STROBE Seminar
The Things We Thought We Knew About Optics and Coatings
Optics and coatings are often considered as commodity in the laser systems
across different applications. And yet, these are the main factors limiting
the efficiency, power, and lifetime of lasers and optical layouts. Moreover,
coating engineers, just like masters of dark magic, have their own language.
I will cover a variety of topics and questions, which will help to grow
awareness about the critical characteristics of optics. Answers to those
questions will also help to learn some of the language coating engineers
Electron and Photon Detection for Microscopies
Seeing small things takes bright lights and great optics. But you still have to see something. This talk will discuss detectors for electron and X-ray microscopies: how they work, what are they challenges, and where are the opportunities. The competition is intense: the human eye has ~108 ‘pixels’ and a dynamic range of ~104 (and has a direct connection to a built-in neural processor). No camera today can match these specs (although we are getting close).