Photonex09

Photonex09 is the UK's leading event on photonics and optical technologies. More than 110 companies and organisations will be exhibiting.

Alrad Instruments

Alrad Instruments (www.alrad.co.uk) will have two divisions at Photonex. Alrad Imaging will be showing a new line of industrial borescopes, including USB2 model and a hand-held video model.  Also featured are new additions to its LED lighting range including the Volpi Dragonline for line scan cameras, and the DCM dome light. There will be a demonstration of the low-cost e2v DiViiNA linescan camera, a VDS Vosskühler InGaAs camera, and SenTech small format and board cameras and lenses. Alrad Electronics will be showing the Centronics electro optics components in addition to the latter's nuclear radiation detectors. Also on show will be a complete range of infrared and thermopile infrared detectors. There will also be sockets for electro optic devices from Andon Electronics, as well as laser diode drivers and complete laser line projectors.

Andor Technology

Andor Technology (www.andor.com) is exhibiting its range of low light imaging cameras including: iXon EM+, Luca EMCCDs, and Clara, the highest performing interline CCD camera on the market. Details will also be available on the popular Shamrock series of spectrographs and the Newton EMCCD camera. Andor Technology will also provide the UK market with an update on sCMOS - scientific CMOS - the breakthrough technology launched in June 2009. sCMOS is based on next-generation CIS design and fabrication techniques and unlike previous generations of CMOS and CCD-based sensors, it is uniquely capable of simultaneously offering: extremely low noise, rapid frame rates, wide dynamic range, high quantum efficiency (QE), high resolution, and a large field of view.

AP Technologies

AP Technologies (www.aptechnologies.co.uk) will be showing the latest generation of high power LED arrays produced by Opto Diode Corporation (ODC). ODC’s metal reflector array (MRA) technology combines low thermal resistance substrates with high optical efficiency beam-shaping reflectors. This combination of thermal and optical characteristics results in high power - with two to three times the efficiency of chip-on-board arrays - while the narrower beam further increases brightness.

AP Technologies will also be demonstrating products from sensL Technologies, having recently been appointed UK OEM distributor for its range of silicon photon multiplier and photon counting detectors. Photon counting sensors are digital devices which provide precise information on the number of photons or the arrival time of the photon or indeed both pieces of information.

sensL's PCDMini a miniature photon counting system and features sensL's new quenching architecture with snap-on boards for enhanced functionality. The sensor is hermetically sealed and comes with cooler board and a snap-on USB Interface Board with integrated counter functionality - eliminating the requirement for a separate data acquisition system. DLL and LabVIEW drivers supplied with the USB Interface Board enable the user to easily integrate the module into their systems.

Arden Photonics

Arden Photonics (www.ardenphotonics.com) will show the VF20 Trio, the latest in the VF-20 range. It is designed to produce high quality images of the ends of optical fibers to enable users to estimate their quality and flatness. So fibre inspection with the VF-20 Trio will give users confidence that they have the standard of end preparation that will maintain the reliability and performance of a product. The MPX Modal Explorer provides real-time measurement of Encircled Flux. Simply connect the source and patchcord to the MPX, and it will measure their Modal Launch Conditions in real-time. Its compact size and solid design make it the tool of choice in cable makers, fibre optic instrument companies and VCSEL, laser and LED source makers. Also available is ESDI's Intellium H2000 Simultaneous Phase-Shifting Fizeau Interferometer, a real-time, high-speed, truly vibration-insensitive metrology instrument. Ideally suited for shop/production floors and other turbulent environments, the Intellium H2000 offers unsurpassed measurement versatility, stability for measuring and analysing optical, machined and semiconductor wafer surfaces.

Armstrong Optical

Armstrong Optical (www.armstrongoptical.co.uk) will show new products from its range of optical metrology systems and optical components. Making their debut at this year's event will be a new range of InfraTec thermography cameras featuring the best specified camera available in the UK. Armstrong will demonstrate a VarioCAM system featuring 16-bit dynamic range, 1,280 x 960 pixels and 30mK NETD. Among the other products on display will be the new handheld MobIR M8 thermography camera – operating at the other end of the price and specification range to the VarioCAM. A fully functioning exhibit, based upon the SIOS non-contact vibrometer will be investigating dynamic MEMS operations on sample components. Also on display will be the new Hornet 3D surface profiling and thickness measurement system manufactured by a partner company, Rhombus Vision Systems, featuring non-contact optical sensors from Precitec Optronik. The company is also the UK and Ireland distributor for several other European, US and Asian companies involved in measurement technologies aimed at both industrial and academic applications.

Bentham Instruments

Bentham Instruments (www.bentham.co.uk) manufactures instrument solutions to meet the light measurement requirements of a diverse range of industries. With a significant product portfolio of spectroradiometers, accessories and software, a wealth of light measurement experience and a keen ear to the requirements of customers and markets, Bentham has developed a large number of turnkey measurement systems. Current hot topics are the fields of renewable energy and lamp safety. The PVE300 system permits the characterisation of the spectral response, reflectance and transmittance of solar cells, used to determine their efficiency on both the device (EQE) and material (IQE) level, the former measurement being conducted under the particularly challenging one sun illumination to simulate true operating conditions. The IDR300-PSL system has been configured to respond to the requirements of recently adopted lamp optical safety standards IEC/EN62471. Source hazard evaluation consists of the measurement of spectral irradiance over a considerable spectral range, 200-3000nm, and the measurement of spectral radiance over the range 300-1400nm within biophysically recognisable fields of view to replicate the physics of the eye to determine true retinal exposure.

Conekt
Conekt (www.conekt.net), the external consultancy arm of TRW Automotive, will be showing some of the diverse range of applications of its photonics and vision technologies, including the Lane Departure Warning system developed for the automotive mass market, which is now available customised for other applications.

Conekt also has state-of-the-art UKAS accredited product test and validation facilities, as well as extensive expertise in reliability engineering and failure analysis for electronic and mechatronic products.

Edmund Optics

Edmund Optics (www.edmundoptics.co.uk) will display several of its recently launched product lines, including Compound Parabolic Concentrators (CPC) and light pipes, which address the production and deployment of photovoltaic solutions. These new solar optics are designed to provide efficient light collection for the most challenging applications. The CPCs provide a wide acceptance angle for light collection and concentration without the need of a complex setup for tracking the sun's movement. The company's Techspec Light Pipes are able to homogenise the output of non-uniform light sources and are available in both hexagonal and tapered designs. Additionally, Edmund's hexagonal light pipes are available in both N-BK7 and fused silica substrates, and are suitable for applications ranging from UV to visible and NIR regions.

ES Technology

ES Technology (www.estechnology.co.uk) will showcase a number of new products from its range of laser systems and optical components. Making their debut at this year's event will be a new range of Univet laser safety eyewear and safety windows and an extensive line of new high power diode laser products from Dilas.

Among the Dilas products on display will be fibre-coupled multi bar modules, QCW fibre-coupled multi bar modules and high power vertical stacked arrays. A fully functioning exhibit, based upon a Dilas Compact Series laser and a Galvo scanning unit, will demonstrate welding operations on sample components. A camera integrated within this system will enable visitors to view the process live on an adjacent screen.

ES Technhology is also the distributor for Crystal Technology, FastPulse Technology and Hoffman Materials. 

Hamamatsu

Hamamatsu (www.hamamatsu.co.uk/) will showcase its C10990 series of OEM CCD board level cameras. The series features high sensitivity and high resolution and includes a 1.3 Megapixel 2/3-inch progressive scan interline front illuminated CCD, circuitry, and lens mount, all on one board.

Also on show will be the S10362-33 series multi-pixel photon counters (MPPC), a range of semiconductor detectors featuring photon detection capability. The device utilises a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode structure for ultra low-level light detection, and the active area has been increased from 1mm² to 9mm².

Other products include the C10988MA, an ultra-compact spectrometer built using MOEMS technology. The C10988MA is a thumb-sized device, measuring 27.6 x 13 x 16.8mm, developed for use in portable and hand-held devices, where a standard mini-spectrometer would be too large and consume too much power.

Horiba Scientific

Horiba Scientific (www.horiba-oemsolutions.co.uk) will be showcasing its high performance gratings and spectrometers for cutting-edge scientific applications. It will also be showing its less well known range of OEM products, based on the same technologies, for mounting in spectrophotometers, bioanalysers, food analysers, micro-Raman spectrometers and colorimeters.

Other items on offer will include diffraction gratings (traditional ruled, holographic, concave aberration-corrected blazed holographic), spectrographs, optical filters, and specialist optical fibres.

Knight Photonics

Knight Photonics (www.knightphotonics.com) will show its fibre optic sample interfacing technologies for specialised and dedicated spectroscopic sensor and imaging applications. Extracting key selective optical and spectral information from samples frequently requires dedicated optical interfacing geometries with the sample. Knight's interfaces include the latest coupling techniques for bio- and micro-chemical sensors, applying single- and multiplexed-spatial, multichannel analysis.

The company's interfaces are designed for micro and nanoscale developments,including spectral microscopy. In other spectral analyses at wavelengths from UV-visible to near infra red (for Raman applications), selective optical interface geometries and complete solutions are provided. Examples include applications for pharmaceutical tablets, low temperature, controlled temperature, and biofermentation measurement. The interfaces are applicable to the environmental sector, in applications such as thin-film or photovoltaic measurement for solar collectors, LED and OLED lighting monitoring, and field spectral analysis.

Laser Components

Laser Components (www.lasercomponents.co.uk) will be exhibiting its new range of APD modules designed for customers interested in experimenting with APDs, and its new mini high voltage ABC 550 series of DC/DC converters for optimum APD performance. Of special interest too are the new FP-66/T85 series modules specifically developed for higher operating temperatures.

The company will also be featuring laser optics, optical filters, avalanche photodiodes with reach through technology (sensitive to lower wavelengths thus sensitive from 450nm to 1,100nm), pulsed laser diodes offering greater than 220W optical power at 905nm, laser diode modules, fibre optics (cables/connectors), and a range of accessory items: laser goggles, IR converter cards and electronic modules, e.g. low noise lock in amplifiers. 

The booth will display components that interact with photons, from light sources such as lasers and IR emitters, beam conditioning components, such as laser optics and fibre optics, and detectors: pyroelectric, lead salt and thermopile.

Laser Export

Laser Export (www.laser-export.com) will demonstrate models of ultraviolet and green DPSS lasers, including the Garnet model, a pulsed UV laser for OEM applications. The laser radiates at 355nm wavelength with a pulse energy of 20µJ at pulse repetition rates of 200-2000Hz and pulse widths of 5ns. The laser's main applications are in mass-spectrometry (MALDI TOF), laser microdissection, biotechnology, and other high-tech R&D.

The company will also show its LCM-S-111 spatial light modulator, a green laser module with 50mW output power. It features low noise (<0.5 per cent RMS or <2 per cent p-to-p), coherence length more than 50m, narrow line width <0.00001nm and stable output power in wide operating temperature range. The device's applications include laser microscopy, interference measurements, spectral analysis, flow cytometry, holography, and laser-assisted measurements.

Laser Support Services

Laser Support Services (www.laser-support.co.uk) continues to distribute quality lasers and laser products worldwide. Showing exclusively at Photonex, the new UV DPSS laser from Standa UAB, adds to its extensive range of optical mounts, positioners, and tables. Also on show will be precision apertures and motion controllers from National Aperture, IR viewers from Electrooptic and Sperian safety eyewear. With optics available from Gold Dragon Optics, the company's latest addition, and Optolita UAB, the product range to suit any research or commercial application is comprehensive. With Del Mar Photonics, Kaluti System and Solar TII, Laser Support Services offers a range of new lasers to the market. It also continues to offer cost-effective repairs of laser equipment. It also has many used lasers in stock for restricted budgets, and new tubes from National Laser Company used for refurbishments.

MotionLink

MotionLink (www.motionlink.co.uk/) will display its complete range of motion control solutions for applications requiring anything from nanometric precision to travel measured in metres.

As well as its own stages and controllers, designed and built in-house, the company will be showing a comprehensive range of world-class motion control products from Galil Motion Control, Micos, AMC, GPI, and PiezosystemJena.

Multipix Imaging

Multipix Imaging (www.multipix.com/) will showcase the vDisplay IP Engine, the latest GigE Vision display technology from Pleora. The compact product acquires video directly from a GigE camera and displays it on a standard digital monitor, eliminating the need for bulky and costly PC clients at each viewing station.

Also on display will be an array of GigE Vision cameras, featuring the latest models ranging in resolution from VGA to 16 Megapixel. In addition, visitors wishing to learn more about the Halcon imaging processing library will have the opportunity to visit the interactive zone for a hands-on demonstration. Other live demonstrations will include the Basler Aviator 1 Megapixel 120fps camera with Euresys GrabLink Express frame grabber, utilising eVision image processing.

NDC Optics

NDC Optics (www.ndcoptics.com) will be demonstrating its 25 years' experience in the design and manufacture of NIR optical filters. The company offers a stock and custom filter manufacture services to users of NIR optical systems. Established as a custom design and manufacture service to the analytical and process controls markets, NDC Optics supplies thousands of filters annually to customers around the world for a wide variety of end uses. Key applications areas are: aerospace, astronomy, industrial, medical, and research. Parent company NDC Infrared Engineering also uses NDC Optics' filters in its range of NIR instrumentation for online measurement applications in foods, paper, plastics, pharmaceuticals and many other industries. NDC Optics has developed an extended range of narrow bandpass filters from 800nm to 5,000nm. All filters exhibit high stability and environmental durability.   

Ocean Optics

This year Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.eu) will show some exciting new products, such as the new NIR spectrometer, a pre-configured light meter and a new oxygen sensing system. NeoFox is a fluorescence-based optical sensor system that can be used to monitor oxygen in biological samples, headspace gases, slurries, cosmetics, foods, gases and liquids in natural environments. NeoFox is a bench top device for measurement of fluorescence lifetime, phase and intensity, and is especially useful for applications where sensitivity to drift and system stability are important. What's more, NeoFox is about half of the cost of the company's previous phase measurement system and includes a self-calibration feature for improved electronic stability. 

NeoFox can be used with Ocean's RedEye Oxygen Sensor Patches for measurements inside closed packaging or with any of the company's oxygen sensor probes. Ocean now offers nearly a dozen oxygen sensing probe options – everything from slender probes to rugged stainless steel probes.

Photon Lines

Photon Lines (www.photonlines.com) will show a wide range of products, including a range of large format scientific cameras from Spectral Instruments. These are used in a wide range of important and demanding low light level applications, including: microwell plate imaging for high throughput screening (HTS); X-ray crystallography; X-ray nondestructive testing (NDT); electron microscopy; contact plate measurement; in-vivo bioluminescence and chemiluminescence; streak camera readout; film digitisation; and optical astronomy. 

Another new addition to the portfolio is the PhoxX range of compact diode laser systems from Omicron. These are ideal for integration into instrumentation where small size, low price and high efficiency are key criteria. The lasers feature the best possible focal quality and astigmatism correction, by using unique focal shaping techniques.

Photonic Solutions

Photonic Solutions (www.photonicsolutions.co.uk) will be showcasing  many new products -  some for the first time in the UK. These include the SuperK White Light Continuum (WLC) sources from NKT Photonics (formerly Koheras, Denmark), visible fibre lasers from MPB Communications, Canada, solid state lasers and modules from Cutting Edge Optronics, USA, and a wide range of spectroscopy accessories from Spectrecology (USA). Also available will be the latest information on products from all of the distributor's principals, including JDSU, Continuum, Quantronix, High Q, APE, Sirah, Laser Quantum, Becker and Hickl, Ocean Optics, Teem Photonics, Kimmon Koha, GAM laser to name but some.

Physik Instrumente

Physik Instrumente, also known as PI, (www.physikinstrumente.co.uk) offers a range of piezoelectric technology that now includes a diverse range of ultrasonic and step drive motor driven products, as well as stack actuators, nanopositioning stages and associated control electronics. On display at Photonex will be a selection of millimetre-travel closed loop piezoelectric motor driven stages, working at several 100s of mm/s with sub-micron resolution. Achieving such performance requires sophisticated electronics, and on display will be a new auto-tuning piezoelectric motor controller that is a major step forward in minimising the set up time for the end user.

As a direct replacement for the Burleigh Inchworm, PI now offer the N-381 piezo step motor driven actuator with 30mm travel and 20nm closed loop resolution. The N-381 will be on display along with its associated control electronics.

PI parallel kinematic technology which will be on display, now includes a palm-size, six-axis hexapod positioner, the M-810 as well as tripod and goniometer designs.

Precision Solutions

Precision Solutions (www.mbdaps.com) will be showing the Interfire II 3-5 infrared interferometer at Photonex09, together with a selection of IR optical components. on the Armstrong Optical Stand.

The Interfire II 3-5 is part of the Interfire II family of infrared interferometers and operates in the 3-5μm region of the spectrum. Other instruments in the range operate at 10.6μm, 9.2-10.7μm tunable, 1.55μm, and 850nm wavelengths. The Interfire-II 3-5 may be used in production, quality control or research applications.

Precision Solutions offers a complex range of IR components made to exacting customer specifications at its new, custom-built diamond machining facility and optical design laboratory in Stevenage, UK. Components can be machined in a variety of IR materials and metal alloys and flexibility in assigning different workloads to different machine tools ensures the shortest delivery timescales.

Resolve Optics

Resolve Optics (www.resolveoptics.com) will showcase its expertise and experience in designing and supplying innovative custom lenses that meet the exact needs of customers. The company will display a selection of the specialist OEM lens systems and optical modules it has previously designed and supplied to customers around the world. The company is particularly experienced in the design and production of high definition zoom lenses, miniature surveillance lenses, high temperature optical systems, radiation resistant lenses, high performance lens adapters and custom IR and UV lenses for machine vision.

Schott Glas

Schott (www.schott.com) will be showing a wide range of high quality LED lighting solutions for machine vision and microscopy applications, including the recently introduced KL200 LED & LLS, and the easy LED Plus, which offers affordable versatility.

In addition, Schott wil be showing the Moritex Machine Vision range, which has recently been added to its portfolio.

Trioptics

Trioptics (www.trioptics.com) will be showing the WaveMaser IOL, its new wavefront analyser for intraocular lenses.

WaveMaster IOL provides real time wavefront measurement and analysis of intraocular lenses. Based on a very precise Shack-Hartman sensor, this aberrometer measures and analyses most complicated lenses with spheric, aspheric or toric shapes. Besides detailed wavefront analysis WaveMaster IOL provides accurate measurement results directly traceable to international standards for further lens parameters, including dioptric power, astigmatism, MTF, PSF and Zernicke coefficients.

The temperature stabilised model eye allows for the characterisation of spheric or aspheric lenses in in-situ conditions according to EN/ISO 11979. For the fully automated, ultra-fast measurement of high volume IOLs in their production environment, a tray system with multiple lens seats and attachable model eye is available.

The comprehensive software offers various ways of measuring and analysing data. Typical real-time analysis tools include the calculation of MTF or dioptric power. Theoretical design data can be easily imported and compared with measurement results.

Wey Scientific and Photonics

Wey Scientific and Photonics (www.weyscientificandphotonics.com) will be exhibiting Fiber-Lite fibre optic illumination systems and light guides from Dolan-Jenner Industries, ideal for imaging and machine vision applications, as well as microscopy sensing. The light sources, optical light guide cables and other products are used in such diverse industries as automotive, aerospace, military packaging, materials handling, printing, food, metals, and semiconductor.

Also on display will be Ealing microscope objectives for industrial lasers and micromachining applications. Both reflecting objectives and standard laboratory objectives will be shown. Reflecting objectives use an all-reflecting construction to ensure freedom from chromatic aberration. They are based on a Schwarzschild two-mirror design consisting of a small convex primary mirror and a large concave secondary mirror. In addition to their correction for monochromatic aberrations, reflective microscope objectives have many advantages over reflecting objectives of equivalent aperture and focal length, including long working distances with high magnifications, large numerical aperture, and freedom from chromatic aberrations. Reflective microscope objectives are ideal for laser beam delivery.