This is the concluding part of my interaction with Narayana Sharma of Photonics India. Photonics India is focused on optics and electro-optics materials, components and test system and offering customized solutions. Providing further details on this aspect, Sharma said: "The raw materials are quartz, components being specialized custom built filters and optical components, and test systems for optical component characterization and material characterization. The equipment include VUV spectrometer (115 nm to 300 nm), laser energy meters, laser beam profilers, Brewster angle microscopes, imaging ellipsometers and wave front sensor based systems for optical component testing." Elaborating on the work done by the company in electro-optics materials, he added that Photonics India has provided equipment like VUV spectrometer, Brewster Angle Microscope and Imaging Ellipsometer to aid in development of new materials at research centres such as LEOS, IISc (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore), IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), etc. Obviously, the IITs of India, as well as Bangalore, IISc, are among the premium centers for photonics research in India. Photonics India offers several solutions to the industry and R&D sector using optics and electro-optics principles. Sharma added that the company offers test systems from its principals [which I have listed in an earlier post] to research institutes working on nanotechnology, materials, etc. Commenting on the presence of photonics related activities elsewhere in India, he noted that premier research institutes in the country with dedicated research and associations/society like the Photonics Society of India, Optical Society of India, are present, who also conduct seminars on the subject. Also, several activities take place in research institutes, the Indian space department and the Indian defense labs. Another interesting thing to find out would be the consumers of the kinds of products and solution offered by Photonics India. According to Sharma, the company sells to the following: research institutes (imaging ellipsometers, Brewster angle microscope, laser energy meters, laser beam profilers, VUV spectrometer, custom optical components), and quartz to fiber optic manufacturing companies. Be back next week, folks, so stay tuned and keep well! Pradeep June 23, 2009