Technical Notes

Laser diodes possess several unique attributes compared to other types of lasers. They are very small compared to other classes of lasers, can operate very efficiently with relatively …

Electron-hole recombination processes give rise to spontaneous emission in an LED and stimulated emission in a laser diode.

Semiconductor lasers offer the benefits of efficiency, electrical pumping, and the ability to easily integrate with modern electronics which contribute to their ubiquitous usage.

The incoherent light sources discussed here share several characteristics that distinguish them from lasers. Incoherent light gives rise to radiation, which is emitted from the source …

Radiometry is the measurement of energy or power in electromagnetic radiation fields or light. The average output power is the most common radiometric measurement since many light sources, …

The characteristics of such high-speed photoreceivers as well as their associated applications are the subjects of this technical note.

The main types of photoreceivers are those that can detect optical signals with fast temporal responses or those containing high frequency components.

Given the different types of laser beam spatial distributions and their evolution as they propagate in free space and through optical elements, measurement of the beam profile is critical …

Accurate temporal characterization of pulsed sources is as critical as accurately estimating the pulse energy and spatial and spectral profiles.

Optical mirrors consist of metallic or dielectric films deposited directly on a substrate such as glass, differing from common mirrors, which are coated on the back surface of the …

A diffraction grating is essentially a multi-slit surface. It provides angular dispersion, i.e., the ability to separate wavelengths based on the angle that they emerge from the gr …

Optical coatings typically consist of thin films made up of single or multiple layers of either metallic or dielectric materials. When properly designed and fabricated, these coatings …

In addition to being deposited on the surface of an optical component, optical coatings can also be incorporated into a single element through deposition on one or many substrates followed …

Lenses are essentially light-controlling elements and so are exploited for light gathering and image formation.

This technical note discusses the fundamental physics of optical fibers, their practical implementation, and the various types of optical fibers.

In this technical note, motion devices are discussed first in the context of manual positioning. This discussion is equally applicable to automated positioning and motorized drivers …

This technical note describes the fundamentals of vibration and how these concepts relate to measurable parameters such as compliance and maximum relative motion.

The term optical table system typically refers to a vibration-isolation system, that is, the tabletop plus the support system.

Details regarding the various factors that impact the motion of these devices and how to characterize their positioning precision and accuracy are the subjects of this technical no …

High temperature burn-in screening is used in laser diode manufacturing to screen out devices that are likely to have unacceptably short lives and to ensure that the remaining population …