All Things Photonics

The Photonic Ecosystem of Counter Unmanned Systems — With Ganesh Balakrishnan

Unmanned aircraft, like drones, have become a weapon of choice. They are effective and cheap to produce, but the systems to stop them are not. Laser- and microwave-based systems are slowly coming online, but there are still hurdles to overcome before they become a staple defense on the front lines. Ganesh Balakrishnan, or “Gunny" as he’s known, is a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of New Mexico. He sat down with the All Things Photonics team to discuss how molecular beam epitaxy, VCSELs, PCSELs, and other photonic tech all play a part in the wider ecosystem behind counter unmanned systems.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com
Omega Optical - www.omega-optical.com

The Hidden Cost of AI — With Michael Förtsch, CEO of Q.Ant

Computing with light can enable high-performance compute with dramatically lower energy use and reduced heat. Q.Ant is a Stuttgart-based photonic computing scale-up, leading the way to more sustainable AI and high-performance computing. CEO Michael Förtsch joins us to share his thoughts on the hidden costs of AI, the technology and materials driving Q.Ant’s photonic solutions, and why the future of compute is in need of a fundamental change.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com
Omega Optical - www.omega-optical.com

Spotlight: All Things Gratings — With Dave Ventola, Omega Optical

In this discussion with Omega Optical’s David Ventola, a leading authority on diffraction technology, "All Things Photonics" navigates the complete gratings value chain, from concept and design, to replication and fabrication, to application and deployment. A mature technology, optical grating innovation is measured today by industry-driven advancements that are found in the marketplace. Omega Optical’s Prism Award-winning DeepUV Transmission Gratings are one such solution.

Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"^® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com
Omega Optical - www.omega-optical.com

In Association With the Journal Optica, Protecting Quantum Data From Turbulence — With Aaron Cardoso

"All Things Photonics" is teaming up with the journal Optica to bring you insights on the latest studies leading to breakthroughs in optics and photonics.

Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows encrypted information to be distributed without being intercepted. In free-space QKD, however, fluctuations in atmospheric conditions can cause distortions and impair the retrieval of the encoded information. In a study published in the journal Optica, a research team from the University of Ottawa developed a way to alleviate the effects of atmospheric turbulence on spatial mode transmission, creating an all-optical self-correction scheme for turbulence resilience using stimulated parametric down-conversion (StimPDC)-based optical phase conjugation. Aarón Cardoso, a researcher at the University of Ottawa, joins us to explain why he turned to StimPDC to solve this quantum quandary.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com
Omega Optical - www.omega-optical.com

Spotlight: Optica, Research, and Quantum with Prem Kumar

Before today’s ubiquitous technologies became tangible products, they began with a research proposal. The journal Optica prides itself on publishing high-impact peer-reviewed articles covering a spectrum of fields throughout optics and photonics, and for years, Prem Kumar served as the editor-in-chief for the journal. Even before taking on that title, he was familiar with the journal, having submitted several works himself. Some made the cut; others didn’t quite meet those standards. In our Spotlight conversation, Kumar shares more about his accomplishments with Optica, his work in quantum, and his own journey in photonics.

Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"^® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Advancing Modern Medicine Through Laser Spectroscopy – With Prof. Igor Lednev, University at Albany

Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology made headlines five years ago when Pfizer and Moderna vaccines arrived in the fight against COVID-19. Today, mRNA research is expanding into cancer treatments, cardiovascular regeneration, and other areas. Igor Lednev is a distinguished professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University at Albany. His lab is developing a new technique to test mRNA-based therapeutics using lasers. On this episode of “All Things Photonics,” Igor discusses his work to evaluate mRNA vaccines and treatments through Raman spectroscopy, and he explains the role laser spectroscopy will play in advancing modern medicine.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Science in the U.S. after 1 Year of Trump — With Dan Garisto, Freelance Physics Journalist

Every White House administration has its priorities. Government reform and the elimination of waste are among President Donald Trump's top priorities. Cutting down on waste is not a partisan issue; no one wants to throw away money. But how you define waste can draw a mixed response. The president has targeted scientific grants as an area in need of reform, and according to a piece published by Nature, more than 7,800 grants have been terminated or frozen. Dan Garisto is a freelance physics journalist and is one of the three authors of this piece. On this episode of All Things Photonics, he discusses the biggest findings of his work as he dug into the status of U.S. science one year into the president’s second term.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Spotlight: An Exclusive Conversation with Stephen Fantone

Optikos Corporation CEO and founder Stephen Fantone joins the podcast. In this exclusive interview, Fantone discusses the pathways and opportunities that professional organizations create, and their profound influence on individuals at all stages and in all reaches of professional life. Fantone chairs the board of the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation, is past president of Optica, and chairperson emeritus of the Pioneer Institute.

Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"^® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

The Future of XR is Laser Driven — A Panel Discussion with the AR Alliance

XR technology has moved from a novelty to something more ubiquitous, with real applications in communication, training, entertainment, and much more. Helping propel these systems is the newly formed AR Alliance. This group recently became a division of SPIE, and together they elevated the advances in XR systems at the AR/VR/MR Expo during Photonics West. With so many industry leaders making the trip to San Francisco for the leading event in our industry, we decided to capitalize on this rare opportunity to bring together six of the brightest minds in XR for a conversation on the future of this market, the emerging tech driving innovation, and the importance of collaboration.

In this very special episode of All Things Photonics, and with the assistance of the AR Alliance and SPIE, we’re bringing to the table:

Stephane Bellosguardo, VP of Global Product Marketing with Luminus Devices
Brian Chen, General Manager of Appotronics
Theo Marescaux, Founder and CPO of Swave
Jorg Rietterer, CTO of TriLite Technologies
Robert Schultz, Vice President of Optics for Vuzix
And Barry Silverstein, Director of the Center for Extended Reality at the University of Rochester and former chief technology officer and senior director of optics and display products at Meta Reality Labs

All of our guests have unique backgrounds and differing areas of expertise, and they’re sharing their insights on the XR market and the technology at its core on this episode of All Things Photonics.

 

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Post-Quantum Optical Security – With Dan Sadot, Founder & CEO of CyberRidge

Online crooks commit what’s called “harvest-now-decrypt-later” attacks to record data in transit to later decode for all the valuable information. There is a way to stop it, but it takes more than some antivirus software. CyberRidge is a photonic encryption technology and security startup. Its flagship product is a plug-and-play photonic-layer transmission system that integrates with existing fiber to transform your data into encrypted noise as it travels to its destination. In this episode, we’ll chat with Dan Sadot, the founder and CEO of CyberRidge. He shares his thoughts on the crimes driving demand for this tech, the groups likely to use it, and the finer points of post-quantum optical security for data in transit.

"All Things Photonics"^® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.

Sponsored by:
Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com