F.J. Duarte Receives OSA’s Richardson Medal

The Optical Society (OSA) has named F. J. Duarte of Interferometric Optics as the 2016 recipient of the David Richardson Medal for his “seminal contributions to the physics and technology of multiple-prism arrays for narrow-linewidth tunable laser oscillators and laser pulse compression.”

Duarte founded Interferometric Optics in May 2006 and is based in Rochester, N.Y. At Interferometric Optics, Duarte interacts directly with a variety of commercial and industrial clients. His R&D emphases are on dispersive miniature tunable lasers, very large N-slit laser interferometers, multiple-prism optics and secure space-to-space interferometric communications.

A well-known author in the field, Duarte introduced the generalized multiple-prism grating dispersion theory, applicable to laser linewidth narrowing and pulse compression, has discovered various multiple-prism grating laser oscillator cavities, and pioneered the application of Dirac's quantum notation to N-slit interferometry and classical optics.

The OSA David Richardson medal has been presented yearly since 1966, in recognition of those who have made significant contributions to optical engineering, primarily in the commercial and industrial sector.