WASHINGTON, DC, June 14 -- Attendance at the 2004 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/IQEC) was up 7 percent from 2003, and paper presentations increased 31 percent, with 1733 presentations and 16 parallel sessions, according to the show's organizers -- the American Physical Society’s Laser Science Division, the Institute of Electronic Engineers/Laser and Electro-Optics Society and the Optical Society of America (OSA). CLEO, which showcases research and applications in laser science, quantum optics and related fields, was held last month at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco. Attendance was 5,857, a 7 percent increase over last year. With 2674 technical attendees, the conference also saw a 10 percent increase in those attending scientific sessions. Events including the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the maser, attosecond photonics and the plenary session itself were standing room only. Of the nearly 300 companies that exhibited at CLEO 2004, about 20 percent of the companies came from outside the US, OSA said. "We’re excited by the resounding success of the 2004 CLEO/IQEC conference," said Elizabeth Rogan, OSA's executive director. "CLEO/IQEC is a world class conference with high-quality sessions and internationally known speakers. The increase in attendance this year and the success of our new conference, PhAST, reinforces CLEO/IQEC’s important role as a leader in encouraging scientific innovation within the field." Presentations and papers showcased exciting new discoveries and applications in optics, quantum electronics and laser science. Hot topics at the 2004 conference included terahertz spectroscopy, a BioCD with interferometry, lasers in nanotechnologies, high-speed communications and photonics crystals -- from nanocavities to butterfly wings. In addition, CLEO/IQEC added four new program areas this year, including optical metrology, displays and solid-state lightening devices, high-field physics and other topics in quantum electronics and laser science. The introduction of PhAST, a co-located conference focused on photonics, applications systems and technologies, provided attendees with another option for analyzing applications of laser science and quantum electronics, focusing on topics such as biophotonics instrumentation, photonics for national security and lasers in manufacturing. The program kicked off with a welcome reception, keynote presentations and an Innovation Award presentation. Crystal Fibre received the Innovation Award at Monday’s plenary session, for its work on air-clad photonic crystal fibers and high-power single-mode lasers. Other highlights from the PhAST program included a special lunch with industry leaders -- a sold-out event that included a business management and panel discussion and keynote presentations on photonics in nanotechnology by Steve Brueck, of the University of New Mexico; complex cancer genomes, by Joe W. Gray of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; and lasers in manufacturing, by Len Marabella, of JDS Uniphase. The plenary session explored the history of the maser and future applications for technology; optics and photonics in bioscience; and optical metrology. The event also included an award ceremony to honor achievements in the industry, leaders in the field and students who have made strong contributions to the science of optics and photonics. IEEE/LEOS awarded two fellowships and the prestigious LEOS’ Quantum Electronic Award. OSA awarded 16 fellowships, the OSA Townes medal and the Bookham/New Focus Student Award. For more information, including online presentations and postdeadline papers, visit: www.cleoconference.org