Photonics News No 66
Photonics News Magazine - Issue 66
Editorial
PN #66
Dear Colleagues
A year on and every day there is still talk of the pandemic but some light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccination roll out and the UK appears ahead of other nations so we should see return to normality first. It still means as a business we continue with our long-term LASER COMPONENTS Group plans and one such project recently completed is the new production facility in Chandler Arizona. With construction remaining on target throughout the pandemic, completion ended on time last September for this 2,700 m² factory with ISO 7 Class 10,000 cleanrooms that will support 80 employees or 200 on 3 shifts. Specifically designed and equipped for the manufacture of avalanche photodiodes and IR detectors such as lithium tantalate and DLaTGS pyroelectric and lead-salt detectors, this state-of-the-art facility will keep LASER COMPONENTS on track for its global plans.
Other projects include the investment of a new ion beam sputtering coating machine at our Munich factory to increase production of ultra-high quality laser optics with high laser damage threshold dielectric coatings. We included additional in-house CRDS (cavity ring-down spectroscopy) measurement capability and with reference mirrors we can verify coating absorption levels of R>99.995% at 1064 nm, with 532 nm and 355 nm planned.
Our single photon counting modules, COUNT, now have a new characterisation station to simultaneously verify multiple units and at various wavelengths.
Step by step we increase our productivity and enhance performance of our products, as well as the introduction of new products when customers make strong requests. We also have additional products from our many valued supplier partners. The strongest business cooperation with our supplier partners extends many decades. Our partnerships aim is to offer our customers components that complement each other to bring winning solutions and gain new market share. Please do let us know of any exacting requirements you have, and we shall explore the possibility to add these to our road-map.
Meanwhile, keep safe and I hope when we publish our next newsletter there is evidence the pandemic is slowly being beaten and we can once again meet in person at tradeshows and other venues.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Varney
Managing Director, Laser Components (UK), Ltd.
Food Counterfeiting
A Million-dollar Business
Glycol in wine, motor oil in olive oil, horse meat in lasagne – food scandals cause outrage among the population with uncanny regularity; however, these major scandals are only the tip of the iceberg. Food fraud is a million-dollar business! Police, customs, national food authorities, and private-sector partners are now taking joint action against scammers in coordinated campaigns. Representatives from 78 countries worldwide participated in the OPSON VIII operation. Between December 2018 and April 2019, more than 67,000 controls were carried out in ports, airports, and food retail. During these inspections, investigators seized about 16,000 tons and 33 million litres of potentially dangerous counterfeit food and beverages with a total value of more than 100 million euros. Spectroscopy is increasingly being used in analysis to detect the counterfeits.1
No Rain, No Farming.
Beyond Borders
Agriculture cannot thrive without rain. For a long time, this has sounded like a truism, but it is gaining new meaning with the increasing threat of global warming. The study of water in the atmosphere is becoming more and more important. Scientists are not limiting themselves to the obvious accumulation of water in the clouds. The water vapour in the upper layers of the atmosphere has also become the subject of research. It is a major cause of the so-called “greenhouse effect,” which, on the one hand, ensures that our planet remains habitable. On the other hand, there is the danger that the atmosphere can heat up so much due to a “feedback effect” that the Earth will be transformed into an uninhabitable wasteland. With powerful LiDAR methods, researchers aim to unlock the secrets of water vapour.
How Do Fruit and Vegetables Stay Healthy?
Beyond Borders
The quality control of agricultural products does not end with their harvest. This is especially true for fruit and vegetables that are not directly processed because the condition of the fruit changes during storage and transport. During harvesting, the fruit is separated from the plant, and therefore no longer receives water and nutrients. At the same time, more water is lost through evaporation: a decay process begins that makes the goods more susceptible to pests and ultimately spoiling. Researchers are looking for ways to assess the “state of health” of fruit and vegetables quickly and automatically in order to keep the yield of harvested food as high as possible.
Fertilizer Is Important – But How Much?
Beyond Borders
Mankind has used fertilizers since ancient times to increase the yield of field crops. In addition to manure and animal feces, the Romans and Celts used carbonated lime and marl. In the 19th century, nutrient-rich guano was one of the most important sources of income in South American countries. Wars were even fought over the coveted bird droppings. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Haber-Bosch process has been used to produce synthetic ammonia – and thus the first artificial fertilizer.1 Today, this subject is a hotly debated political issue. As with anything else, it is a matter of the right dosage. Useful and harmful aspects must be weighed against each other. Optical technologies can help to find the right balance.
| 1 | de.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BCnger |
New Products
Beyond Borders
LASER COMPONENTS UK - Your competent partner for optical and optoelectronic components in the United Kingdom.
Welcome to LASER COMPONENTS UK Ltd., your expert for photonics components. Each product in our wide range of detectors, laser diodes, laser modules, optics, fiber optics, and more is worth every Pound (£/GBP). Our customized solutions cover all conceivable areas of application: from sensor technology to medical technology. You can reach us here:
Goldlay House, 114 Parkway
Chelmsford Essex CM2 7PR
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1245 491 499
Email: info(at)
