EELS is tested in the sandy terrain of JPL’s Mars Yard. Engineers repeatedly test the snake robot the robot to recover on its own, without
across a variety of terrain, including sand, snow, and ice. (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech) human assistance.
26 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 EELS creates a 3D map of its surround- In its final form, the robot will contain against opposing walls at the same time
ings using four pairs of stereo cameras 48 actuators — essentially little motors like a rock climber.
and LiDAR, which is similar to radar but — that give it the flexibility to assume The robot has been put to the test in
employs short laser pulses instead of ra- multiple configurations but add com- sandy, snowy, and icy environments,
dio waves. With the data from those sen- plexity for both the hardware and soft- from the Mars Yard at JPL to a “robot
sors, navigation algorithms figure out the ware teams. Many of them have built-in playground” created at a ski resort in the
safest path forward. The goal has been to force-torque sensing, working like a kind snowy mountains of Southern Califor-
create library of “gaits,” or ways the robot of skin so EELS can feel how much force nia, even at a local indoor ice rink.
can move in response to terrain challeng- it’s exerting on terrain. That helps it to For more information, contact Melissa
es, from sidewinding to curling in on it- move vertically in narrow chutes with un- Pamer at [email protected];
self, a move the team calls “banana.” even surfaces, configuring itself to push 626-314-4928.

Dynamic Hydrogel Makes Soft Robot Components and

Building Blocks
The hydrogel material could make assembling complex microfluidic or soft robotic devices as
simple as putting together a LEGO set.
Brown University, Providence, RI

U sing a new type of dual-polymer ma-

terial capable of responding dynami-
cally to its environment, researchers have
The key to the new material’s func-
tionality is its dual-polymer composition;
one polymer provides structural integri-
each other — a process called crosslink-
ing. There are two types of bonds that
hold crosslinked polymers together: co-
developed a set of modular hydrogel com- ty while the other enables the dynamic valent and ionic. Covalent bonds are
ponents that could be useful in a variety of behaviors like bending or self-adhesion. quite strong but irreversible. Ionic bonds
soft robotic and biomedical applications. Hydrogels solidify when the polymer are not quite as strong but can be re-
The components, which are patterned strands within them become tethered to versed. Adding ions will cause the bonds
by a 3D printer, are capable of bending,
twisting, or sticking together in response
to treatment with certain chemicals. The
researchers created a soft gripper capa-
ble of actuating on demand to pick up
small objects, as well as LEGO-like hy-
drogel building blocks that can be care-
fully assembled then tightly sealed to-
gether to form customized microfluidic
devices — “lab-on-a-chip” systems used
for drug screening, cell cultures, and
other applications.

A new kind of hydrogel material has the ability

to react dynamically to its environment – bend-
ing, twisting, and self-adhering on demand.
The self-adhering behavior is shown on the tail
of a 3D-printed hydrogel salamander. The
self-adhering behavior was also used to make
hydrogel building blocks that fit together like
LEGO blocks. (Wong Lab/Brown University)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 27

 Robotics & Automation

to form and removing ions will cause the The same process also enables the ma- lift small objects weighing about a gram
bonds to fall apart. terial to be self-adhesive when desired. and hold them against gravity.
For the new material, the research- Put two separate pieces together, add The new material — and the LEGO
ers combined one polymer that’s cova- some ions, and the pieces attach tightly block concept it enables — allows
lently crosslinked (called PEGDA) and together. complex microfluidic architectures to
one that’s ionically crosslinked (PAA). That combination of strength and dy- be incorporated into each block.
PEGDA’s strong covalent bonds hold namic behavior enabled the researchers to Those blocks can then be assembled
the material together while the PAA’s make a soft gripper. Each of the gripper’s using a socket configuration much like
ionic bonds make it responsive. Putting “fingers” was patterned to have pure PEG- that of real LEGO blocks. Adding ions
the material in an ion-rich environment DA on one side and a PEGDA-PAA mix- to the assembled blocks makes a wa-
causes the PAA to crosslink, meaning it ture on the other. Adding ions caused the ter-tight seal.
becomes more rigid and contracts. Take PEGDA-PAA side to shrink and strength- For more information, contact Kevin
those ions away, and the material soft- en, which pulled the two gripper fingers Stacey at [email protected]; 401-
ens and swells as the ionic bonds break. together. The setup was strong enough to 863-3766.

A Temperature-Modulating Robotic System

The system can be seamlessly integrated into honeybee hives, providing a never-before-seen
view of honeybee behavior as well as a means to influence it.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland

A research team has devel-

oped a robotic system that
can be unobtrusively built into
The scientists were able to pro-
long the survival of a colony fol-
lowing the death of its queen by
the frame of a standard hon- distributing heat energy via the ac-
eybee hive. Composed of an tuators. The system’s ability to mit-
array of thermal sensors and igate colony collapse could have
actuators, the system measures implications for bee survivability,
and modulates honeybee be- which has become a growing con-
havior through localized tem- cern. In addition to its potential
perature variations. to support colonies, the system
“Many rules of bee society — has also shed light on honeybee
from collective and individual behaviors that have never been
interactions to raising a healthy observed, opening new avenues in
brood — are regulated by tem- biological research.
perature, so we leveraged that for “The local thermal stimuli
this study,” said EPFL Ph.D. stu- produced by our system revealed
dent Rafael Barmak. The thermal previously unreported dynamics
The robotic system is shown in an experimental hive at the
sensors create a snapshot of the University of Graz. (Image: Artificial Life Lab/University of that are generating exciting new
bees’ collective behavior, while Graz/Hiveopolis) questions and hypotheses,” said
the actuators allow us to influ- EPFL’s Rob Mills. “For example,
ence their movement by modulat- vice, a central processor coordinated the currently, no model can explain
ing thermal fields.” sensors, sent commands to the actuators, why we were able to encourage the bees
“Previous studies on the thermal and transmitted data to the scientists, to cross some cold temperature ‘valleys’
behavior of honeybees in winter have demonstrating that the system could be within the hive.”
relied on observing the bees or manip- used to study bees with no intrusion — The researchers now plan to study
ulating the outside temperature,” said or even cameras. bees in the summer, which is a critical
the University of Graz’ Martin Stefan- “By gathering data on the bees’ po- period for raising young. In parallel, the
ec. “Our robotic system enables us to sition and creating warmer areas in the Mobile Robotic Systems Group is explor-
change the temperature from within the hive, we were able to encourage them to ing systems using vibrational pathways to
cluster, emulating the heating behavior move around in ways they would never interact with honeybees.
of core bees there, and allowing us to normally do in nature during the winter, “The biological acceptance aspect of
study how the winter cluster actively reg- when they tend to huddle together to this work is critical: the fact that the bees
ulates its temperature.” conserve energy,” said Mobile Robotic accepted the integration of electronics
Thanks to the researchers’ biocompat- Systems Group head Francesco Monda- into the hive gives our device great po-
ible robotic system, the team was able to da. “This gives us the possibility to act tential for different scientific or agricul-
study three experimental hives, located on behalf of a colony, for example by tural applications,” said Mondada.
at the Artificial Life Lab at the Universi- directing it toward a food source, or dis- For more information, contact Celia
ty of Graz, during winter and to control couraging it from dividing into too-small Luterbacher at celia.luterbacher@epfl.
them remotely from EPFL. Inside the de- groups, which can threaten its survival.” ch; +41-216-938-759.
28 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
A Precision Arm for Mini Robots
An ultrasonically actuated glass needle attached to a robotic arm can perform a wide range
of tasks in microrobotic and microfluidic applications.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland

U ntil recently, microscopic robotic systems have had to make do

without arms. Now, a team at ETH Zurich has developed an ul-
trasonically actuated glass needle that can be attached to a robotic
particles but also fish embryos. They believe it should also be
capable of capturing biological cells in the fluid.
“In the past, manipulating microscopic particles in three di-
arm. This lets them pump and mix minuscule amounts of liquid mensions was always challenging. Our microrobotic arm makes
and trap particles. it easy,” said Ahmed. “Until now, advancements in large, conven-
Prior to the team’s breakthrough, miniature systems that trans- tional robotics and microfluidic applications have been made
port miniscule amounts of liquid through fine capillaries have separately. Our work helps to bring the two approaches together.”
had little association with such robots. Such systems are known as As a result, future microfluidic systems could be designed sim-
microfluidics or lab-on-a-chip and generally make use of external ilarly to today’s robotic systems. An appropriately programmed
pumps to move the liquid through the chips. To date, such sys- single device would be able to handle a variety of tasks.
tems have been difficult to automate, and the chips have had to be “Mixing and pumping liquids and trapping particles — we can do
custom-designed and manufactured for each specific application. it all with one device,” said Ahmed. This means tomorrow’s microflu-
The device, which was reported in Nature Communications, idic chips will no longer have to be custom-developed for each spe-
can be attached to a robotic arm, is suitable for performing a cific application. The researchers would next like to combine several
wide range of tasks in microrobotic and microfluidic applica- glass needles to create even more complex vortex patterns in liquids.
tions, and can be used to automate such applications. In addition to lab analysis, Ahmed can envisage other applica-
The device comprises a thin, pointed glass needle and a tions for microrobotic arms, such as sorting tiny objects. The arms
piezoelectric transducer that causes the needle to oscillate. It’s could conceivably also be used in biotechnology as a way of intro-
akin to transducers used in loudspeakers, ultrasound imaging, ducing DNA into individual cells. It should ultimately be possible
and professional dental cleaning equipment. The researchers to employ them in additive manufacturing and 3D printing.
can vary the oscillation frequency of their glass needle; by dip- For more information, contact ETH Zurich media relations
ping the needle into a liquid they create a 3D pattern com- at [email protected]; +41 44-632-4141.
posed of multiple vortices. Since this pattern depends on the
oscillation frequency, it can be controlled accordingly.
The team was able to use this to demonstrate several ap- LOW VISCOSITY COATING
features SUPERIOR
plications. First, they were able to mix tiny droplets of highly
viscous liquids.
“The more viscous liquids are, the more difficult it is to mix
them,” said Professor Daniel Ahmed. “However, our method
succeeds in doing this because it allows us to not only create a
ACID RESISTANCE
single vortex, but to also efficiently mix the liquids using a com- TWO COMPONENT EPOXY
plex 3D pattern composed of multiple strong vortices.”
Second, they were able to pump fluids through a mini-chan- EP21ARLV
nel system by creating a specific pattern of vortices and placing
the oscillating glass needle close to the channel wall. EXCELLENT ACID RESISTANCE PROFILE
Third, they succeeded in using their robot-assisted acoustic Tested in the following acids for over
device to trap fine particles present in the fluid. This works
14 months at 75°F with no reported failures
because a particle’s size determines its reaction to the sound
waves. Relatively large particles move toward the oscillat- Sulfuric Acid 70% ∙ Hydrochloric Acid 10%
ing glass needle, at which they accumulate. The researchers
demonstrated how this method can capture not only inanimate Nitric Acid 10% ∙ Phosphoric Acid 10%

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Using a glass needle made to oscillate with the assistance of ultrasound, www.masterbond.com
liquids can be manipulated and particles can be trapped. (Image: ETH Zurich)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 29

Sustainable Technology
New System Uses Only Solar Energy to Generate Hydrogen
The new design could generate more hydrogen and offer a potentially scalable and afford-
able option to help decarbonize the transportation industry.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

M IT engineers aim to produce totally

green, carbon-free hydrogen fuel
with a new, train-like system of reactors
its new design could harness up to 40
percent of the sun’s heat to generate that
much more hydrogen. The increase in
trolysis, which uses electricity instead of
heat to split water.
At the heart of a conceptual STCH
that is driven solely by the sun. In a study efficiency could drive down the system’s system is a two-step thermochemical
appearing Solar Energy Journal, the engi- overall cost, making STCH a potentially reaction. In the first step, water in the
neers lay out the conceptual design for a scalable, affordable option to help de- form of steam is exposed to a metal.
system that can efficiently produce “solar carbonize the transportation industry. This causes the metal to grab oxygen
thermochemical hydrogen.” The system “We’re thinking of hydrogen as the from steam, leaving hydrogen behind.
harnesses the sun’s heat to directly split fuel of the future, and there’s a need to This metal “oxidation” is similar to the
water and generate hydrogen — a clean generate it cheaply and at scale,” said rusting of iron in the presence of wa-
fuel that can power long-distance trucks, the study’s lead author, Ahmed Gho- ter, but it occurs much faster. Once hy-
ships, and planes, while in the process niem, the Ronald C. Crane Professor of drogen is separated, the oxidized (or
emitting no greenhouse gas emissions. Mechanical Engineering at MIT. “We’re rusted) metal is reheated in a vacuum,
Today, hydrogen is largely produced trying to achieve the Department of En- which acts to reverse the rusting process
through processes that involve natural ergy’s goal, which is to make green hy- and regenerate the metal. With the ox-
gas and other fossil fuels, making the oth- drogen by 2030, at $1 per kilogram. To ygen removed, the metal can be cooled
erwise green fuel more of a “grey” ener- improve the economics, we have to im- and exposed to steam again to produce
gy source when considered from the start prove the efficiency and make sure most more hydrogen. This process can be re-
of its production to its end use. In con- of the solar energy we collect is used in peated hundreds of times.
trast, solar thermochemical hydrogen, the production of hydrogen.” The MIT system is designed to opti-
or STCH, offers a totally emissions-free Similar to other proposed designs, mize this process. The system as a whole
alternative, as it relies entirely on re- the MIT system would be paired with an resembles a train of box-shaped reactors
newable solar energy to drive hydrogen existing source of solar heat, such as a running on a circular track. In practice,
production. But so far, existing STCH de- concentrated solar plant (CSP) — a cir- this track would be set around a solar
signs have limited efficiency: Only about cular array of hundreds of mirrors that thermal source, such as a CSP tower.
7 percent of incoming sunlight is used to collect and reflect sunlight to a central Each reactor in the train would house
make hydrogen. The results so far have receiving tower. An STCH system then the metal that undergoes the redox, or
been low-yield and high-cost. absorbs the receiver’s heat and directs reversible rusting, process.
In a big step toward realizing so- it to split water and produce hydrogen. Each reactor would first pass through
lar-made fuels, the MIT team estimates This process is very different from elec- a hot station, where it would be ex-
posed to the sun’s heat at temperatures
of up to 1,500 °C. This extreme heat
Cold would effectively pull oxygen out of a
Station reactor’s metal. That metal would then
be in a “reduced” state — ready to grab
oxygen from steam. For this to happen,
the reactor would move to a cooler sta-
tion at temperatures around 1,000 °C,
where it would be exposed to steam to
H2
produce hydrogen.
H2O The researchers carried out detailed
simulations of the conceptual design and
found that it would significantly boost
the efficiency of solar thermochemical
hydrogen production, from 7 percent,
O2 as previous designs have demonstrated,
Hot to 40 percent.
Station “We have to think of every bit of en-
ergy in the system, and how to use it, to
MIT engineers have developed a design for a system that efficiently harnesses the sun’s heat to split minimize the cost,” Ghoniem said. “And
water and generate hydrogen. (Image: Ahmed Ghoniem, Aniket Patankar, et. al) with this design, we found that every-
30 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
thing can be powered by heat coming partment of Energy, which is currently 50 reactors. And we think this could be
from the sun. It is able to use 40 percent funding the project. a modular system, where you can add
of the sun’s heat to produce hydrogen.” “When fully implemented, this system reactors to a conveyor belt, to scale up
In the next year, the team will be would be housed in a little building in hydrogen production.”
building a prototype of the system that the middle of a solar field,” Patankar ex- For more information, contact Abby
they plan to test in concentrated solar plains. “Inside the building, there could Abazorius at [email protected]; 617-253-
power facilities at laboratories of the De- be one or more trains each having about 2709.

Add-On Device Makes Home Furnaces Cleaner and Safer

The technology can remove more than 99.9 percent of acidic gases and other emissions.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

N atural gas furnaces not only heat

your home, they also produce a lot of
pollution. Even modern high-efficiency
condensing furnaces produce significant
amounts of corrosive acidic condensa-
tion and unhealthy levels of nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
and methane. These emissions are typ-
ically vented into the atmosphere and
end up polluting our soil, water, and air.
Now, scientists at the Department of
Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laborato-
ry have developed an affordable add-on
technology that removes more than 99.9
percent of acidic gases and other emis-
sions to produce an ultraclean natural
gas furnace. This acidic gas reduction,
or AGR, technology can also be added
to other natural gas-driven equipment
such as water heaters, commercial boil-
ORNL’s ultraclean condensing high-efficiency natural gas furnace features an affordable add-on
ers, and industrial furnaces. technology that can remove more than 99.9 percent of acidic gases and other emissions. The tech-
“Just as catalytic converters help reduce nology can also be added to other natural gas-driven equipment. (Image: Jill Hemman/ORNL)
emissions from billions of vehicles world-
wide, the new AGR technology can virtu- AGR without damaging the device’s gas catalyst,” said ORNL’s Yuxuan Zhang, a
ally eliminate problematic greenhouse flow-through channels, the scientists neutron instrument scientist at HFIR.
gases and acidic condensation produced used neutron computed tomography at AGR technology would allow furnace
by today’s new and existing residential ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor, or manufacturers to use materials that are
gas furnaces,” said Zhiming Gao, staff re- HFIR. Unlike X-rays, neutrons can pene- more affordable than the stainless steels
searcher with ORNL’s Energy Science and trate the metal housing to record images used in most heat exchangers. This in-
Technology Directorate. “An eco-friendly that are then used to produce 2D and 3D creased affordability could allow fur-
condensate eliminates the need to use representations of the used device. nace manufacturers to sell more high-ef-
corrosion-resistant stainless-steel materials “Such insights will enable improved ficiency furnaces that meet California’s
for furnace heat exchangers, which reduc- AGR device designs for a more uniform proposed new standards for residential
es manufacturing costs.” and self-cleaning gas flow pattern,” said and commercial furnace emissions.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of Gao. “This will also help alleviate ex- “Currently, AGR-enabled furnaces
acidic gas reduction in a furnace, the cessive soot accumulation to enhance would require offline regeneration of
researchers fabricated an AGR cata- AGR-enabled furnace performance.” the device about once every three years
lyst, enclosed it in a metal housing Soot particles, which typically form under normal use conditions,” Gao said.
and installed the device on a standard because of the incomplete combustion “The AGR unit could be removed by a
commercially available high-efficien- of hydrocarbons, contain substantial hy- homeowner or technician and carried to
cy condensing furnace. Results after a drogen. Neutrons are especially good at a regeneration and recycling location.
400-hour reliability and durability test detecting and mapping hydrogen and This would be similar to how consum-
showed the AGR almost completely re- other light elements. ers bring their empty natural gas tanks
moved harmful emissions from the flue “Neutron imaging and mapping after for their outdoor grills to a dealer to ex-
gas and produced a nonacidic conden- the AGR test provided details about how change them for full tanks.”
sate with a neutral pH level. the flue gas flowed through the AGR, For more information, contact Paul
To examine the internal condition which revealed the heavy accumulation Boisvert at [email protected]; 865-
and soot distribution of the post-test of soot particles in the middle of the 576-9047.
Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 31
 Sustainable Technology

Baking Soda Could Turn Concrete into an Effective

Carbon Sink
Engineers have discovered new carbonation pathways for creating greener concrete.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

D espite the many advantages of

concrete as a modern construc-
tion material, its production currently
accounts for approximately 8 percent
of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Recent discoveries by MIT engi-
neers have revealed that introducing
new materials into existing concrete
manufacturing processes could sig-
nificantly reduce this carbon foot-
print without altering concrete’s bulk
mechanical properties.
Approximately half of the emis-
sions associated with concrete pro-
duction come from the burning of
fossil fuels, which are used to heat
up a mix of limestone and clay that
ultimately becomes the familiar gray
powder known as ordinary Portland
cement (OPC). While the energy
required for this heating process
could eventually be substituted with
electricity generated from renewable
solar or wind sources, the other half
Introducing additives to concrete manufacturing processes could reduce the sizeable carbon foot-
of the emissions is inherent in the print of the material without altering its bulk mechanical properties, an MIT study shows. (Image:
material itself; as the mineral mix is The researchers)
heated to temperatures above 2,552
°F (1,400 °C), it undergoes a chemical able pathways that accelerate concrete of a previously undescribed composite
transformation from calcium carbonate deterioration. phase, without impacting its mechanical
and clay to a mixture of clinker (consist- “The problem with these postcuring performance.
ing primarily of calcium silicates) and carbonation reactions is that you disrupt The composite, a mix of calcium car-
carbon dioxide — with the latter escap- the structure and chemistry of the ce- bonate and calcium silicon hydrate, “is
ing into the air. menting matrix that is very effective in an entirely new material,” said Masic.
When OPC is mixed with water, sand, preventing steel corrosion, which leads to “Furthermore, through its formation, we
and gravel material during the pro- degradation,” said Professor Admir Masic. can double the mechanical performance
duction of concrete, it becomes highly However, the team’s new carbon di- of the early-stage concrete.
alkaline, creating a seemingly ideal en- oxide sequestration pathways rely on “While it is currently unclear how
vironment for the sequestration and the very early formation of carbonates the formation of these new phases will
long-term storage of carbon dioxide in during concrete mixing and pouring, impact the long-term performance of
the form of carbonate materials (carbon- before the material sets, which might concrete, these new discoveries sug-
ation). Despite this potential of concrete largely eliminate the detrimental ef- gest an optimistic future for the de-
to naturally absorb carbon dioxide from fects of carbon dioxide uptake after the velopment of carbon neutral construc-
the atmosphere, when these reactions material cures. tion materials.”
normally occur, mainly within cured The key to this new process is the ad- “Our new discovery could further
concrete, they can both weaken the ma- dition of sodium bicarbonate — more be combined with other recent inno-
terial and lower the internal alkalinity, commonly known as baking soda. In lab vations in the development of lower
which accelerates the corrosion of the tests, the team demonstrated that up to carbon footprint concrete admixtures
reinforcing rebar. 15 percent of the total amount of carbon to provide much greener, and even car-
These processes ultimately destroy the dioxide associated with cement produc- bon-negative construction materials for
load-bearing capacity of the building tion could be mineralized during these the built environment, turning concrete
and negatively impact its long-term me- early stages — enough to potentially from being a problem to a part of a solu-
chanical performance. Thus, these slow make a significant difference in its glob- tion,” added Masic.
late-stage carbonation reactions, which al carbon footprint. For more information, contact Abby
can occur over timescales of decades, In addition, the resulting concrete sets Abazorius at [email protected]; 617-253-
have long been recognized as undesir- much more quickly via the formation 2709.
32 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 APPLICATION
BRIEFS
Beyond the Shadows: Engineering Solutions for Surviving the Lunar Night
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. Surviving lunar night poses a colossal thermal challenge.
Lancaster, PA The thermal management system, responsible for minimiz-
www.1-act.com/industries/space ing energy loss during lunar night, also dissipates a significant
amount of waste heat at the peak of lunar day, where the lunar

R ecent initiatives aimed to survive and thrive on the lunar

surface will enable space exploration, science, and humani-
tarian missions for decades to come. While extremely exciting,
surface temperatures can approach or exceed those of the hot-
test environments on Earth.
During lunar day, the thermal management system must
these missions come with immense engineering challenges. comprise of traditional advanced space-grade technologies to
One of the most demanding thermal challenges associated transfer and reject heat. Using decades of experience from sat-
with lunar surface operation is “Surviving Lunar Night.” This ellite and other NASA missions, passive thermal management is
phrase has gained popularity as several upcoming exploratory historically used for extended life and reliability.
missions seek to explore the South Pole of the Moon, where ex- For very low power applications, basic conduction and ra-
treme cold temperatures exist during lunar night and certain diation can transfer and reject heat in space system; however,
areas (craters) are permanently shadowed. in most applications with highly capable electronics’ systems,
The challenge is amplified by the longevity of the Moon’s heat pipes are used to transfer heat to and along radiator pan-
rotation, which takes over 27 Earth days to rotate once about els. Heat pipes are passive, two-phase (liquid and vapor) heat
its axis. Therefore, when a mission must “Survive Lunar transfer devices that transport heat long distances with very low
Night,” it must remain safe — such that the critical onboard temperature difference across their length. This efficient ther-
electronics and instruments maintain functionality — during mal link from electronics to heat rejection surfaces is critical to
an approximate 14-day shadowed period where temperatures keep systems from overheating during operation.
approach that of liquid nitrogen (-196 °C or -321 °F). The During lunar night, the goal of the thermal control system
ability to solve this challenge for upcoming missions will pro- changes; it becomes critical to keep the electronics warm
vide access to, mapping, and, ultimately, harvesting of the enough to survive the extreme low temperatures at the lowest
water (ice) known to be at the Southern Pole of the Moon. survival heater power budget. Using auxiliary heater power for
The availability of water on the lunar surface opens signifi- most vehicles is not ideal, as 1W of energy lost continuously re-
cant opportunities for future missions, making this a critical quires roughly 5 kg of batteries to survive lunar shadow. There-
challenge to solve. fore, the thermal link transferring heat from the electronics to

ACT’s Orbital and Space Systems group stand with the completed VIPER thermal management system before shipping to Houston. (Image: Advanced
Cooling Technologies)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 33

 Application Briefs

the heat source / evaporator region, known as the pump body,

which creates a high-pressure drop enabling fluid vapor to trav-
el long distances through standard, smooth-bored tubing lines.
The tubing path can be geometrically designed to allow toler-
ance/integration forgiveness and flexibility — one key feature for
a thermal management system that links mechanically discrete
locations (source electronics and radiator panels) across a vehicle
that experiences shock and vibration through launch and during
lunar exploration. The enabling thermal control feature is a pas-
sive thermal control valve, integrated near the evaporator/pump
body before the fluid vapor is transported to the radiator panel.
As the system cools, the thermal control valve redirects flow
back to the pump body; this redirection prevents direct energy
from making it to, and subsequently being lost from, the radiator
panels of the rover. This results in the thermal communication
from the LHP to the radiators to be passively controlled based
ACT’s Orbital and Space Systems group assembles the final panels on
the VIPER thermal management system. (Image: Advanced Cooling on temperature, manipulating the flow path to reject waste heat
Technologies) during lunar day and remain in the warm box during lunar night.
These critical, passive thermal control systems have been de-
the radiators, which tends to be in the low hundreds of Watts veloped over years of research and product development and
during operation, must be disabled/reduced and any residual will serve as enabling technology for NASA’s VIPER and future
heat must be retained at the electronics. missions. Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc., would like to
One methodology, which has been implemented for NASA’s thank NASA, our team of extraordinary engineers, and our
upcoming VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration supply chain partners for all the efforts that went into technol-
Rover) mission is to utilize a “warm box” assembly to house the ogies designed to survive lunar night.
electronics. Developed by the Orbital Space Systems team at Ad-
vanced Cooling Technologies, the warm box assembly is ther- This article was contributed by Advanced Cooling Technol-
mally coupled to the heat rejection radiators via a Loop Heat ogies (Lancaster, PA). For more information, visit www.1-act.
Pipe (LHP). This type of heat pipe creates a passive pump at com/industries/space.

Upcoming...

Webinars Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace:

Taking Your Production to New Heights
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:00 pm U.S. EST

Early additive manufacturing (AM) adopters in the aerospace industry are leveraging advanced 3D printing technologies from industry
leaders like HP and Markforged to propel their production processes. This 30-minute Webinar will delve into the latest developments
in aerospace and how AM is revolutionizing production beyond traditional methods. Viewers will learn about groundbreaking materials
and cutting-edge machines that can propel aerospace manufacturing efforts into the future.
Speaker:
Jesse Haworth
3D Printing Application
Engineer,
Hawk Ridge Systems

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar422

34 TB Webinar Half Page 1 0124.indd 1

www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
12/14/23 2:27 PM
 New on the
MARKET
Product of the Month
3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, is introducing the SLS 300 smaller-footprint 3D printer designed for use in
settings other than a manufacturing floor, for example, offices, material research labs, or workshops. The
system only requires a standard power source and an Ethernet connection to be operational in less than an
hour. It is compatible with a robust material portfolio to address a breadth of applications. The patented
packaging ensures users do not come into direct contact with any powder when filling the machine. The
cylinders, made of sustainable paper and wood-based packaging, directly connect to the printer, and fill it via a dedicated inlet on the
front, to keep the process dust-free.
www.3dsystems.com

Test Points Precision Specimen Loader

Keystone Technologies, New Hyde Park, The Precision Specimen Loader from
NY, introduces wire loop THM Test Points, Instron, Norwood, MA, consists of three
available in 10 colors. They can be used on parts: A width block that ensures your spec-
.062" and .093" thick PCBs with a variety of imen lines up with the center of the jaw
gripping devices: J-hooks, EZ-hooks, grab- faces; a linear rail; and the alignment clip. The alignment clip
bers, alligator clips, tips, and probes. They are designed to keep is detachable and can be loaded on a workbench. Once loaded
on-board terminals perpendicular to the PCB so that relative with a specimen, it snaps onto the linear rail with pins and mag-
position, during and after wave soldering is maintained. nets, which guides the specimen into the test space.
www.keyelco.com www.instron.com

CT Inspection Systems Profiling Machine Software

Nikon IMBU, Brighton, MI, has HGG Profiling Equipment BV, Houston,
launched three new models in its TX, is introducing ProCAM Lite, free soft-
VOXLS range of X-ray CT (computed ware that gives users the ability to view and
tomography) systems for non-destruc- check cutting details on various profiles
tive inspection. They fill a specific need for users looking for an without a cutting machine or intermediary viewing software. Users
automation-ready system with the versatility to meet a wide can review alla parameters and weld details for a project before
range of industrial applications. The three models have maxi- cutting and production, including root openings and markings,
mum source energies of 225kV, 320kV, and 450kV for examin- for any DSTV, NC, XML, or PCD file.
ing parts of various densities and sizes. www.hgg-group.com
www.industry.nikon.com/en-us/
BT/BLE Connectivity Add-On Board
Automotive SoCs and MCUs ANNA-B412 Click, a compact add-on
Renesas, Tokyo, Japan, has released in- board from MikroElektronika, Belgrade,
formation about its fifth-generation R-Car Serbia, provides BT/BLE connectivity
SoC for high-performance applications, for any embedded application. It fea-
which will provide automotive engineers tures a standalone Bluetooth 5.1 low-en-
greater flexibility to customize designs. They also have plans for ergy module. The software supports Bluetooth LE Serial port
two MCU product advancements in the next- generation R-Car service, GATT client and server, Bluetooth beacons, Bluetooth
family. They will be powered by Arm® architectures and are set to long-range, NFC, and simultaneous peripheral and central roles.
become an integral part of the R-Car family, offering complete In LE mode, the Bluetooth module can achieve up to 2Mbps
scalable options and software reusability for automotive engineers. data rates. The module supports active, standby, and sleep modes.
www.renesas.com/us/en www.mikroe.com

X-Ray Inspection System Current Shunt Resistor

Rad Source NDT, Buford, Georgia, an- Littelfuse, Chicago, IL, announced the
nounces the NDT 1000 X-ray Inspection Sys- launch of its SSA Series Current Shunt Resis-
tem. It features high precision, speed, and tors. These two-terminal, ultra-low resistance
versatility. It handles materials with thickness- shunt resistors are designed for accurate current measurement
es of up to 0.5", including materials like steel. The NDT 1000 in high-performance applications. Unlike competing technolo-
can inspect steel piping, welds, and materials up to 0.5" thick in gies such as Hall effect sensors, current transformers, flux gate
a mere second. With an imaging speed of 24 frames per second sensors, and Rogowski coils, the Littelfuse Shunt is a more effi-
(fps), it ensures rapid and accurate results. cient solution and works well in both AC and DC circuits.
www.radsource.com www.littelfuse.com

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 35

 New on the Market

Compact Power Supplies 5G Amplifiers

Fairview Microwave, Irvine, CA, introduces its series of 5G am-
plifiers. The all-new amplifiers come in compact coaxial packag-
es, addressing a frequency spectrum ranging from 10 MHz up to
8 GHz. This range makes them apt for multiple bands, from
VHF and UHF to L, S, and C bands. Emphasizing signal clarity
and strength, some models of the 5G low-noise amplifiers (LNA)
in the series, deliver a noise figure as low as 0.6 dB.
www.fairviewmicrowave.com

Wireless Electronic Depth Gages

Cosel Company, Tokyo, Japan, today The L. S. Starrett Company, Athol, MA, , has introduced three
announced the launch of a new gen- Wireless Electronic Depth Gages including the W640JZ, W643JZ,
eration of compact power supplies for and W644JZ, which are made in the U.S., part of a line of over 40
industrial applications, the TE series. new electronic precision gages that Starrett recently introduced to
Using technologies such as wide band- the market. They feature a digital readout and offer automated
gap Gallium Nitride semiconductors, wireless measurement data collection when integrated with data
high-frequency planar transformers, acquisition applications such as Starrett DataSure® 4.0 software.
and enhanced flyback topology, the www.starrett.com
45W and 65W models fit into 1×2.3 or
1×3 inch footprints. The 12V and 24V Differential Displacement Transducers
output versions can deliver 140 per- The DIT-5200L noncontact differential impedance transducer
cent power to sustain peak loads with from Kaman Precision Products, Middletown, CT, offers true dif-
efficiency of up to 93.5 percent. ferential measurements for common mode rejection at an eco-
https://en.cosel.co.jp nomical price. Capable of subnanometer resolution with sensitivi-
ty to 10v/mil, 39 mV/μm and linearity up to 0.1 percent full range.
It is fully analog and built to IPC A-160 Class 3 standards. The I/O is on a 9-pin mini-D
connector, and the input power connections are reverse voltage protected.
www.kamansensors.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
MULTIPHYSICS High-Speed Connectors and Cable Assemblies
MODELING AND Fischer Connectors, Saint-Prex, Switzerland, has released
SIMULATION new high-speed connectors and cable assemblies for Ultra
APPLICATIONS High Definition (UHD) audio/video data transfer at 18
COMSOL Multiphysics® is a Gbit/s in demanding environments, matching the perfor-
software environment for creat- mance speed of HDMI 2.0. Because the circular connectors
ing physics-based models and standalone simulation are rugged by design, they combine the best of both worlds,
apps. Add-on products provide specialized func-
tionality for electromagnetics, structural, acoustics, providing design engineers with a versatile portfolio of high-speed, high-performance
fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical simulations. connectivity solutions for a wide range of harsh-environment applications.
Interfacing products offer a unified workflow with www.fischerconnectors.com/en
all major technical computing and CAD tools. COM-
SOL Compiler™ and COMSOL Server™ are used for
deploying simulation applications to colleagues and Compact Controller
customers. https://www.comsol.com/products The 750-9401 has been added to WAGO’s, Germantown, WI, Compact
Controller 100 family. It has a dual core processor with a mix of 18
COMSOL, Inc. digital and analog onboard I/O channels. It also comes with an
RS-485 serial port, dual Ethernet ports, a USB-C port for direct
THIXOTROPIC configuration connection, as well as a CANopen communica-
EPOXY FEATURES tion port, which makes it easier to expand digital I/O or to
LOW CTE connect devices such as sensors or J1939 enabled devices.
Master Bond EP5LTE-100 is www.wago.us
a one-part, non-premixed
and frozen epoxy with a very LED Microscopy Illuminator
low coefficient of thermal
expansion (CTE), high glass transition temperature Excelitas Technologies, Waltham, MA, announces the X-Cite
(Tg), and extremely high modulus. It has a thixo- XYLISTM II Broad Spectrum LED Illumination System. A re-
tropic paste consistency making it ideal for bonding, placement for the current X-Cite XYLIS, it offers improvements,
sealing and gap filling applications. https://www.
masterbond.com/tds/ep5lte-100 including significantly quieter operation and increased optical
output, with the broadest spectrum available in a white light
LED for fluorescence microscopy applications. Rivaling tra-
Master Bond ditional arc lamps for brightness, it is ideal for both com-
pound and stereomicroscopes.
www.excelitas.com

36 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024

 Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring
successfully commercialized NASA technology. This
commercialization has contributed to the development
of products and services in the fields of health and

SPINOFF medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety,

computer technology, and environmental resources.

‘Digital Winglets’ for Real-Time Flight Paths

NASA-developed routing technology leads to fuel savings and smoother flights.

B efore airplanes even reach the run-

way, pilots must file a plan to inform
air traffic controllers where they’re go-
wings that eliminate turbulence at the
wingtip and lead to significant savings in
fuel (Spinoff 2010). Fuel efficiency is in-
route do you ask for, and how much is it
going to save you?”
Under Wing’s lead, NASA developed
ing and the path they are going to take. credibly important to future aircraft de- Traffic-Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests
When planes are in the air, however, that velopment, as not only does it improve (TASAR), a piece of software pilots and
plan often changes. From turbulence the distance a plane can travel and the ground operations teams can use to find
causing passenger discomfort and addi- weight it can carry, but airplane engines better routes in transit. TASAR works by
tional fuel use to unexpected weather release huge amounts of greenhouse using a genetic algorithm, a kind of ma-
patterns blocking the original path, pi- gases into the atmosphere. Reducing chine learning system that finds the opti-
lots have to think on the fly and inform aircraft fuel use means less carbon diox- mal answer by pitting hundreds of route
air traffic controllers of any modifica- ide in the air. changes against each other and seeing
tions to their routes. David Wing, Principal Researcher of which one comes out on top.
In the past, these changes would have air traffic management at NASA’s Lang- TASAR takes a map of the area and
to happen suddenly and without much ley Research Center in Hampton, VA, draws hundreds of lines radiating from
lead time. But as airplanes have become develops advanced autonomy systems the airplane. These lines represent po-
more digitally connected, the flying ma- for aircraft, allowing operators to direct- tential routes the plane could take. The
chines can take advantage of the addi- ly manage flight paths in crowded skies. software whittles down every route it
tional data they receive, and a NASA-de- He noticed that some of the same tech- generates, avoiding ones that stray into
veloped technology can help pilots find nology used for safe routing could also no-fly zones or dangerous weather sys-
the best path every time. be used to optimize routes for flights al- tems or get too close to other aircraft
NASA has explored methods to im- ready in the air. Allowing pilots to iden- until it’s found the most efficient route
prove aircraft efficiency since its incep- tify a better path as soon as it’s available the airplane can take. Then it’s up to the
tion. Among the agency’s most famous could save time and money. pilot whether to take the computer’s ad-
contributions are winglets, upturned “Air traffic control is there to keep the vice. Information is constantly being up-
vertical flanges at the ends of airplane aircraft safely separated from other air- dated using sensors on the airplane and
craft,” said Wing. “So the trick is, when connections to ground-based services,
you need to change your routing, what which TASAR takes into account.

Alaska Airlines Captain Bret Peyton looks at

route options presented by Traffic Aware Stra-
tegic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) during a test of
the software at Langley Research Center. The
program connects to onboard systems and In this screenshot of the APiJET Digital Winglets software based on NASA technology, a route is
runs on a tablet called an electronic flight bag. plotted along navigational waypoints, presenting three options that would save fuel and time
(Image: David Wing) based on real-time information. (Image: APiJET LLC)

Tech Briefs, January 2024 www.techbriefs.com 37

 SPINOFF
www.techbriefs.com

Publisher........................................................... Joseph T. Pramberger

Director, Editorial and Digital Content Strategy .................... Chitra Sethi
Senior Editor........................................................... Woodrow Bellamy
Associate Editor............................................................ Edward Brown
Digital Content Editor.................................................. Andrew Corselli
Production Manager .................................................... Adam Santiago
Production Coordinator ..............................................James Rodriguez
Creative Director...............................................................Lois Erlacher
Graphic Designer .......................................................... John McCarthy
Marketing Director...................................................... Kaitlyn Sommer
Senior Marketing Coordinator.................................................Sam Mills
Marketing/Event Coordinator.......................................... Chris Kendrick
Editor, Custom Content ................................................Amanda Hosey
Audience Development Director ......................... Christine Oldenbrook
Audience Development/Circulation Assistant..................... Erykah Davis
Subscription Changes/Cancellations....................... [email protected]
..................................................................................... (866) 354-1125

SAE MEDIA GROUP

261 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016
(212) 490-3999
Executive Vice President............................................... Luke Schnirring
Technology Director .....................................................Oliver Rockwell
Frontier Airlines was among the first companies to test Digital Winglets for its fleet of aircraft. In
testing, the commercial implementation of NASA’s TASAR technology provided fuel savings of 2 Director of Digital Products .................................................Howard Ng
percent, which adds up at airline scale. (Image: Frontier Airlines) Digital Media Associate.............................................. Md Jaliluzzaman
Digital Media Assistant .......................................... Rowena Pagarigan
“The algorithms had been tested and computer system. The company’s ver- Digital Media Assistant ........................................................ Zita Zhang
matured already for many years in our sion of TASAR is called Digital Winglets, Digital Production Associate...................................Andrew Greenberg
autonomy research, so they were in pret- named after the NASA invention that Digital Production Associate.............................................Symba Wong
ty good shape,” Wing said. “But what we has been saving fuel for decades. Credit & Collection Manager........................................... Stacie Pointek
had to do was to connect this system to a The app runs on electronic flight bags, Budget & Forecasting...................................................... Felecia Lahey
real aircraft, which meant that we need- computer devices approved for use in Accounting/Human Resources Manager........................... Sylvia Bonilla
ed to be able to access data from the on- flight operations by the Federal Aviation A/R Clerk .......................................................................... Crystal Ortiz
board avionics.” Administration, most commonly Apple Office Manager...........................................................Alfredo Vasquez
On NASA test flights, the software iPads. Green said there are no plans to
worked perfectly, but for TASAR to integrate it directly into a cockpit instru- ADVERTISING Account Executives
break into more flights, commercial ment panel, because an app can be up- MA, NH, ME, VT, RI, Eastern Canada ...................................Brian Hines
planes needed to be able to access large dated more easily. In testing with Alaska ..................................................................................... (647) 296-5014

amounts of data. As it turned out, a solu- Airlines, Green said the program saved 2 CT............................... ................................................Stan Greenfield
..................................................................................... (203) 938-2418
tion was close at hand. percent on fuel, working out to approx-
NJ, PA, DE ........................................................................ John Murray
The company iJET originally built imately 28,000 lbs. of fuel per hundred ..................................................................................... (973) 409-4685
components that could keep planes con- flights. TX, OK, LA, AR, MS, AL, TN, FL, SC, NC, GA, DC, WV, VA .......Ray Tompkins
nected to the latest information avail- “Two percent may not sound like ..................................................................................... (281) 313-1004
able on the ground, which often wasn’t much, but little savings can really add up NY, OH ..........................................................................Ryan Beckman
..................................................................................... (973) 409-4687
available in the sky. After first developing at airline scale,” Green said.
MI, IN, WI .................................................................... Chris Kennedy
better antennas, the company soon be- Several more airlines have tested the ......................................................................(847) 498-4520 ext. 3008
gan working on a new integrated com- technology since, and Frontier Airlines MN, ND, SD, IL, KY, MO, KS, IA, NE, Central Canada ..............Bob Casey
puter system for airplanes to take in data is field testing for a potential deploy- ..................................................................................... (847) 223-5225
and stay connected to ground-based in- ment of Digital Winglets across its fleet. CA, WA, OR, AZ, NM, Rocky Mountain States......................Tim Powers
formation sources. When looking for a APiJET still keeps in touch with the de- ..................................................................................... (908) 892-2838

“killer app” for the system, the company velopers at NASA to further research Europe ........................................................................... Sven Anacker
..................................................................................49-202-27169-11
discovered TASAR. TASAR’s benefits and build out its com-
Integrated Media Consultants ........................................Patrick Harvey
“We saw that NASA was getting to the mercial capabilities. ..................................................................................... (973) 409-4686
conclusion of this work, and we took a “Everybody that worked on TASAR Rick Rosenberg
business decision to pick up the baton,” at NASA should be really proud of the (973) 545-2565

said Rob Green, CEO of the company. direct impact they are having in fuel Todd Holtz
(973) 545-2566
After being acquired by another com- savings and carbon reduction,” Green
Jason Setti
pany called Aviation Partners, the Seat- said. “It’s a lot to get your head wrapped (973) 874-0271
tle-based company was renamed APiJET around, but it works.” Daniel Barrett
in 2018 and became the first company to For more information, visit https:// (973) 409-4762
license TASAR from NASA. APiJET pro- spinoff.nasa.gov/Digital_Winglets_for_
ceeded to tie the software to the in-flight Real_Time_Flight_Paths.
38 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 Advertisers
Index
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Advanced Cooling Technologies ...................16 ............................................................. 1-act.com
AIRMAR Technology Corporation .................25 ............................................................airmar.com Photonics & Imaging Technology
Automationdirect......................................... Cover 4.................................... automationdirect.com Alluxa ....................................................... 28, Cover 4............................................. alluxa.com
Coilcraft CPS ................................................ 8 ..................................................... cps.coilcraft.com
Instrument Systems GmbH .........................1, 24, 25 ............................. instrumentsystems.com
COMSOL, Inc. ......................................... 5, 36 ................................................ comsol.com
DesignCon 2024 ......................................... 9 ....................................................... designcon.com Master Bond Inc................................... 13, 20 .................................... masterbond.com
Highland Technology, Inc. ............................15 ....................................... highlandtechnology.com Opal Kelly Incorporated..............................Cover 2...............................................opalkelly.com
Master Bond Inc. ................................... 29, 36 ...................................... masterbond.com
Photron USA, Inc. ...................................... 5, 25 ...................................................photron.com
Micro-Epsilon .............................................. 23 ................................................ micro-epsilon.com
National Council of Examiners PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. .........................10, 26 .......................................................pi-usa.us
for Engineering and Surveying®...................1 ................................................. ncees.org/licensure
Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O®)...............3, 29 ................................................www.pgo.com
Novotechnik U.S., Inc. .................................27 .................................................. novotechnik.com
The Chemours Company..............................Cover 2............................................... chemours.com Renishaw Inc. ............................................ 9, 26 ................................................. renishaw.com
Thomas, a Xometry Company ......................3 .......................................................thomasnet.com SemiNex Corporation .................................6, 27 ...................................................seminex.com
UAV Technology USA 2024..........................Cover 3.................................. uavtechnologyusa.com

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39
 Banana Oil/Shutterstock.com
TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY
This monthly column explores the inter-relationships between technology and society. It features people and projects aiming to
deliver a positive impact on the world facing unprecedented social and environmental challenges.

Navajo Pottery-Inspired Ceramic Water Filter

A low-cost device uses locally sourced materials for water treatment.

B illions of people around the world

lack access to clean drinkable water.
A research team led by engineers at The
According to the researchers, the Na-
vajo Nation has a history of mistrust of
outsiders, and that makes it less likely
University of Texas at Austin has devel- that people there would adopt a new
oped a new water filtration system using technology made by others. Using pot-
locally sourced materials for members of tery, working with the community, and
the Navajo Nation in the Southwest. relying on local materials were import-
The team is using a simple method ant to the effectiveness of this project.
of lining clay pots with pine tree resin Using silver particles for water filtration
collected from the Navajo Nation and is not the main innovation. Others have
incorporating tiny, silver-based particles used this technology in the past. The key
for purifying water to make it drinkable. is controlling the release of nanoparticles,
“A small amount of resin can provide which can reduce the usable life of the fil-
control over nanoscale silver release and ters. And the silver particles mix at high
thus reduce unnecessary loss of the ac- From left: Cockrell School of Engineering Professor volume with some of the chemicals in the
tive component, while preserving the sil- Navid Saleh; Navajo potter and research paper untreated water, leading to a “poison lay-
ver surface from getting passivated,” said co-author Deanna Tso; and Stetson Rowles III, a UT er” that can reduce the disinfection effica-
Ph.D. graduate and current faculty member at
Navid Saleh, Professor in the Fariborz Georgia Southern University. (Image: The University cy of the silver particles on the clay lining.
Maseeh Department of Civil, Architec- of Texas at Austin) The materials used by the researchers
tural and Environmental Engineering. are abundant in the environment. The
“Ceramic water filters are produced They also were exposed to the Navajo materials and construction process for
commercially in many parts of the world. cultural norms and realized how pottery the pots cost less than $10, making for a
The use of locally sourced materials, low- is central to their world. One of the stu- potentially low-cost solution.
cost of the device, and using pottery to dents in that field trip, Stetson Rowles “People” or consumers are usually left
bridge the trust gap of the Navajo hold III, who also happens to be a potter, be- out during the conception of a technical
tremendous promise,” said Saleh. came the lead researcher in this project. design of a technology, said Saleh, add-
Inspired by Judy Pasternak’s book Yel- Rowles and Saleh together came up ing that “The norm is to reside in the
low Dirt, Professor Saleh brought his stu- with the idea to utilize pottery as the realm of science and engineering, devel-
dents on a field trip to the Navajo Nation gateway in earning trust of the Navajos op a solution to obtain efficiency as the
in 2012. They learned about the conse- while addressing a part of the water con- only output, and eventually bring con-
quences of Uranium mining during tamination challenge. They worked with sumers into the fold by rolling out beta
the ‘40s-‘80s from this area, particularly a third-generation Navajo potter Deanna versions of the technology.”
those related to contamination of water Tso, gathered a pinyon pine tree resin Saleh believes that water technolo-
with heavy metals and radionuclides. from the region, used their centuries-old gies should follow a different path since
technique of using the resin in pottery, these impact lives on a day-to-day basis.
and infused nano-scale silver to disinfect “A technology is good if people use it.
AT A GLANCE water. All they have to do is pour water Ignoring local knowledge, not knowing
through the clay pots, and the coated what drives decisions in a community
INNOVATORS: Navid Saleh, Stetson pottery removes bacteria from water and can cause a technology to die in the en-
Rowles III, and Deanna Tso. generates clean, drinkable water. gineering trenches,” he said. “This is just
INNOVATION: Navajo pottery-inspired This Navajo pottery-inspired ceramic the beginning of trying to solve a local
ceramic water filter that can effectively and water filter can cheaply disinfect water, problem for a specific group of people.
cheaply disinfect water. while bridging the trust gap between Na- But the technical breakthrough we’ve
vajos and the non-Native world. “Making made can be used all over the world to
IMPACT: The device solves the water filtration technology cheap doesn’t help other communities.”
community’s water contamination problem, solve all the problems and making it ef-
while bridging the trust gap between fective doesn’t solve everything either. This article was written by Chitra Sethi,
Navajos and the non-Native world. You have to think about the people you Editorial Director, SAE Media Group. For
are making it for,” said Saleh. more information, visit news.utexas.edu.
40 www.techbriefs.com Tech Briefs, January 2024
 UAV TECHNOLOGY

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 January 2024

Blue Laser
Power Beaming for
Planetary Exploration
Space-Based Hyperspectral
Imaging: Seeing the Unseen
Designing Optics for Lunar
Rovers and Satellites
OPO Lasers Put Optical
Components to the Test

Supplement to Tech Briefs

 CONTENTS
FEATURES
Ensure the perfect
2 Designing Optics for Lunar Rovers, Satellites and Other

7
Space-Based Applications
Can Harmful Gas Detection Improve With a New Way of
User Experience!
Generating Powerful Lasers?
11 Blue Laser Power Beaming for Planetary Exploration
14 How to Innovate and Overcome the Challenges of Blue
Laser Beam Shaping
μLED/μOLED

APPLICATION BRIEFS
3D gesture
recognition sensor Gaze/eye 3D IR
17 OPO Lasers Put Optical Components to the Test tracking sensing
Virtual image See through
optics
18 How Corning’s Hyperspectral Imaging in the Sky
Sees the Unseen
Proximity
sensing

TECH BRIEFS
21 Sharper Images: A Breakthrough in Microscopy Resolution
22 New Frequency Comb Can Identify Molecules in
20-Nanosecond Snapshots
23 Measuring Earthquakes and Tsunamis with Fiber-Optic
Networks Complete Characterization of
AR/VR Headsets
DEPARTMENTS \ Virtual image test with 2D imaging camera
24 New Products LumiTop AR/VR
25 Profiles \ Image source pixel test with LumiTop X150
up to 600 MP

ON THE COVER \ 3D gesture recognition sensor test with

far-field emission camera VTC 2400
New satellites equipped with advanced hyperspectral-imag-
ing technology can detect pipeline leaks and other environ-
mental issues, providing precise monitoring and exploration
\ Time-of-flight sensor testing for pulses
capabilities for businesses and governments. To understand down to 1 ns
how that type of hyperspectral imaging is enabled from
space, read the application brief on page 18.
(Image: Jorge Ferreiro/Adobe Stock)

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Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 1

Designing Optics
for Lunar Rovers, Satellites
and Other Space-Based
Applications
he year 2024 will be full of new satellite manufacturing, erate over long periods of time in space, where radiation resis-

T launches and operations, with major players like Amazon

expected to start full-scale deployment of Project Kuiper
and strong demand for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites
driving development and launches from the likes of SpaceX and
Telesat among others. This is a trend that is expected to continue
tance is crucial. One type of component that is in major
demand especially for earth and weather observation satel-
lites is radiation resistant optics. Resolve Optics, a U.K.-based
specialized lens and optical design manufacturer, has been
responding to that demand, as they have been supplying lens-
over the long term as well. In the 2023 edition of Northern Sky es and optical systems for space applications over the last two
Research’s (NSR) Satellite Manufacturing & Launch Markets re- decades. In just one such example, the company is currently
port, the satellite market research firm forecasts over 32,500 mis- developing an optimized wide waveband lens for a multispec-
sions to be ordered and launched over the next decade. tral microscope to be used on a new solar powered lunar rov-
Many of those new and existing satellite development proj- er known — Lunar Vertex — being developed by Intuitive
ects require specialized instruments that can survive and op- Machines, due for delivery and launch in 2024.

(Image: Inna)

2 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

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Designing Optics
Photonics & Imaging Technology recently P&IT: Are there any new or in-service glass that could meet the harsh demands
caught up with Rob Watkinson, the head satellites that Resolve Optics has devel- of the space environment. Sen launched
of purchasing and customer support for oped optical components for? What new its first set of UHD video cameras in-
Resolve Optics, to discuss how they over- or unique applications are those compo- corporating Resolve Optics lenses into
come the challenges of developing op- nents or systems currently providing or space in 2019 and successfully demon-
tics for lunar rovers, satellites and other enabling and for what type of end users? strated the excellent performance of its
spaceborne applications. Check out our video streaming platform. The next step
Q&A with Watkinson about overcoming Watkinson: One project we can talk in Sen’s plan is to launch its own satellite
the challenges of designing radiation re- about is our cooperation with video constellation so that it has full control
sistant optics and lenses below. streaming specialists, including one Did- over its live data stream.
cot, U.K.-based company, Sen, to supply
Photonics & Imaging Technology: Can you radiation hard lenses for their satel- P&IT: What are some of the key mate-
provide some background information on lite-based Ultra-High Definition (UHD) rials that you have found to help enable
what type of optical systems, components video cameras. To make technology work radiation resistance?
or technologies Resolve Optics has primar- in space is not straight forward, with both
ily been designing and manufacturing for mechanical and environmental challeng- Watkinson: When designing a lens or
use or operation on satellites? es, such as extreme temperature changes optical system for use in a spaceborne
and radiation that can damage electron- application a key concern when it comes
Rob Watkinson: Our customers include ics and hardware. Space is also very mass to radiation resistance is the type of opti-
international space agencies and a grow- sensitive because each gram costs money cal glass you use. Standard glass will turn
ing number of commercial satellite and to launch. As a consequence, Sen decid- brown when exposed to radiation. So as
space vehicle manufacturers. Over the ed they needed a specialist provider who previously mentioned, when radiation
years we have supplied space ready optics could custom design and manufacture resistance is required, we will typically go
for monitoring the outside of spacecraft cameras to meet both the unique con- for cerium doped non-browning glasses.
looking for signs of damage caused by straints of spaceflight hardware and the These glasses will resist the browning ef-
space debris or micro meteorites. For in- environmental challenges of operating fect for significantly longer than stan-
spection tasks, where the optical system is in space for several years. dard glass. This means our radiation re-
required to view a specific area to aid op- Commercially available camera lens- sistant lenses have operating lifetimes of
eration. As part of a vision systems used to es were not suitable for this application years even by subject the constant stream
guide and dock payload craft visiting plat- because the glass would increasingly suf- of cosmic radiation encountered in
forms such as used on the International fer from radiation ‘browning’ – mean- space. By comparison, a lens constructed
Space Station. And, to enhance remote ing that image quality would gradually from standard glasses would turn grey
sensing from satellites. In this application deteriorate over the life of the satellite. and lose all transmission in a matter of
our powerful, high-resolution lenses en- Sen chose Resolve Optics to assist with just a few weeks.
able the Earth to be viewed from space this project because of its expertise in
providing valuable data on weather pat- custom designing low mass, high perfor- P&IT: Is the company researching the
terns and the impact of climate change. mance lenses using radiation resistant use of any new materials or glass types that

A computer generated concept image of Intuitive Machines Noca-C lander for the IM-3 mission taking four NASA investigations to Reiner Gamma. Due
for delivery and launch in 2024, Resolve Optics received an order to supply an optimized wide waveband lens for a multi-spectral microscope required
for a Moon exploration mission. (Image: Intuitive Machines)

4 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

can improve radiation resistance in lenses Watkinson: To minimize the effects of
or optical instruments used on satellites? vibration and shock it is good design prac-
tice to keep your optical components
Watkinson: We are constantly on the small and light. Less mass minimizes the
lookout for new non-browning glass effect vibration and shock will have. To
types that can offer more flexibility with- stop components in your optical system
in our optical designs. A great example from moving requires that all parts are re-
of this was our development of lenses tained as tightly as possible and that re-
able to produce clear sharp images free taining rings cannot work loose. This can
of the strong yellow tint that has tradi- be done by staking the retaining rings so
tionally been a limiting issue when using that they cannot come loose. However, if
radiation tolerant lenses for use on color your required optical components are
sensors. The specialist doped glass used heavier then it may be preferential to
in these lenses can withstand long-term bond all the elements in position. Conse-
exposure to radiation up to an accumu- quently, the mechanical design of space
lative dose of one hundred million RAD ready optics must consider the mass of the
and temperatures up to 85 °C without elements and determine what method of
loss of transmission. retaining is required.
However increased radiation resistance Also, importantly, the effects of vi-
is not really a driving factor in space op- In-house vibration and shock testing of satellite bration and shock must be considered
tics. The non-browning glasses we use are optical modules, such as those pictured here, is one across the operating temperature range
of the satellite optics development and design ac-
all rated to 108 rad which is generally well tivities occurring at the Resolve Optics facility on a of space launch to ensure optical com-
in excess of any other components in the regular basis. (Image: Resolve Optics) ponents cannot become loose due to
system. For example, your camera sensor temperature cycling. To ensure all rug-
would fail long before the lens. vibration that they’ll be subject to during gedized lenses and optical systems pro-
launch? What type of designs can face duced can withstand the launch vibra-
P&IT: What approach do you take to challenges in the launch phase and what tion and shock profile provided by the
designing ruggedized lenses or optical sys- are some of the design aspects that can customer, Resolve Optics has invested in
tems that can survive the severe shock and lead to malfunction or damage? in-house testing equipment. All lenses we

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 5

Designing Optics
or interest in from satellite developers
and manufacturers?

Watkinson: Over the last 12 months we

have had a significant increase in demand
for satellite lenses that operate in specific
bandwidths. This creates a challenge to
ensure that maximum transmission and
focus is maintained. Increasingly satellite
developers and manufacturers are also
asking us to create optical systems that can
hold focus over a wide temperature range.

P&IT: Are there any specific space appli-

cations where you expect to see increased
demand for or interest in during 2024?

Watkinson: If the trends of 2023 roll-

over into 2024 – then many of the enqui-
ries, we receive will continue to be for
LEO satellite applications. In addition,
we also expect to receive further requests
An image of space ready lens designed for small satellites, developed by Resolve Optics. (Image: Resolve to design lenses and optical systems for
Optics) orbiting space platforms, lunar rovers
and satellites operating in other orbits.
supply for spaceborne applications are P&IT: When you look back at 2023,
designed to meet vibration specifications were there any specific types of lenses, This article was written by Woodrow
and qualified on our vibration test center optical components, modules, or other Bellamy III, Senior Editor, Photonics &
before being shipped. products that you saw increased demand Imaging Technology.

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Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
12/14/23 10:59 AM
 Can Harmful Gas Detection Improve
With a New Way of Generating
Powerful Lasers?
cientists led by Nanyang Tech-

S nological University, Singapore

(NTU Singapore) have devel-
oped a novel method to produce
intense and ultra-fast lasers that holds
promise for making precise devices that
can speed up how quickly trace amounts
of pollutants and hazardous gases can be
sniffed out.
Currently, lasers comprising invisible
light in the middle of the infrared range
can be used to figure out in minutes what
is in the air, whether it is greenhouse gas
pollutants, toxic substances, explosives,
or gases linked to diseases found in a
person’s breath.
High-powered versions of the mid-in-
frared laser produced in ultra-fast spurts
are critical because they underpin very
sensitive devices that can safely detect,
(Image: Green Wind)

from a distance, even tiny amounts of a

substance that would otherwise go unno-
ticed or prove tricky to identify.
(From left) Research fellow Dr Deng Ang, Nanyang Assistant Professor Chang Wonkeun and senior
However, ways to generate such lasers research fellow Dr Trivikramarao Gavara from NTU Singapore’s School of Electrical and Electronic
have drawbacks for now. One method Engineering with the experimental set-up used to generate intense and ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers.

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 7

Fiber Optics
don’t need well-controlled and vibra-
tion-free environments to work,” said
Nanyang Assistant Professor Chang
Wonkeun, from NTU’s School of Elec-
trical & Electronic Engineering, who
led the latest research. “This means
we can pair them with a detector and
use them in the field to help test and
identify a wide variety of unknown sub-
stances on the spot and at the same
time, even in trace amounts, without
spending extra time sending samples
to labs for testing.”

Hollow-Core Fibers
Mid-infrared lasers, which have wave-
lengths of 2-20 micrometers, have ad-
vantages over other lasers in detecting
substances.
Many different types of molecules
absorb lasers in the mid-infrared range
in unique ways, more so than lasers in
(From left) Research fellow Dr Deng Ang, Nanyang Assistant Professor Chang Wonkeun and senior other wavelengths, and this feature can
research fellow Dr Trivikramarao Gavara from NTU Singapore’s School of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering with the experimental set-up used to generate intense and ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers. be used to identify unknown substanc-
Dr Deng is calibrating the optical equipment in the set-up with a green laser. es. Also, even if water is present in these
substances, the accuracy of using mid-in-
frared lasers to identify the substances is
not affected by the water molecules, un-
like with other lasers.
One method to produce high-powered
mid-infrared lasers in very quick spurts is
to shine bright and ultra-fast near-infra-
red radiation, which has a shorter wave-
length, through optical fibers.
Fibers with solid glass centers produce
mid-infrared lasers that are usually not
powerful, which makes it difficult for
small amounts of substances to be de-
tected accurately.
To produce high intensity mid-in-
frared lasers, an environment free of
interference is typically needed, which
confines the use of the lasers to the
lab. Assistant Professor Chang resolved
these issues using glass fibers with hol-
low cores. He discovered this when he
ran computer simulations to determine
the types of radiation that could be pro-
Research fellow Dr. Deng Ang from NTU Singapore’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
calibrating the optical equipment in an experimental set-up with a green laser. The set-up is used to duced when near-infrared radiation was
generate intense and ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers. passed through hollow-core fibers.
Unlike a traditional optical fiber, the
requires laboratory conditions free from These challenges have been addressed tube-like hollow-core fiber’s inner wall
disturbances – like vibrations and even with new research by NTU Singapore-led has a ring of smaller glass tubes around
changes in temperature and humidity scientists. The researchers used specially the fiber’s empty center.
– that can misalign delicately calibrated made optical fibers with hollow cores, By changing the wall thickness of
equipment. This means the lasers can- tweaking the thickness of sub-structures the fiber’s mini tubes, Assistant Prof
not be used outside the lab. in the fibers to produce very bright lasers Chang’s simulations showed that con-
Another method can produce the la- in the mid-infrared range of the electro- verting the near-infrared laser into a
sers while coping with environmental in- magnetic spectrum. powerful, ultra-fast mid-infrared laser
terferences such as vibrations, but their in- “Our method paves the way for de- was possible.
tensities are not strong enough to detect veloping portable, powerful and fast His team later conducted experiments
minute amounts of substances accurately. mid-infrared laser generators that which filled the hollow-core fibers’ cen-
8 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
ters with argon gas, and the scientists
were able to confirm the simulations’ pre-
dictions. They produced mid-infrared la-
sers with wavelengths of 3-4 micrometers
at peak power in the megawatt range,
which is about a million times more pow-
erful than a standard light bulb.
This laser conversion happens because
the near-infrared laser interacts with
the fiber’s shape, energising the argon
gas molecules and causing the laser to
change to mid-infrared.
The thickness of the mini tubes cor-
relates to slightly more than two times
the wavelength of the mid-infrared la-
ser generated. So, a mini tube with a
wall thickness of 1.6 micrometers results
in a laser with a wavelength that peaks
around 3.7 micrometers.
Professor Sébastien Février from the
University of Limoges, who researches
mid-infrared lasers and was not involved
in Professor Chang’s study, said that the
NTU team’s laser-generation method
“is in striking contrast to the usual set-
ups involving complicated non-linear
arrangements.”
“Furthermore, since fibers can be Image 4: The experimental set-up used to generate intense and ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers in NTU
spliced to each other, these results pave Singapore’s study. A green laser is used to calibrate the set-up’s optical equipment.

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Photonics 1
& Imaging Technology, January 2024 12/8/23 8:33 AM9
Fiber Optics
the way towards generating mid-infrared In the future, the scientists plan to do
lasers free from any moving mechanical further research to produce mid-infra-
parts,” said Professor Février. red lasers with longer wavelengths that
Based on experimental data, the re- are even brighter.
searchers’ ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers Professor Chang believes his method
are about 1,000 times more powerful could, in theory, produce mid-infrared
than those produced by existing meth- lasers of up to 10 micrometers.
ods that use optical fibers with solid Such lasers would widen the range
cores. The lasers should be many orders of substances that could be identified,
of magnitude more powerful – potential- including chemicals like formaldehyde
ly a million times – than the mid-infrared that can leak in industrial workplace ac-
light currently used in handheld devices cidents and hazardous substances like
for detecting hazardous substances. Due TNT explosives, which absorb mid-in-
to their low-powered mid-infrared light, frared radiation with wavelengths of
50μm
these portable devices cannot detect sub- around 6 micrometers and 8 microme-
stances more than 100 meters away. ters, respectively.
“With a high-intensity laser, we can A scanning electron microscope photo of the Professor Février said that if the
achieve high sensitivity and potentially cross-section of a hollow-core fiber used in NTU wavelength spectrum of the lasers
Singapore’s mid-infrared laser experiments. A
use the laser in devices to safely detect ring of seven smaller tubes can be seen along the generated can be broadened up to 10
even very small amounts of a substance inner wall of the fiber core. micrometers, “among the various pos-
that lasers or light produced from exist- sibilities, it is clear that the NTU team’s
ing methods will have trouble with,” said Their lasers could be used to help novel light source can be used to de-
Professor Chang. identify greenhouse gases like methane tect possibly hazardous compounds in
The scientists’ method for produc- that absorb mid-infrared radiation in this the air.”
ing 3-4 micrometer mid-infrared lasers range well. And since methane found
opens the way for developing more accu- in a person’s breath has been linked to This article was written by Kenny
rate and precise sensors for keeping tabs colorectal cancer, the lasers could also Chee, Assistant Director, Nanyang Tech-
on the environment for pollutants and offer a way to monitor people’s health nological University Singapore. For
possibly for health monitoring. through breath analysis. more information, visit ntu.edu.sg.
 Blue Laser
Power Beaming
for Planetary
Exploration

A blue laser-based, remote power beaming system

may enable practical power distribution for
explorers on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars.

ny plan for the long-term exploration or habitation of With visible and near infrared wavelengths, lasers are the

A the Moon and Mars will almost certainly entail the use
of multiple habitats, vehicles and remotely located
equipment, all of which will require power sources.
While the specifics of how multiple remote locations or mo-
bile instruments might be powered depend on particulars of
source of choice for power beaming because of their unique
characteristics. In particular, the small apparent source size
and high brightness of a laser enable a beam containing signif-
icant optical power to be highly collimated and projected over
long distances with little beam spread.
the distances, surface topography, and power requirements in- Figure 1 shows the basic elements of a system of this type. A
volved, the most efficient and practical way to power anything laser draws electrical power from a source and converts it into
beyond the smallest instruments at remote locations will most light. This light is expanded and collimated to a diameter that
probably mean setting up a central power source and deliver- spreads minimally over the chosen propagation distance. At
ing it using some mode of distribution network. This process the receiving end, an optical detector converts the laser light
will eliminate the need to transport bulky solar cells or other back to electricity.
energy sources to remote locations or mount them on vehicles. The advantage of this type of power beaming is that the laser
On Earth, the simple solution to getting power to all but the beam can provide substantially higher power density than the
most remote or inaccessible locations is a wired distribution solar radiation reaching the surface of the Moon or Mars (espe-
network. However, for the Moon and Mars, NASA deems this cially the latter). This increased power density reduces the re-
approach impractical due to exorbitant launch costs. To illus- quired size of the receiver panels by as much as 100X. For ex-
trate, transporting a 1 km spool of 12-gauge aluminum wire to ample, generating 500 W of power with sunlight might require
the Moon costs $19,800,000. For copper wire (a superior con- about 2 m2 of solar panel area. A laser system can deliver
ductor), the cost skyrockets to over $50,000,000. Power beam- enough light to yield the same power with a solar panel area of
ing offers a realistic alternative. only 0.02 m2. This provides interplanetary explorers with a
(Image: Jürgen Fälchle)

much more portable system.

Power Beaming Basics Power beaming at visible and near infrared wavelengths isn’t
Power beaming is a form of wireless power transfer that is very practical on the Earth’s surface due to our atmosphere.
conceptually simple, as it can be accomplished using many dif- Constant air movement creates local refractive index changes
ferent wavelengths along the electromagnetic spectrum. which distort the wavefront of the beam. This makes it difficult
Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 11
Blue Laser Power

to get high overall efficiency (the ratio

of received optical power to energy in)
Solar Cells or
for a power beaming system without the
Other Power Source
addition of expensive adaptive optics
Receiving systems.
Solar Cells The complete lack of atmosphere on
Telescope/ the Moon, and the relatively thin Mar-
Laser tian atmosphere, present much more
Collimator
Propagating Beam Power ideal environments for power beaming
Out at optical wavelengths. In particular,
there is almost no loss and no beam dis-
tortion when propagating over even
Figure 1: Simplified schematic of a laser-based power beaming system. Input energy, in this case generated
by solar cells, is converted into laser light. The laser beam is expanded to minimize its spread of the multi-kilometer distances on the Moon.
propagation distance. Another solar cell on the receiving end converts the laser light back to electricity. NASA is aware of these factors and is
actively pursuing power beaming tech-
nology. In 2023, they awarded NUBURU
a Small Business Innovation Research
Collimating Solar Cell
Telescope 50 mm 37 mm 57 mm 69 mm Receiver (SBIR) grant to investigate the feasibility
Transmitter of laser power beaming for space-based
Beam Waist and off-planet uses.
5 km 1 km Our efforts for this grant are focused
on implementing power beaming using
the high-brightness blue laser technol-
Beam Waist
ogy we have developed primarily for
industrial materials processing applica-
tions. Numerous high-power, near-in-
50 mm 47 mm 136 mm 162 mm
frared lasers are already commercially
available that could be readily adapted
to a power beaming system, but a blue la-
ser source could reduce the size, weight,
and cost of the transmitter and receiver
components needed to for a 5 km range
Figure 2: Lower diffraction at shorter wavelengths makes it easier to deliver a smaller beam at a longer link as compared to near infrared lasers.
distance with a blue laser. There are several factors that contribute
to this, including optimized propaga-
tion, high electrical efficiency and visible
Optimal Transmitter Size for 50 mm Diameter Receiver beacons among others.
300
Optimized Propagation
A primary reason is that blue light is
250 the shortest of the visible wavelengths.
Optimum Transmitter Diameter (mm)

This minimizes the spreading of the

beam due to diffraction as it propagates.
200 This permits a smaller beam (with a
higher power density) to be delivered to
the receiver with the minimal diameter
150 beam expander.
The drawing in figure 3 illustrates the
comparison of diffractive beam spread-
IR Laser
ing for a 450 nm laser as compared to a
100 1,060 nm (near infrared) laser. Using a
50 mm diameter transmitter, the mini-
Blue Laser mum beam spread at 5 km for the blue
50 laser is achieved by forming a beam
waist at 2.2 km. This produces a final
beam diameter of 57 mm at 5 km; at 6
km, the blue beam has only spread to 69
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 mm in diameter.
Range (km) Using the same 50 mm diameter trans-
mitter, the minimum beam spread at 5
Figure 3: Optimum transmitter size as a function of range for a fixed detector size for blue and near km for the near infrared laser is achieved
infrared lasers. by forming a beam waist at 0.6 km. This
12 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
produces a final beam diameter of 136
mm at 5 km; at 6 km, the near infrared Cell Type Bandgap Energy (eV) Efficiency (%)
beam has enlarged to 162 mm in diame-
ter. That means a larger, heavier solar AlP 2.5 91
panel is required on the receiving end to
collect all the light. Or, the beam can be
AlGaInP 2.1 76
allowed to overfill the detector, which re-
sults in throwing power away.
We can also look at the system the oth- InGaP 1.86 68
er way – namely constrain the size of the
detector and calculate the diameter of CdTe 1.5 54
the transmitter required not to overfill it.
This comparison is shown in the chart. GaAs 1.4 51
Clearly, as range increases, a power beam-
ing system based on a near infrared laser c-Si 1.12 41
becomes impractically large.
Table 1: A table comparing the theoretical internal quantum efficiency ratings of bandage materials.
High Electrical Efficiency
A power beaming system based on blue lasers also has the Additionally, NUBURU continues to work on increasing
potential to deliver extraordinarily elevated electrical efficien- source brightness of our blue lasers – that is, making lasers
cy. Specifically, this means the conversion efficiency of the re- with higher output power and a lower beam parameter prod-
ceived light back into electricity. uct (BPP). These types of sources will expand the range of
The table shows the conversion efficiency of several types of industrial processing applications we can service and are
solar cells at 450 nm. For some of the most popular solar cells essential to building efficient, longer range power beaming
in current use, conversion efficiency isn’t that high in the blue. systems, as well.
This is especially true of the c-Si cell, which is the most em-
ployed material for commercial photovoltaic systems. This article was written by Adam Paricio-Moreau, Research &
But there is a straightforward path, based completely on ex- Development Manager, NUBURU. For more information, visit
isting technology, that can yield solar cells with much higher www.nuburu.net.
efficiency. In fact, the top layers of many multi-junction cells
(typically InGaP, AlGaInP or AlGaAs) are already moderately
well-matched to the blue. But a multi-junction cell isn’t inher-
ently optimum for use with a single wavelength source. BIOCOMPATIBLE
However, there’s no technical reason why a single junction
cell can’t be fabricated from one of these higher bandgap ma-
LED Curable Adhesive
terials, like AlP. This delivers a theoretical internal quantum
efficiency of over 90 percent, as compared to other materials Nanosilica Filled LED405Med
outlined in table 1. In practice, losses in the coatings and beam
delivery optics might yield a real-world efficiency for the entire
optical part of the power beaming system of about 85 percent. Meets ISO 10993-5
for cytotoxicity
Visible Beacon
Another NASA requirement also favors blue lasers (or any visi- Outstanding optical clarity
ble wavelength) over an infrared source. Specifically, NASA pre- Refractive index
fers a power beaming system to double as a navigational beacon, 1.50
as this could aid explorers in finding their way from point-to-point
should other navigational aids fail (NASA likes redundancy!). High dimensional stability
Rayleigh scattering from CO2 in the Martian atmosphere Coefficient of thermal expansion
should be sufficient to make a multi-kW blue laser beam easily 35-40 in/in x 10-6/°C
visible to the eye, but even on the airless Moon, solar radiation
ionizes regolith particles causing the smallest of them to be- Cures by LED light
come suspended above the surface at heights of up to 10 m.
Suitable for heat
Mie scattering from these particles would make a blue laser sensitive components
beam readily visible against the jet-black lunar “sky.”

Future Work
Work to date at NUBURU on the NASA SBIR actively involves
the characterizing of the current-voltage (I-V) curves of solar
cells and panels under laser illumination and building a power 154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA
+1.201.343.8983 ∙ [email protected]
beaming demonstration system. Testing this system, which will
be capable of transmitting power over relatively short ranges www.masterbond.com
(15 – 30 m), is the next step in our work.
Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 13
How to Innovate and Overcome
the Challenges of Blue Laser
Beam Shaping
n recent years, the utilization of blue diode lasers has high. In novel applications such as blue laser engraving, med-

I undergone a remarkable expansion. Compared with

near-infrared lasers (750~1100 nm), a blue laser with a
wavelength in the 400~500 nm has a much higher (5x –
10x) absorption of highly reflective metals such as copper.
The blue laser has become the ideal light source for high-re-
ical care, display, and lighting, blue laser is drawing consider-
able attention from the market.
In the field of engraving and cutting, blue laser engraving
devices can engrave patterns on metal, food, wood, plastic,
and other materials, offering cost-effective solutions that
flective metal processing, offering substantial advantages in cater to both commercial and household applications. In
various industrial applications such as cutting and welding. medical applications, blue laser surgical equipment can be
Furthermore, in the context of the global drive for ener- used for prostate hyperplasia treatment, and its lower-power
gy saving and environmental protection, blue lasers have version can be used for the treatment of ear, nose, throat and
found a prominent role in numerous emerging energy sec- digestive tract diseases. Blue laser 3D printing can be used
tors. For instance, they are now integral in the production for the production of human prostheses. The blue laser also
and manufacturing of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, has significant advantages in laser display applications like
photovoltaic systems, and wind energy equipment, where wide color space and long life, environmental protection, en-
high-reflective metals such as copper are widely employed. ergy saving, etc., achieving the ultimate display effect, color,
These new applications have opened up a broad market for and clarity. In laser lighting applications, the laser lighting
blue laser technology. sources use blue laser to excite phosphors to produce white
As the power of blue lasers gradually increases and the cost light, which can achieve higher power density and farther
decreases, along with the emergence of more application sce- illumination distance and can be used in laser headlights,
narios, the market demand for blue lasers is unprecedentedly remote search, and many other fields.
14 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
Challenges in Beam Shaping of
Blue Diode Lasers
Similar to near-infrared diode la-
sers, blue diode lasers also need to be
matched with a suitable beam shaping
solution in order to efficiently utilize the
photon energy they emit. As an emerg-
ing field, blue laser beam shaping faces
new challenges in beam shaping com-
pared with infrared laser beam shaping. Blue Laser Engraving Laser Surgery
As one example, the absorption rate of
commonly used optical materials in the
blue spectrum is higher than that in the
near-infrared spectrum. Excessive ab-
sorption of laser light by materials will
increase the temperature rise of optical
components, causing changes in the size
of optical components, thereby affecting
the product performance. At the same
time, the temperature rise of optical Laser Display Laser Lighting
components may influence the perfor-
mance and reliability of the glue that Some of the most common applications enabled by blue diode lasers.
fixes the optical components, thereby
affecting the optical performance and in addition to considering parameters high transmittance (>99.5 percent) in
reliability of the blue laser system. such as hardness and refractive index, the blue spectrum makes it naturally
Blue optics’ design needs to take into special consideration needs to be given to suitable for high-power blue laser ap-
account the diverse application scenar- the challenges posed by transmittance in plications. However, the conversion
ios and packaging forms of blue lasers. the blue spectrum. Common micro lens temperature of fused silica can reach
There are new challenges in the coating glass materials (such as S-TIH53, etc.) 1,600 degrees, which is not suitable for
of blue light optical components. De- have good transmittance (>99.5 percent) thermal molding or other optical pro-
pending on the applications, different for the near-infrared spectrum but have cessing techniques that are commonly
beam shaping methods need to be used low transmittance for the blue spectrum used for aspherical lenses. Focuslight’s
to meet the application’s demand for (75~95 percent for S-TIH53) and higher innovative wafer-level simultaneous
photon energy. absorption. Excessive absorptivity can structuring process offers solutions to
cause temperature rise and thermal lens this challenge. This technique elim-
Beam Shaping Solution for effect, resulting in changes in the size of inates the need for heating and melt-
Blue Diode Laser the micro lens product, thereby affecting ing fused silica during processing.
To formulate suitable beam shaping the optical performance of the product; Over time, it has evolved into a mature
solutions for blue lasers, three aspects the temperature rise of the micro-opti- method extensively applied in the mass
need to be considered: selection of op- cal lens may also affect the performance production of fused silica micro-opti-
tical materials, micro-optical design, and of the glue and reduce the reliability of cal components. Its adoption has been
optical coating design. the system. widespread in recent years across vari-
When selecting optical component ma- Fused silica is an ideal raw mate- ous fields, including the beam shaping
terials for blue diode laser applications, rial for blue optics components. Its of infrared semiconductor lasers and

Focusing Collimation of Line beam shaping Homogenous

and coupling single emitters with angles>100° rectangular
illumination
Depending on the applications, different beam shaping methods need to be used to meet the application’s demand for photon energy.

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 15

Blue Laser Beam Shaping

UV homogenizers for photolithogra- choice for situations where high refrac- terial (designated as FL-Blue) that is
phy machines. tive index is required. Focuslight’s wa- adapted to the wafer-level simultaneous
On the other hand, the refractive fer-level simultaneous structuring pro- structuring process, demonstrating low
index of fused silica is about 1.46, cess can be used to process almost any absorption in the blue spectrum (trans-
lower than common optical materials non-toxic optical glass, including mate- mittance > 99 percent) and a high re-
with a refractive index of 1.8 such as rials such as calcium fluoride, magne- fractive index (n >1.7). Based on this
S-TIH53. This variance imposes con- sium fluoride, and even silicon and ger- material, Focuslight has released Blue
straints on optical design. Although manium suitable for infrared and deep FAC 250, Blue FAC 300, Blue FAC 380,
optical designs such as biconvex lenses ultraviolet applications. Therefore, and Blue FAC 600 series fast axis col-
can be considered for refractive index after two years of dedicated R&D and limator (FAC) products. Additionally,
compensation, this will significantly exploration, Focuslight has successfully small batches of blue optical compo-
increase the cost and is not an ideal developed and introduced a new ma- nents have been delivered to leading
blue laser customers worldwide.
With the right optical materials in
place, it’s equally important to employ
fitting optical designs that can accom-
modate the diverse application scenarios
of blue lasers. Blue diode lasers usually
come in different forms such as CoS
packaged single emitters, TO-can pack-
aged single emitters, and chip arrays
(bars). For different light source forms
and different application scenarios, tar-
geted designs are required to meet ap-
plication needs.
At Focuslight, various micro-optical
surface structures, such as aspherical cyl-
inders, parabolas, free-form surfaces, and
other surface structures can be realized
using wafer-level simultaneous structur-
ing process. Through high-precision pro-
cessing of double-sided micro-optics, the
integration of multiple lenses can also be
achieved on micro-sized optical products.
(Upper left, upper right) Symmetrical and asymmetrical surface structure. (Bottom left) A single mi-
cro-optical device integrating 12 lenses. (Lower right) Micro-optical assembly consisting of two com- When doing optical design, it is also nec-
ponents, and integrating 40 lenses. essary to consider the refraction and dif-
fraction effects of light at the same time.
Typical Products Product Photo Features Focuslight uses ray tracing algorithms
and wave optics theory to conduct optical
Acylindrical plano-convex/biconvex fast axis simulations, and also uses self-developed
Fast Axis collimator for the collimation of the fast axis of wave optics simulation software to fully
Collimators (FAC) high-power blue diode lasers, also with
customizable EFL. simulate the diffraction effect.
Concave-convex, acylindrical lens design for
Focuslight has designed and released
Blue Meniscus the collimation of the slow acis of high-power multiple high-performance blue laser
SAC blue diode lasers, bringing benefits for compact optical component products based on
modules with limited space. different materials such as FL Blue and
Simultaneously collimates the light from the fused silica, such as blue fast axis colli-
Monolithic fast and slow axes of blue TO-CAN lasers, mators (FACs), blue meniscus slow axis
Collimator producing a symmetrical beam with an almost
round far-field profile. collimators (SACs), monolithic collima-
tors, monolithic fiber couplers, fused
Simultaneously collimates the light from the fast
Monolithic and slow axes of blue TO-CAN lasers, coupling silica lens arrays, and fused silica beam
Fiber Coupler the beam to a single fiber with only one lens transformation systems (BTS).
element. Once materials are selected and optical
Fused silica lens arrays for the collimation of the designs finalized, blue laser optical com-
Fused Silica slow axis of high-power blue diode laser bars ponents undergo crucial optical coating.
Lens Array with a standard or customized pitch available.
This article was written by Joanna
Beam transformation system (BTS) converts the
asymmetrical beam parameter product (BPP) in Qiao, Product Line Director of Laser
Fused Silica BTS slow and fast axis into a more symmetrical BPP Optics and Leon Li, Vice President of
by stacking the emitters spatially. Business and Strategy of Laser Optics,
A table showing multiple high-performance blue laser optical component products and their associated Focuslight. For more information, visit
materials. www.focuslight.com.
16 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
OPO Lasers Put Optical Components to the Test
PO lasers test optical fibers and
O components to characterize the
spectral response of optical components,
which can provide a competitive advan-
tage in the optics industry.
Optical parametric oscillator (OPO)
lasers have long been utilized in sophisti-
cated test and measurement applications
such as mass spectrometry, photoacous-
tic imaging, and spectroscopy. Now,
these “tunable” pulsed lasers are being
utilized to facilitate a range of tests at dif-
ferent wavelengths to qualify and quanti-
fy the performance of optical compo- OPO lasers test optical fibers and components to characterize the spectral response of optical com-
nents such as fiber optic strands, filters, ponents, which can provide a competitive advantage in the optics industry.
lenses, and coated mirrors.
Lasers, in general, have long been uti- OPOTEK, LLC, a global manufacturer creases the cost. “Optical component
lized in the test and measurement of op- of tunable lasers for research and diag- manufacturers will want to know how
tical materials. By design, most optical nostics, with solutions for photoacoustic, their products perform at the wave-
components reflect, filter, or transmit spectroscopy, diagnostics, hyperspectral lengths between those harmonics.”
specific wavelengths, or ranges of wave- imaging, and medical research. According to Little, a more versatile,
length. Therefore, it is critical to per- Little adds that there can be significant high-resolution option are OPO lasers that
form tests of component materials and advantages to using pulse-based lasers. Al- can be “tuned” to specific wavelengths
coatings to ensure products perform as though continuous wavelength lasers are across a wide spectrum. In this approach,
expected. The more precise these tests, an inexpensive solution for testing optical optical parametric oscillators (OPO) con-
the higher the quality of the product – a materials, they don’t provide a broad range vert the fundamental wavelength of pulsed
factor manufacturers can turn into a of high-resolution wavelengths, and the mode Nd:YAGs to the selected frequency.
competitive advantage. peak power they can generate is limited.“- Leading manufacturers like Carlsbad, CA-
Because testing conditions should rep- Pulse-based lasers produce high intensity based OPOTEK have developed a diverse
licate or simulate the actual operational light bursts that can be used to determine if array of OPO technologies that ensures
environment, lasers can be used to deliv- the transmission properties of optical ma- that many wavelengths from the deep UV
er a narrow wavelength band, pulse du- terials or coatings are affected. Optical to the mid-infrared can easily be produced.
ration (if applicable), and power level to component manufacturers may want to “An OPO laser can be tuned to a very
determine the spectral response of opti- test for this to ascertain if high intensity specific wavelength resolution by simply
cal components. light will cause damage such as non-linear punching in a number like 410, 410.1, or
These tests deliver critical information to effects [unwanted wavelength generation] 410.2 nanometers,” explains Little. “Some
optical component manufacturers related or solarization or photobleaching across a tests require high-resolution wavelengths
to factors such as absorption, scattering, spectrum of wavelengths, including down and with a broadband light source, you
and other optical properties. They can also to ‘deep’ UV,” explains Little, adding that may not be able to achieve it.”
be used to assess how coatings on optical continuous wave lasers are not powerful
surfaces will perform. Damage testing has enough for this level of damage testing. Testing the Limits of Optical
become even more important to identify When single wavelength pulse-based Components
given optical materials can be damaged at lasers are required, Nd:YAG lasers are an Many optical components are sensi-
different wavelengths. Coatings can also ideal option because they are relatively tive to certain wavelengths and destruc-
become compromised at specific wave- inexpensive and simple to use. The 1064- tive damage testing determines the lim-
lengths, leading to performance issues. nm laser can also be modified using ad- its of what the material can withstand.
“Because there is such a range of tests, ditional hardware to operate at its other Laser-induced damage threshold testing
there is an advantage if the laser can be harmonic frequencies: 213, 266, 355, (LIDT) is one example.
tuned to any required wavelength. This and 532 nm. While this provides five de- Certain wavelengths can trigger pho-
allows more flexibility in the types of fined wavelengths for testing, each mod- tochemical reactions in optical materials,
tests that can be performed and decreas- ification adds to the cost. changing their molecular structure or
es complexity so manufacturers can en- “There are gaps between the wave- chemical composition and making them
sure optical products perform as expect- lengths, and the jump between 1064 nm less effective. Some materials can absorb
ed,” says Dr. Mark Little, Technical and to 532 nm is significant,” says Dr. Little, specific wavelengths of light, leading to lo-
Scientific Marketing Consultant for adding that each of those harmonics in- calized heating and potential thermal dam-
Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 17
A more versatile, high-resolution option are OPO
lasers that can be “tuned” to specific wavelengths
across a wide spectrum.

age. When the intensity of the light exceeds

the damage threshold of the material, it Because peak power is calculated by dividing the energy of a single pulse by the pulse duration, OPO lasers
can lead to melting, evaporation, cracking, can deliver megawatts of energy, versus milliwatts for continuous wave lasers.
or other forms of physical damage.
Optical fibers and components often to ascertain if an optical material may OPO lasers are solid-state and so do not
have protective coatings that are also vul- change over time. One concern is solar- require expensive consumables such as
nerable to damage from certain wave- ization, or “photobleaching,” which can specialized gas or chemical mixtures as
lengths. For instance, UV light can cause occur due to prolonged exposure to UV the lasing medium.
photodegradation of coatings, reducing or other forms of radiation. Solarization “To qualify fiber optics for Deep UV and
their protective properties. causes a gradual increase in the absorp- validate the chemistry and coatings for the
One of the most common applications is tion of light, leading to a decrease in fi- optical material, manufacturers mut be
fiber optics, where prolonged exposure to ber performance – a concern with fiber able to test the product to ensure the opti-
high-intensity laser light can cause various optic materials. cal material will transmit without degrada-
forms of damage, including photodarken- “You can ‘fire’ an OPO continuously for tion at shorter UV wavelengths,” says Little.
ing, photobleaching, coating degradation, hours or days to determine if solarization Given the potential variety of tests at var-
and thermal effects. To test fiber optic will occur,” says Little. ious wavelengths, optical component man-
strands, laser light is transmitted from one The effects of solarization are even ufactures would be wise to consider the
end to the other to assess the performance more pronounced in the “Deep UV” merits of pulse based OPO lasers. The flex-
and characteristics of the fiber. (Deep Ultraviolet) range, which general- ibility and resolution provided are ideal for
To determine peak power, for exam- ly refers to wavelengths below 210 nm. determining the absorption, transmission
ple, pulse based OPO lasers can deliver To mitigate UV effects, fiber optics pro- and reflection characteristics of materials
concentrated bursts of energy in short viders apply special chemistry treatments and coatings, as well as damage testing. In
durations measured in nanoseconds . and utilize unique optical materials to doing so, manufacturers ensure optical
Because peak power is calculated by di- prevent light absorption and UV dam- products perform as expected and over
viding the energy of a single pulse by the age in Deep UV wavelengths. time, for the ultimate competitive edge.
pulse duration, OPO lasers can deliver According to Little, OPO lasers can be
megawatts of energy, versus milliwatts for designed to generate wavelengths down This article was written by Mark Terry, a
continuous wave lasers. to 190 nm through multiple stages of op- freelance writer, on behalf of OPOTEK
Some manufacturers may also want to tical conversion. Unlike typical fixed LLC. For more information, visit www.
perform continuous testing over time wavelength deep ultraviolet (UV) lasers, opotek.com.

How Corning’s Hyperspectral Imaging in the Sky Sees the Unseen

ew satellites equipped with Corning’s With pipelines that snake across continents, tures from greenhouse gas pollutants and
N advanced hyperspectral-imaging tech-
nology can detect pipeline leaks and other
early detection of harmful greenhouse gas
leaks is essential to mitigate risk while en-
can process the data in real time.
Corning is known for deep expertise
environmental issues, providing precise suring continued and efficient operations. in advanced optics for aerospace, semi-
monitoring and exploration capabilities That’s the challenge Silicon Valley start-up conductor applications, spectrometry,
for businesses and governments. Orbital Sidekick (OSK) approached Corn- precision machining, and fabrication.
As the world continues its ongoing fight ing with as it built its Global Hyperspectral This expertise builds on Corning’s core
against climate change, the sooner we can Observation Satellite (GHOSt) constella- competencies in glass and ceramics.
detect threats to our planet’s health, the tion in 2023. Each of the six spacecraft in Those competencies include the cre-
sooner we can fix them. This work is es- the constellation features a Corning sensor ation of cover glass on many consumer
pecially critical in the oil and gas industry. that can detect the unique spectral signa- electronic devices, the substrates and fil-
18 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
The Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellite (GHOSt) constellation. (Image: Orbital Sidekick)

ters found in automotive emissions-con- infrared and ultraviolet light waves. This
trol systems, and many other technical technology helps our customers see what
innovations. Corning also knows how would go unseen by less-granular tech-
light travels across spectrums and transits nologies. Enabled by a proprietary Corn-
through and around materials, which is ing spectrograph, the sensor breaks in-
the expertise the Corning team employs coming light from a single material into
to deliver for customers like OSK. its component colors – similar to a prism
OSK’s mission: use satellite technolo- – using high-fidelity, diamond-turned
gy to monitor oil and gas pipelines for mechanical slits and gratings. A GHOSt satellite awaits launch via a SpaceX
leaks, particularly leaks of methane – a rocket. (Image: Orbital Sidekick)
greenhouse gas that can be more potent Imaging spectrographs offer
at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. three distinct benefits: care, and industrial applications. Unlike
The sooner an issue is recognized, the • All spectral data for each pixel is ac- these terrestrial applications, low-earth-
faster OSK can report these threats to its quired simultaneously rather than orbit applications present unique chal-
customers for fast action. Delivering on sequentially, thereby reducing un- lenges. Chief among them is producing
this mission required a team of skilled der-sampling of the target area. a high-performance and highly surviv-
engineers from Corning’s Keene, New • The spectrograph offers high light able optic that can maintain perfor-
Hampshire, facility to develop some of gathering power with fast f/#, without mance during the launch into space –
the most advanced hyperspectral imag- angle sensitivity. one of the most stressful events a system
ing sensors that exist today. These sen- • The spectrograph produces high spec- can undergo. Corning’s low-earth-orbit
sors capture 500 bands of light with 100x tral fidelity with minimal spectral/spa- hyperspectral sensors are manufactured
more spectral information than tradi- tial mixing. using a space-qualified coating process
tional satellites. Following data collection by the Corn- to help to maintain quality in space
ing sensor, and its transfer back to earth, and help prevent degradation. Further,
How Corning’s Hyperspectral OSK software tools process images in a Corning’s mirrors and optics are tested
Sensor Works way that brings remarkable precision to using advanced opto-mechanical finite
Corning’s hyperspectral sensor is a the hunt for specific materials. Orbital element analysis. This simulates the en-
powerful tool that provides critical infor- Sidekick can now survey an entire trans- vironmental stresses that the system will
mation to OSK’s analytics team, which continental pipeline in hours rather undergo and determines if anything will
can then isolate the distinctive spectral than weeks. This year alone, the compa- move out of alignment, even down to
“fingerprints” left by materials like wa- ny will monitor 124,000 miles of pipeline the micron level. We use thermal shock
ter, methane, or a corn crop. A materi- and are already beginning to identify chambers, a shock/vibration facility, hu-
al’s unique spectral signature is based on and report suspected methane leaks, midity chambers, and simulations for
how it reflects or emits electromagnetic liquid hydrocarbon leaks, and intrusions deep Cryogenic (<6 ºK) environments
energy, also known as light waves. like construction that could cause leaks. to ensure integrated systems retain op-
Where the human eye can only see tical tolerances.
light waves with wavelengths between 450 Bringing Hyperspectral Tech- Corning’s Keene, New Hampshire facil-
to 700 nanometers, Corning hyperspec- nology to Space ity has evolved its rich legacy of producing
tral sensors cover the full spectral range Traditionally, Corning technologies high performance and durable reflective
from 400 to 2,500 nanometers, including have been used in agriculture, health optics into developing fully integrated elec-
Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 19
tro-optic assemblies. To support this, terial thermal expansion that is both
we’ve matured our design, manufac- well-known and easy to design with,
turing, test, and assembly capabilities to helps to reduce engineering time.
build larger aperture systems that have
increased both our sensitivity and op- The View Ahead
tical resolution over time. For Orbital Critical energy infrastructure mon-
Sidekick, that means more efficient and itoring is only the start of what applica-
effective monitoring capabilities. tions like OSK’s GHOSt constellation
may offer. By combining Corning’s
Why Corning’s Technology advanced hyperspectral sensor with
Matters our customers’ intelligence and ana-
Unlike other hyperspectral prod- lytics, we foresee future, life-changing
ucts with multiple sensors, Corning’s applications for agriculture, mineral
hyperspectral solution delivers its exploration, carbon offset verifica-
powerful 400-2,500 nm range with tion, defense, and more. In turn, our
a single detector. This reduces the customers, like OSK, will be able to
weight of the system while also mini- offer insights to support sustainabili-
mizing potential complications of re- ty and safety efforts, anywhere in the
cording and post-processing imagery world.
from two or more sensors. One of the Two GHOSt satellites being equipped with Corning’s hy- Our customers are only just begin-
challenges for our customers is get- perspectral sensor technology. ning to tap into the potential of hyper-
ting the large volume of data down spectral technology, and Corning is
from space associated with a multi-sen- ing’s vertical integration directly enables ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with
sor instrument. The fact that Corning the single detector solution. The ability our customers, big and small, to help fur-
technology allows our customers to com- to design and manufacture accurate ther its adoption. Each night, when we see
press our solution into one image file blazed gratings, with precision align- a shimmering satellite in the night sky, we
helps them get the data faster, while also ment features, enables integral light feel pride knowing that our technology
streamlining the overhead and process- control. This is complimented by precise may very well be aboard – a keystone com-
ing time to gain useful insights. Corn- slits with sub-micron edge quality. ponent that is helping to transform our
Corning fabricates the sensor’s sup- planet’s ecology for the better.
porting components and reflective optics
from aluminum. This is a far lighter solu- This article was written by Bob Ben-
tion than using traditional silica-based son, Systems Engineering Supervisor,
glass mirrors. A lighter payload can and Leon Desmarais, Product Line
make all the difference for a successful Manager, Remote Sensing at Corning
deployment aboard both drones and sat- Incorporated with contributions by Matt
Two Part EP38CL ellites. Moreover, aluminum offers cost
benefits as it’s less expensive than tradi-
Paige, Program Manager, Remote Sens-
ing. For more information, visit www.
tional glass mirrors. Having a single ma- corning.com/advanced-optics.

Corning Remote Sensing

UV 200-400nm Visible 380-800nm NIR/SWIR 800-2500nm

Corning® MicroHST™410
Corning® MicroHST™425

• For bonding, sealing, 200 400 600 800 1000 1500 2000 2500
Wavelength (nm)
coating & encapsulating
Wavelength range Applications Sensor
• Outstanding toughness covered Weight

Corning® MicroHST™410 400 nm - 1,000nm • Agricultural 1.6 lbs

• Industrial
• Resists thermal cycling
Corning® MicroHST™425 400 nm - 2,500nm • Agricultural
• Industrial 7 lbs
• Healthcare
• Gas detection
• Mining
154 Hobart St., Hackensack, NJ 07601, USA
+1.201.343.8983 ∙ [email protected]
www.masterbond.com In Corning’s commercial hyperspectral product line, customers can uncover insights from the ultravio-
let to the near infrared with just one sensor.

20 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

Sharper Images: A Breakthrough in Microscopy Resolution
An innovative algorithm successfully addresses the challenge of microscopy resolution through pixel reassignment.
SPIE, Bellingham, WA
btaining high-resolution images local gradients, images are sharpened
O in the world of microscopy has
long been a challenge. Deconvolution, a
without the risk of introducing noise ar-
tifacts. The technique standardizes raw
ers. While no deblurring strategy is
entirely immune to noise, DPR’s advan-
tage lies in the fact that it does not am-
method to enhance image clarity, often images before applying this process, en- plify noise. This sets it apart from other
amplifies noise between the sample suring consistent results. deconvolution methods, simplifying its
and the image. Researchers at Boston The resolution of a microscope is tra- implementation and making it suitable
University recently developed a novel ditionally defined by its ability to distin- for a wide range of samples with extend-
deblurring algorithm that avoids these guish two closely spaced point sources. ed features.
issues, improving the resolution of im- The new method, called “deblurring by A new approach to enhancing the spa-
ages with photon intensity conservation pixel reassignment” (DPR), significant- tial resolution of microscopy images, the
and local linearity. ly reduces the required separation dis- DPR technique provides a versatile and
As reported in the Gold Open Access tance, allowing for enhanced resolution. user-friendly solution that significantly
journal Advanced Photonics, the innova- To demonstrate the effectiveness of improves image clarity while avoiding
tive deblurring algorithm is adaptable DPR, the researchers applied it to a va- common noise-related issues, making it
to various fluorescence microscopes, re- riety of imaging conditions: single-mol- an invaluable tool for a wide range of
quiring minimal assumptions about the ecule localization, structural imaging of scientific applications. Professor Jerome
emission point spread function (PSF). It engineered cardiac tissue, and volumet- Mertz, Director of the Biomicroscopy
works on a sequence of raw images and ric zebrafish imaging. These real-world Laboratory at Boston University and se-
even a single image, enabling tempo- applications showcased DPR’s potential nior author of the study said, “Because
ral analysis of fluctuating fluorophore in improving the clarity of microscopic of its ease of use, speed, and versatility,
statistics. Furthermore, the researchers images. we believe DPR can be of general utility
have made this algorithm available as DPR’s unique ability to sharpen im- to the bio-imaging community.”
a MATLAB function, making it widely ages, while preserving larger structures, For more information, see B. Zhao
accessible. opens doors to broader applications. It and J. Mertz, “Resolution enhancement
The fundamental concept behind this can be used in scenarios where samples with deblurring by pixel reassignment,”
breakthrough is pixel reassignment. By contain both small and large structures, Advanced Photonics 5(6), 066004 (2023),
reassigning pixel intensities based on making it a versatile tool for research- doi 10.1117/1.AP.5.6.066004

Principle of DPR. (a) From left to right: simulations of Gaussian PSF intensity and gradient maps (amplitude and direction), pixel reassignments, deblurred PSF
image after application of DPR. (b) DPR workflow. (Image: B. Zhao and J. Mertz, doi 10.1117/1.AP.5.6.066004)

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 21

New Frequency Comb Can Identify Molecules in 20-Nanosecond
Snapshots
A new laser-based system has the ability to capture moment-to-moment details of high-speed processes
such as hypersonic propulsion and protein folding.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD
rom monitoring concentrations
F of greenhouse gases to detecting
COVID in breath, laser systems known
as frequency combs can identify specific
molecules as simple as carbon dioxide
and as complex as monoclonal antibod-
ies, with unprecedented accuracy and
sensitivity. Amazing as they are, however,
frequency combs have been limited in
how fast they can capture a high-speed
process such as hypersonic propulsion
or the folding of proteins into their final
three-dimensional shapes.
Now, researchers at the National In-
stitute of Standards and Technology
(NIST), Toptica Photonics AG, and the A new frequency comb setup can capture the moment-by-moment details of carbon dioxide gas es-
University of Colorado Boulder have caping from a nozzle at supersonic speeds in an air-filled chamber, followed by rapid oscillations of gas
due to complex aerodynamics within the chamber. The data plot shows the absorbance of light (verti-
developed a frequency comb system cal) over time (horizontal left to right) across a range of frequencies (horizontal forward to back).
that can detect the presence of specific (Image: G. Mathews/University of Colorado Boulder)
molecules in a sample every 20 nanosec-
onds. With this new capability, research- lions of teeth, the researchers’ elec- vid Long. The information from these
ers can potentially use frequency combs tro-optic comb only had 14 in a typical experiments could provide insights that
to better understand the split-second experimental run. However, as a result, could lead to design improvements in
intermediate steps in fast-moving pro- each tooth had much higher optical combustion engines, or a better under-
cesses ranging from the workings of power, and was far apart from the others standing of how greenhouse gases inter-
hypersonic jet engines to the chemical in frequency, resulting in a clear, strong act with the atmosphere.
reactions between enzymes that regu- signal that enabled the researchers to de- An optical parametric oscillator was
late cell growth. The research team an- tect changes in the absorption of light at used to shift the comb teeth from the
nounced its results in a paper published the 20-nanosecond time scale. near-infrared to the mid-infrared colors
in Nature Photonics. In their demonstration, the re- that are absorbed by carbon dioxide.
In their experiment, the researchers searchers used the instrument to mea- The oscillator can also be tuned to other
used the now-common dual-frequency sure supersonic pulses of carbon diox- regions of the mid-infrared so that the
comb setup, which contains two laser ide emerging from a small nozzle in combs can detect different molecules.
beams that work together to detect an air-filled chamber. They were able The paper includes information that
the spectrum of colors that a molecule to measure the ratio of carbon dioxide other researchers can use to build a sim-
absorbs. Most dual-frequency comb to air. The changing concentration of ilar system in the lab, making this new
setups involve two femtosecond lasers, carbon dioxide gave them information technique widely available across many
which send out a pair of ultrafast pulses about the motion of the pulse. They research fields and industries.
in lockstep. saw how the carbon dioxide interacted “What is truly special about this work
In this new experiment, the research- with the air and created oscillations of is that it substantially lowers the barri-
ers used a simpler and cheaper setup air pressure in its wake. Such details er to entry for researchers who would
known as “electro-optic combs,” in are often hard to accurately obtain like to use frequency combs to study fast
which a single continuous beam of light even with the most sophisticated com- processes,” said Co-author Greg Rieker,
first gets split into two beams. Then, an puter simulations. a professor at the University of Colora-
electronic modulator produces electric “In a more complicated system like do Boulder and former NIST Research
fields that alter each light beam, shap- an aircraft engine we could use this ap- Associate.
ing them into the individual “teeth” proach to look at a particular species of “With this setup, you can generate any
of a frequency comb. Each tooth is a interest, such as water or fuel or carbon comb you want. The tunability, flexibil-
specific color or frequency of light that dioxide, to observe the chemistry. We ity, and speed of this method open the
can then be absorbed by a molecule of can also use this approach to measure door to lots of different types of mea-
interest. things such as pressure, temperature, surements,” Long said.
Whereas conventional frequency or velocity by looking at changes in the For more information, contact Rich-
combs can have thousands or even mil- signal,” said NIST Research Chemist Da- ard Press at [email protected].
22 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
Measuring Earthquakes and Tsunamis with Fiber-Optic Networks
Geophysicists at ETH Zurich have shown that every single wave of a magnitude 3.9 earthquake registers in
XLIRSMWIWYTTVIWWMSRW]WXIQSJ½FIVSTXMGRIX[SVOW8LMWGERFIYWIHXSWIXYTGPSWIQIWLIHIEVXLUYEOI
and tsunami early warning systems at low cost.
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
or wealthy countries like Switz-
F erland, having a dense network of
earthquake monitoring stations is a
But in the case of the noise sup-
pression system in the fiber-optic
communication of Switzerland’s
matter of course. This is not the case atomic clock infrastructure investi-
in less developed countries and on gated by the scientists at ETH and
the floor of the world’s oceans. While METAS, such additional measuring
poorer regions lack the money for instruments are superfluous: the de-
the necessary number of sensors, the formations can be easily read from
oceans require complex systems that the correction of the time signals.
can reliably measure minimal pres- This corrects the wavelength of the
sure changes at depths of thousands signal in the terahertz range (1,012
of meters and bring the data signals oscillations per second) by a few
to the surface. hundred Hertz — in other words, by
Scientists from the Institute of Geo- around a tenth of a billionth.
physics at ETH Zurich, working togeth- These changes might be tiny, but
er with the Swiss Federal Institute of they paint an extremely clear pic-
Metrology (METAS), have found an ture of the vibrations to which the
inexpensive method that enables accu- fiber-optic cables have been exposed
rate earthquake measurements even on during the observation period. “Us-
the ocean floor and in less developed ing the PNC of the fiber-optic link
countries. “We’re taking advantage of a between Basel and the atomic clock
function that existing fiber-optic infra- site at METAS in Bern, we were
structure already performs: we obtain able to track every single wave of a
the vibration data from the active noise magnitude 3.9 earthquake in Alsace
suppression system, which has the job in detail,” Fichtner said. “But even
of increasing the accuracy of the signals better, a model of the quake based
in optical data communication,” ex- on our data also corresponded ex-
plained Geophysics Professor Andreas tremely accurately to the measure-
Fichtner. All that’s required is to store Fiber optics as sensors: Researchers obtain vibration data ments taken by the Swiss Seismolog-
from the noise suppression system, whose purpose is to
the active noise suppression data and increase the accuracy of signals in optical data communi- ical Service.”
evaluate it — no need for additional cation. (Image: fotoloiaxrender/Adobe Stock) This nearly exact match shows that
devices or expensive infrastructure. the PNC data can be used to deter-
To understand how active phase noise noise suppression in headphones, this in- mine an earthquake’s location, depth,
cancellation (PNC) can measure seis- terference can be cancelled out using an and magnitude with a high degree of
mic tremors, it helps to compare it with appropriate anti-signal. accuracy. “This is particularly interest-
the noise suppression systems of today’s In optical data transmission, the ing for comprehensive tsunami warn-
high-end headphones, which make the “noise” is caused when optical fibers are ings or for measuring earthquakes in
ambient noise almost completely disap- perturbed even very slightly, by mere less developed regions of the world,”
pear for users. These headphones fea- micrometers. This occurs in response to said Fichtner.
ture microphones that pick up external deformations of the Earth’s surface due For Fichtner, the story of how the
noise. This signal is inverted and then to earthquakes, water waves, differences new method was developed is also ex-
fed into the audio signals practically in in air pressure, and human activity. Each emplary. The idea arose from a dis-
real time. The phase-inverted signal can- deformation shortens or lengthens the cussion between ETH researchers and
cels out the external noise one-to-one, fiber slightly. This in turn leads to what a specialist at METAS. As soon as the
making it inaudible. is known as a photo-elastic effect, which ETH-METAS team recognized the po-
In the PNC of an optical data commu- causes the speed of light in the fiber to tential of the PNC data, they quickly
nication system, the “ambient noise” in fluctuate. implemented the idea. “For surpris-
the optical fiber is determined by com- Both the changes in fiber length and ing science to emerge, there has to be
paring the originally transmitted signal the fluctuations in the speed of light funds available for research activities
with a partial signal that is reflected by the change the frequency of the light signal that don’t pursue a predefined goal,”
receiver. The difference between the two by a tiny factor. This phenomenon has Fichtner said. “ETH is ideal for that
signals then indicates the interference to been known for several years and has kind of project.”
which the light signal was exposed on its been used in special instruments to mea- For more information, contact M.
way through the optical fiber. Just as with sure vibration. Lucien, at [email protected].
Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 23
Ultrafast Laser System Alignment Turning Stations
Edmund Optics® (Barrington, NJ) has For high-precision lenses,
partnered with laser manufacturer Chro- the method of mounting
macity to release a new line of ultrafast single lenses in sub-cells and
laser systems. This partnership introduc- processing them using align-
es the Chromacity 1040 High Power, 1040 ment turning has proven ef-
nm, 4 W Free Space Ultrafast Laser to Ed- fective. During this process,
mund Optics’ extensive catalog offerings. the edge of the mount and the flange surfaces of mount-
These lasers feature a stable, high power ultrafast beam in a com- ed lenses are produced in a way so that the axis of sym-
pact and easy-to-setup system. They are ideal for a variety of appli- metry of the mount coincides with the optical axis of the
cations including multi-photon microscopy, spectroscopy research, lens and ensuring that all lenses have the correct air gaps
and a wide range of other imaging and life sciences applications. between them. The TRIOPTICS (Wedel, Germany) ATS
www.edmundoptics.com 100, 200, 200 UP, and 300 UP alignment turning stations
now enable advanced processing of the lens edge with
LWIR Thermal Imaging Cores threads and grooves. The thread or groove is cut directly
LightPath Technologies, Inc. (Orlando, on the lens mount, thus saving time by integrating this
FL) announced the availability of high fram- into a single work process along with the other steps of
erate long wave infrared (“LWIR”) microbo- the mount edge machining.
lometer imaging cores. The OEM cores, ca- www.trioptics.com
pable of operating at up to 960 frames per
second, are based on an uncooled Amor- Alvium FP3 and GM2 Cameras
phous Silicon microbolometer, and are de- Allied Vision (Stadtroda,
signed for integration into customer instruments and systems. Applica- Germany) is releasing two
tions for high-speed thermal imaging include railway inspection, heat new Alvium camera series,
transfer studies, ballistics analysis and more. featuring FPD-Link III (Flat
www.lightpath.com Panel Display Link) interface
and GMSL2 (Gigabit Multi-
CC200-Tx VCSEL Board media Serial Link) interface.
Metrio Sensors (Vancouver, BC) intro- With the new cameras, Allied Vision provides a solu-
duced the new CC200-Tx Series vertical-cav- tion to exceed the limited cable length of the CSI-2
ity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array cameras. Alvium FP3 and Alvium GM2 cameras enable
boards featuring a 17 × 29 rectangular array long cable lengths and offer robust housings and con-
of 435 VCSELs, each connected to an inde- nectors. With a large selection of over 30 high-quality
pendent digital driver switching up to 100 CMOS global and rolling shutter sensors, Allied Vision
MHz. Wavelengths of 680, 850, and 940 nm are standard, with laser offers a broad variety of FPD-Link III and GMSL2 cam-
output power of up to 6 mW each. Custom boards are available. eras enabling long-range data transmission based on
www.maxwell-hiqe.com the CSI-2 standard.
www.alliedvision.com

Photonics West PREVIEW 3D Stereo Camera

With 12 megapixel res-
Near- and Far-field olution and a frame rate
of up to nine images per
Analysis of VCSELs second, the new 3D stereo
Instrument Systems’ VTC 4000
camera from Balluff (Flor-
near-field camera was specially de-
ence, KY) enables highly ac-
signed for the electro-optical char-
curate 3D image processing, even with moving objects.
acterization of all emitters of a VC-
The new BVS 3D_RV1 3D provides the high level of
SEL array. It allows the absolute
detection accuracy required for demanding industrial
measurement of power and polarization properties of each
automation and logistics applications with working dis-
individual emitter in a one-shot process. The VTC 2400 far-
tances up to 4 M. It was specifically developed for de-
field camera enables production-capable testing of la-
tecting and handling small and complex parts, even in
ser-based components such as LiDAR systems. See our pre-
large detection areas, such as demanding bin picking
sentation 12904-11.
www.instrumentsystems.com/photonicswest and machine tending applications. Adjustable lenses
and a built-in projector provide optimal image results
Photonics West Booth #4205-12
for most workspaces.
www.balluff.com
24 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024
Sponsored Content PHOTONICS WEST EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Target Markets

Consumer Electronics, Displays, VCSEL/Laser, Automotive,

Aerospace, Lighting, Healthcare & Medical.
Instrument Systems GmbH
Kastenbauerstr. 2
81677 Munich, Germany Products/Services Offered
Phone: +49 894-5494-30
E-mail: [email protected] Instrument Systems
www.instrumentsystems.com presents its portfolio
for the optical quality
assurance of AR/VR de-
About Our Company vices along the entire
production chain. The
Instrument Systems’ high- 2D luminance and color
level light measurement measurement camera
technology benefits from LumiTop 5300 has a 24 MP resolution and a straight lens. It was
the high-precision CAS mainly developed for 2D testing of AR/VR displays modules
series of spectroradiome- prior to installation in the headset. It complements the LumiTop
ters and covers all testing 4000 with periscope lens that provides easy access to the final
needs from lab to produc- headset display. The VTC near-field camera enables polariza-
tion. Combined with 2D im- tion-controlled characterization of individual emitters of VCSEL
aging cameras, integrating arrays by one-shot process. The VTC far-field camera supports
spheres and goniometer testing of laser-based applications (eye-safety, object recogni-
systems, highly precise and tion, LiDAR systems).
accurate measurements
from UV to IR can be per-
formed, traceable to PTB Photonics West Booth 4205-12
or NIST.

Products/Services Offered

Photron expands its

high-speed camera line
Photron USA, Inc. with the new FASTCAM
9520 Padgett Street, Suite 110 Mini series. The camera
San Diego, CA 92126 features a 4K/ UHD sen-
Phone: 858-684-355 sor, making it ideal for
E-mail: [email protected] applications that require
www.photron.com observation of a large
area without image qual-
ity loss. It is perfect for
About Our Company automotive safety testing
(car-to-car, pedestrian
Photron is a global leader in high-speed imaging. Our testing, barrier/ roll-over
FASTCAM high-speed cameras are trusted by research institu- testing and curtain air-
tions, test facilities, and universities in over 30 countries. bag), fluid dynamics (PIV,
Photron cameras can record up to 21,000 fps at megapixel res- microfluidics) and mate-
olution or 4K resolution at 1,250 fps. They are preferred by en- rial testing (DIC, drop testing) to name a few.
gineers, scientists, and professionals worldwide. The FASTCAM MINI R5-4K offers 1,250 fps at 4K resolution
and shutter speeds to 2μs. It can also record up to 200,000 fps
at lower resolutions. The camera is compact, rugged, light-
weight, and offers excellent light sensitivity and image quality.
Target Markets

Photron markets include automotive, aerospace, academia,

military/defense, R&D, material testing, fluidics research, biol- Photonics West Booth 1641
ogy, and biomechanics.

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 25

 PHOTONICS WEST EXHIBITOR PREVIEW Sponsored Content

Target Markets

Photonics, Aerospace, Industrial Automation, Bio-Tech,

Nanotech, Astronomy, Life Sciences, Medical Engineering,
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. Optics, Semiconductors, Silicon Photonics, Quantum Computing,
16 Albert Street Beamline Systems, Big Science.
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PI’s in-house engineered sys-
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About Our Company abled customers around the
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PI manufactures world-class precision motion and automa- tivity and technological advan-
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PI’s customers are leaders in high-tech industry and research methodologies, PI is in the posi-
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Product examples: Automated Photonics Alignment Systems,
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Piezo Actuators and Motors, Piezo Transducers and Components.

Photonics West Booth 3517

Target Markets

Our encoder systems benefit many markets, including semi-

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Renishaw, Inc. sumer electronics, and more.
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tainability in manufacturing
by enabling significant reduc-
tions in purge air consump-
tion. Find your motion control solution with our optical, mag-
netic, and laser encoders. Learn more by visiting our website.

Photonics West Booth 5437

26 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

Sponsored Content PHOTONICS WEST EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Target Markets

SemiNex Corporation designs and manufactures high power

semiconductor infrared laser diodes and optical amplifiers for auto-
SemiNex Corporation motive LiDAR, military, medical, telecom and industrial applications.
153 Andover Street, Suite 201
Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: 978-302-7700 Products/Services Offered
E-mail: [email protected]
www.seminex.com SemiNex provides a wide
range of diode products, featur-
ing power outputs from 3W to
About Our Company 25W. This includes Fabry Perot,
Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers
SemiNex Corporation special- (SOAs), and DFB laser chips and
izes in high-power semiconductor arrays. These are available in var-
infrared laser diodes and optical ious packages, such as chip-on-
amplifiers for automotive LiDAR, submount, bar-on-submount,
military, medical, and industrial multi-chip modules, 4-pin fi-
uses. Founded in 2003, it lever- ber-coupled devices, 14-pin but-
ages advanced quantum phys- terfly fiber-coupled devices, high heat load devices, and the pat-
ics, utilizing materials like indium ented Laser Engine. SemiNex offers the latest high-power lasers,
phosphide and gallium antimon- like the 1550nm Triple Junction laser diodes for ToF LiDAR and
ide. The products, spanning 1250 SOAs for FMCW LiDAR in chip, array, submount and packaged
nm to 1940 nm wavelengths, designs. All lasers come with customization options in power and
offer superior thermal and electrical efficiencies, enabling cus- wavelengths to meet specific customer requirements.
tomers to surpass target specs in diverse applications.

Photonics West Booth 4528

Available on Demand!

Webinar
High-Resolution In-line X-ray Imaging for
Lithium-Ion Battery Inspection
In-line, high-resolution X-ray imaging involves the real-time capture of high-resolution X-ray images of objects in motion or within
a manufacturing process. In-line imaging enables monitoring and inspection of objects without disrupting their production flow,
which ensures continuous throughput within the manufacturing line. This 30-minute Webinar will look at X-ray imaging as a tool to
enhance product reliability, optimize manufacturing processes and maintain the highest standards of quality assurance.
Speaker:
Simon Whitbread
Technology Specialist, X-ray,
Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd.

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar402

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

PIT Webinar Half-Page Ad 0124.indd 1 12/15/23 4:37 PM
27
 PHOTONICS WEST EXHIBITOR PREVIEW Sponsored Content

Alluxa, Inc.
3660 N. Laughlin Road Target Markets
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: 855-4ALLUXA Aerospace, astronomy, automotive, biotechnology, chemical
E-mail: [email protected] technology, communications, environmental monitoring and
www.alluxa.com sensing, forensic science, imaging, inspection and identification,
lighting, machine vision, research, medical and biomedical, mi-
croscopy, military, photonics manufacturing, remote sensing,
LIDAR and spectroscopy.
About Our Company

Alluxa offers and manufactures high-performance optical

thin films that are used in wide-ranging applications including
life sciences, research, semiconductor, and LIDAR. All of Alluxa’s
thin-film optical filters and mirrors are hard-coated using a pro-
prietary plasma deposition process on equipment that was de-
signed and built by our team. This allows us to repeatably pro-
duce the same high-performance optical thin films in all of our
coating chambers.
Alluxa is an ISO 9001:2015 certified, ITAR registered, optical
coating manufacturer located in Santa Rosa, CA. Founded in
2007 by a team of thin-film deposition veterans, Alluxa’s core
team brings together decades of expertise and diverse back-
grounds in deposition, automation, metrology, and optics.

Products/Services Offered

• Optical Filters
• Optical Thin
Films
• Optical Coating
• Ultra Narrow
Bandpass Filters
• Ultra Series
Thin Films
• Soft Coating
Replacement
Filters
• Custom & OEM
Filters

Photonics West Booth 4544

28 Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024

Sponsored Content PHOTONICS WEST EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O®)

3600 W. Moore Ave Target Markets
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Phone: 714-540-0126 Target Markets include Biomedical, Life Sciences, Military/Defense,
E-mail: [email protected] Astronomy, Night Vision, Lasers, Industrial Instrumentation, Display,
www.pgo.com Imaging, Surveillance, Automotive, Thermal Imaging, Spectroscopy,
Fire Control, SWIR Imaging, Avionics, LADAR, and Cinema.

About Our Company Products/Services Offered

TURNKEY OPTICAL SOLUTIONS from Mid-UV to LWIR
Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O®) provides complete, turn-
PG&O® is your partner in affordable, start-to-finish fabri-
key optical solutions that operate from 0.2 μm (mid-UV) to 15 μm
cated precision optics and thin-film coatings. Our expert, in-
(LWIR) and span sizes from 0.059 in. up to 30 in. diam. These
house optics team has helped customers make optimal design
include precision optics, thin-film optical coatings, commercial
decisions built on our decades of optical fabrication and coating
glass fabrication, optical materials, and glass substrates. Ask
experience since 1985.
about our new refinishing services on dielectric coatings, a
We provide complete optical solutions, including standard
unique, cost-saving service for optics that do not meet specs.
and customized components, optical fabrication, polishing, pre-
The company provides polarizing beamsplitter cubes with
cision machining, thin-film coating, and component assembly.
1000:1 extinction ratio and precision finished infrared (IR) optics
We are proud to deliver superior-quality finished optical com-
for military, night vision, homeland security, surveillance, auto-
ponents in extended wavelengths from 0.2 to 15 μm.
motive, lasers, and industrial applications. PG&O’s highly-dura-
The company also offers repolishing services for dielectric
ble sapphire optics are used in broad spectrum applications in
coatings on substrates up to 24 in. diam. This unique, val-
medical, military, industrial, and aerospace tasks.
ue-added service allows us to refinish an optic that failed to
With eleven continuous planetary polishers (CPs), including a
meet specifications during manufacturing.
96” CP, PG&O manufactures finished plano optical components
With our large inventory of glass substrates, we can quickly
with superior flatness and uniformity. We have proudly part-
fabricate glass to meet your strict deadline. Ask about our
nered with customers since 1985 to deliver affordable, start-to-
high-performance, polished infrared and highly-durable sap-
finish optics for their most critical needs.
phire optics. We also provide high precision surface quality on
prisms and other large, polished substrates up to 30" diameter.

Photonics West Booth 4835

Photonics & Imaging Technology, January 2024 29

YOUR OPTICAL FILTER
PARTNER FOR LIDAR

alluxa.com