GREENBELT, Md., Jan. 22, 2018 — NASA is beginning to design a space telescope that will provide the largest picture of the universe ever seen with the same depth and clarity as the Hubble Space Telescope. Scheduled to launch in the mid-2020s, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will function as Hubble's wide-eyed cousin. While just as sensitive as Hubble's cameras, WFIRST's 300-MP wide-field instrument will image a sky area 100× larger. A single WFIRST image will hold the equivalent detail of 100 pictures from Hubble. "A picture from Hubble is a nice poster on the wall, while a WFIRST image...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLESJenoptik Lenses to Provide First Images from Mars 2020 Rover MissionJenoptik’s flight lenses designed for the Mars Rover 2020 mission have been delivered to NASA and will provide the first images that will be sent back to earth in February 2021. The...Photonics Spectra October 2019 IssueLasers Could Lead Search for Water on Earth’s MoonThere are craters in the moon’s south pole that have remained dark for billions of years, but scientists have found evidence that the region may contain water. NASA has awarded nearly $1...Photonics.com 3/11/2020RIT Professor to Develop Diffractive Solar SailsA new approach to solar sail design using diffractive optics could enable spacecraft to photograph the poles of the sun for the first time. Over the next two years, Rochester Institute of...Photonics Spectra July 2019 IssuePhotonic Instruments, Components Driving (and Steering) NASA’s Mars RoverNumerous photonic devices and applications are contributing to the pursuit of microbial life on Mars, or, more accurately, the quest to determine if, among other novel possibilities, such lifeforms...Photonics.com 8/19/2020PRODUCTSGlass Fabrication and CoatingCorning® Gorilla® Glass fabrication and coating services are available from Abrisa Technologies. Corning’s® Gorilla® Glass 3 alkali-aluminosilicate thin sheet glass...Photonics.com 7/3/2020Optic Design SoftwareOpticStudio 19.8 software from Zemax Inc. includes high-yield optimization, a capability that enables engineers to select best as-built performance for higher manufacturing yields at a reduced cost....Photonics Spectra January 2020 IssueMIPI Camera ModuleThe e-CAM217_CUMI0234_MOD from e-con Systems Inc. is a full-HD, color global shutter, four-lane MIPI camera module. Based on the 1/2.6-in. AR0234CS image sensor from ON Semiconductor with a...Photonics.com 1/22/2021ReflectometerThe OBR 6225 reflectometer from Luna Inc. provides field characterization and high-precision length measurement of optical fiber using optical frequency domain reflectometry. Portable and...Photonics Spectra September 2020 IssuePHOTONICS HANDBOOK ARTICLESAcousto-Optic Devices: Charts showing the characteristics of acousto-optic scanning devices, acousto-optic figures of merit, and solutions for common problems with acousto-optic processor devices.ACOUSTO-OPTIC SCANNING DEVICES: CHARACTERISTICS MODULATORS Material Bandwidth (MHz) Rise Time (ns) Acousto Input Power (W) (Saturation) Material Wavelength Range...Photonics HandbookAspheric Lenses: Design Considerations: This first of two articles will cover design and manufacturing options for aspheres; the second will include more detail on manufacturing and testing processes. These articles will provide the tools optics designers need to tailor their designs to the appropriate manufacturing process and to optimize the cost of component fabrication.Aspheric surfaces are powerful tools that combine the optical corrections of multiple lenses into a single element (Figure 1) and affect performance in ways that spherical optics cannot. For example,...Photonics HandbookFlat Optics: Considerations When Buying: To simplify the process when purchasing flat optics, we will discuss the top six factors from a manufacturer’s perspective, all of which affect the three major areas of the purchasing decision: quality, delivery and cost.Flat optics generally perform three main functions: They transmit light (windows), reflect light (mirrors) and fold light (prisms). While most optical manufacturers make spherical and flat optics, a...Photonics HandbookOptical Delay Lines: Key to Time-Resolved Measurements: To obtain an accurate means of creating reliable delays in any time-resolved spectroscopy or dynamic experiment, several factors about the delay line stage must be considered to reduce or eliminate errors associated with linear stages.One of the most critical elements of any time-resolved spectroscopy and dynamics experiment is the optical delay line. A typical optical delay line consists of a retroreflector or folding mirrors on...Photonics HandbookWHITEPAPERSLaser Sources for LiDAR ApplicationsRPMC has published an extensive amount of educational content on the fundamentals of LiDAR and LiDAR applications, including self-driving cars, windspeed monitoring, and active night vision imaging...Photonics.com 11/9/2020Knight Optical Meets Customer's Quality ExpectationsIt is with great pleasure that Knight Optical – the industry-leading supplier of metrology-tested, on-spec optical components – announces a 99.9% pass rate from its state-of-the-art Metrology...Photonics.com 9/9/2020Hexapod Advancements: Alignment and Industrial Control Applications1) Hexapod parallel kinematics together with novel controllers and algorithms allow for faster coupling optimization between (fiber) optical devices, across multiple channels. Many industries can...Photonics.com 2/25/2020Automated Solutions for SAE Standard HUD MeasurementHead-up display (HUD) technology is one of the largest growth areas in the automotive market, and standard measurement criteria are rapidly being defined to evaluate augmented projections for visual...Photonics.com 1/14/2021WEBINARSLAM Technology, Opportunities and ChallengesLearn about LAM from a seasoned professional with more than 40 years of experience in laser technology and its application. This webinar will provide you with a solid foundation in laser...Photonics.com 1/12/2017Avalanche Photodiodes – Design and ApplicationsThe high-gain properties in avalanche photodiodes (APDs) make these devices an ideal choice for low-light-level detection in optical communications, spectroscopy, range finding and many other...Photonics.com 9/29/2020Protective Coatings Extend Optics LifetimesPlease download the above “associated file” for a pdf copy of this webinar. From military airborne applications to harsh industrial uses, optics can be subjected to considerable...Photonics.com 10/10/2018Photonics Spectra Optics Conference 2021: April 27-28Photonics Media invites you to attend a free virtual conference spanning two days. The Photonics Spectra Optics Conference will feature educational presentations on optics manufacturing, covering...Photonics.com 4/27/2021PHOTONICS DICTIONARY TERMStolerance fieldIn fiber optics, the annular region between two concentric circles; used to specify fiber cladding and core sizes.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009active opticsTechnology that corrects the shape of reflective optics; primarily applied in large telescope systems, in order to compensate for slowly varying changes in temperature, wind and mechanical stress.EDU.photonics.com 5/8/2017paraboloidal mirrorA concave mirror that has the form of a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloidal mirror may have only a portion of a paraboloidal surface through which the axis does not pass, and is known as an...EDU.photonics.com 3/5/2018opticalPertaining to optics and the phenomena of light.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009MEDIATech Transfer Programs Bridge Gap Between Industry and ResearchTechnology Transfer Programs are often a concerted effort to share skills, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing, and facilities among governments or...Photonics.com 6/19/2018Luminate NY 2019: Lightning AwardsLuminate is the world's largest Optics, Photonics and Imaging accelerator focused on advancing next-generation OPI-enabled companies. The accelerator program accepts ten companies per year to compete...Photonics.com 11/16/2018Light Tomorrow with TodayLuminate NY, the only optics, photonics and imaging (OPI) accelerator and investment fund in the world, announced the final winners at the Light Tomorrow with Today event in Rochester, NY. For the...Photonics.com 7/2/2018PIC Fundamentals, Design at Heart of AIM Photonics Summer AcademyStudents from large and small size companies and bigger Department of Defense affiliates of the AIM Photonics Institute took part in the recent AIM Photonics Summer Academy at MIT. This was the third...Photonics.com 7/30/2018PHOTONICS BUYERS' GUIDE CATEGORIESResearch and Development LaboratoriesEar, Nose and Throat Laser SystemsPrinted Circuit Board and Mounted Integrated OpticsMetallic CoatingsA metallic coating is a thin layer of metals deposited on the surface of a substrate. The film may serve as a reflector, beamsplitter, neutral density filter or electromagnetic interference filter.COMPANIESA.R.W. Optical CorporationARW Optical is your reliable manufacturer of quality optics and coatings. Beamsplitters • Prototyping through volume-production quantities • High-performance and durable optical...Photonics Buyers' GuideFOCtek Photonics Inc.FOCtek provides customers with all types of custom manufactured lenses, Precision Optical Components, Polarizing Optics, Prisms, Filters, Coatings, Optical Systems, Crystals, Nonlinear Crystals,...Photonics Buyers' GuideMeller Optics Inc.Meller Optics has been providing high quality optics to defense, medical, laser and industrial markets for over 50 years. Specializing in grinding and polishing of hard, durable materials such as...Photonics Buyers' GuideLaCroix Precision OpticsOptics that Defend, Build, Cure and Discover The LaCroix name is synonymous with quality precision optics. Since 1947, three generations of family leadership have placed LaCroix Precision Optics...Photonics Buyers' Guide