Watt's Up

College of Optical Sciences News for Thursday, May 4, 2006

 

May 8, 2006 -- Special Presentation -- 11:00 a.m. -- Meinel 701

James G. Grote, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, will present Biopolymers Based on Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) -A New Class of Polymer.  Nasser Peyghambarian is the host.  Abstract:  A new class of polymer, based on DNA derived from biowaste materials, has been demonstrated to possess unique optical and electromagnetic properties that no other known polymer has, including tailorable conductivity and ultra low optical and microwave loss.  Electronic and electro-optic devices fabricated from this new biopolymer have also demonstrated performance that exceeds the performance of the state-of-the-art devices fabricated from current organic-based materials.  This new biopolymer may be tomorrow’s “silicon” of polymers, with its potential impact on a wide spectrum of both electronic and optoelectronic devices, while at the same time being inexpensive and easy to process.  This is significant because it demonstrates that biotechnology is not only applicable for genomic sequencing and clinical diagnosis and treatment, but can also have a major impact on non biotech applications as well, such as electronics and photonics, opening up a whole new field for bioengineering.

 

May 8, 2006 -- Special Presentation -- 5:00 p.m. -- Meinel 701

Professor Jacques Lucas, Universite de Rennes 1, will present Glasses to See Beyond Visible.  Shibin Jiang and Nasser Peyghambarian are the hosts.  Abstract:  Infrared transmitting glasses based on Selenium and Tellurium have been developed for industrial applications such as night vision systems for car driving assistance. A new class of composite IR glass ceramics is in progress for the same type of applications. From the same kind of glasses two types of fibers have been investigated. The first one are tapered fibers covering the 2 to 12µm range and are used for evanescent wave sensing mainly in biology and medicine. The second family of fibers are single mode fibers operating at 10µm and have been studied for space applications. A brand new family of Te glasses having the largest optical window never observed, 2 to 30µm will be discussed.

 

Outstanding Senior

 

The University of Arizona's Hispanic Alumni association has selected Optical Sciences Bachelor's degree student Leonardo Montilla as an outstanding senior.  Congratulations, Leo.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant

 

OSC PhD candidate John Goulding has been selected to receive an Outstanding Teaching Assistant award from the UA Foundation.  Congratulations John.

 

2006-2007 Graduate Student Representatives

Jared Moore, Mike Pajor, Corrie Vandervlugt, and Tyler Neely are our new Grad Reps.  Boris Glebov is going to extend his term and remain as a continuing Grad Rep.

 

 

Jared Moore

 

Michael Pajor

 

Corrie Vandervlugt

 

Tyler Neely

 

Boris Glebov

 

 

OSC Seniors Present their Capstone Projects at UA's Engineering Design Day
Click on the thumbnails for a larger view


25-Foot Goniometer for Automotive Lighting Measurements
Bernhardt J. Outram, Leonard Zugby, John R. Hubbard, Goldie Gibbons, Christopher Steward

Sponsor: 
Breault Research
Advisor:  
Matt Dubin
Mentor:  
Dr. Rob Stone


Athlete Tracking System
Chad William Mills, Emily R. Hart, Matthew G. Miller, Nedzad Taljanovic

Sponsors: 
MacGuire Enterpreneurship
Program
College of Engineering
Mentor: 
Dr. Srini Ramasubramanian


Deployable Optics Cover for Space Based Sensor Telescope
James J. Cross, Parissa Fathalipour, Ryan J. Reese, Ismael R. Trevino, Kristin E. More

Sponsor: 
Raytheon Missile Systems
Advisor: 
Brian J. Perona
Mentor: 
Dr. Hal Tharp


Fast Focus 2
Timne Patrice Bilton, Evan Thomas Webster, Jinuk Jang, Christopher W. Gay

Sponsor: 
KLA-Tencor
Advisor: 
Ivan Maleev
Mentor: 
Dr. Tom Milster


Fiber Laser Collimator and Pump Coupler
Jessica Marie Towslee, Justin Flanagan-Hyde, Robert Aaron Weekes, Christopher L. Zimmer

Sponsor: 
NP Photonics
Advisors: 
Shibin Jiang
Jianfeng Wu
Mentor: 
Dr. Franko Kueppers


Gimbaled Camera for the Coyote UAV
Robert Ricketts, Christopher Goodall, Matthew Sutton, Jennifer Eisenrod, Brandon Weakland

Sponsor: 
Advanced Ceramics
Research Inc.
Advisor: 
Lars Studley
Mentor: 
Dr. Eniko T. Enikov


Hemispherical Scatterometer
Jared Lee Roberts, Carl R. Nissly, Seth R. Ginter, James Patrick McGovern

Sponsor: 
Lambda Research
Corporation
Advisor: 
John Koshel
Mentor: 
Dr. Hong Hua


Laser Scan Projector
Corey Smeaton, Lucas Hill, Evan Richards, Danielle Loncki, Manpreet Singh, Brienna Putz

Sponsor: 
Hewlett-Packard
Advisors: 
Jon Brewster
Chuck Otis
Mentor: 
Dr. Tom Milster


Ocular Spherical Aberration Gauge
Justin M. Sierchio, Yullin Kim, Nick Alan Nash, Jose F. Florez, Priyanca Sarkar

Sponsor: 
Vistakon
Advisor: 
Russell T. Spaulding
Mentor: 
Dr. John Greivenkamp


Offner Relay Alignment and Test Project
Elias Martinez, Glenda Arik, John Knowlton, Kimberly Martinez, Justan Forsyth

Sponsor: 
Aerospace Corporation
Advisor: 
David Thomas
Mentor: 
Dr. Jim Burge


Polarized Light Projector
Chad T. Rupp, David Allen Schmidt, Paul Stoll Hauser, Joseph C. Aldridge

Sponsor: 
Hewlett-Packard
Advisor: 
Jan Brewster
Mentor: 
Dr. Tom Milster


Thermal Gradient and Thermal Shock Capability in Optical Materials
Brandon Swinteck, Brenda Cicchini, Conrad Carlton-Carew, Peter Van Duyne, Jeff Richey

Sponsor:  Lockheed Martin
Advanced Technology Center
Advisor: 
Todd Kvamme
Mentor: 
Dr. Joseph Simmons


Wide Field of View Michelson Fourier Transform Spectrometer
Shawn Robertson, Tom Ba Vo, Justina Oi-Chi Tam, Leonardo G. Montilla, Julia Diane Nichols

Sponsor: 
Lockheed Martin
Advanced Technology Center
Advisor: 
Eric Smith
Mentor: 
Dr. Eustace Dereniak

 

Conference on Fisher Information Held at OSC Last Week

Last week, our Roy Frieden hosted an international group of scientists at Optical Sciences' Second International Workshop for Users of Fisher Information.  Much of the material discussed at the conference will be included in the forthcoming book Exploratory Data Analysis Using Fisher Information, eds. B.R. Frieden and R.A. Gatenby, Springer-Verlag.  The book is scheduled for publication in November or December of this year.  Conference attendees are:  back row, left to right:  S. Abe, Japan; A. Karunanithi, U.S.; S. Ames, Australia; R. Hawkins, U.S.; B Soffer, U.S.; R. Frieden, U.S.; S. Luo, China.  Front row, left to right:  H. Cabezas, U.S.; M. Casas, Spain; A. Plastino, Argentina.  Not pictured:  R. Gatenby, U.S.; R. Venkatesan, India.  Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.

 

Discretionary Pay Increases

From Bobbie Doss, OSC Personnel Administration.  As in the past, there will be a moratorium on all discretionary pay increases submitted between May 24, 2006 through June 30, 2006.  The earliest effective date for any pay action submitted to Human Resources during that time frame will be July 1, 2006.  Additionally, documents submitted for discretionary increases with effective dates between June 5, 2006 through June 30, 2006 will automatically be changed to July 1, 2006.  If you have any questions, please contact Bobbie Doss, Meinel 406, by telephone at 621-2477 or by e-mail at bobbie@optics.arizona.edu

 

 

Around Campus

 

May 11, 2006 -- Chemistry Speaker -- 4:00 p.m. -- OC209
Dr. Dwight Walker of Glaxo-Smith Kline will present Identification and Evaluation of New and Novel Analytical Technologies for Characterization of Pharmaceutical Products. Abstract:  Glaxo-Smith Kline is looking to establish collaborative efforts with academic research groups developing novel technologies for physcial and chemical analysis of pharmaceutical products. The talk will give an overview of how analysis is done currently at GSK and why the current situation needs change.  The target audience is researchers from chemistry, physics, optics and other fields working in the field of "novel" technology. The objective of this presentation is to identify and evaluate new and novel analy
tical technologies which fill unmet needs in these areas for the characterization of pharmaceutical products.

 

May 4, 2006 -- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Seminar -- 4:00 p.m. -- AME N715

Dr. Xiaoyi Wu, Department of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of Technology and also an AME Faculty Candidate, will present Experimental and Computational Biomaterials for Applications in Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering.   Abstract:  Bypass surgery is widely used to treat patients affected by coronary heart disease, which killed nearly half million people in the United States annually.  In bypass surgery, blocked coronary arteries are bypassed by blood vessel grafts.  Currently, bypass grafts come from patients’ own arteries or veins located in leg, arm or chest.  Tissue engineering techniques have been used to develop a synthetic bypass graft.  However, one of the hurdles is to achieve sufficient mechanical strength of grafts, either acellular or cell-seeded.  This work is sought to enhance mechanical strength of acellular grafts derived from proteins elastin and collagen.  In particular, mechanical properties of protein elastin-mimics and collagen derivatives are respectively modulated by varying processing conditions and crosslinking densities.  Furthermore, the long-term stability of elastin-mimics is enhanced by changes in protein sequence and size using genetic engineering techniques.  As proteins collagen and elastin are fabricated into a multiple-component graft using electric and wet spinning techniques, mathematical modeling is sought to aid in the design and fabrication of grafts. A structural constitutive model has been developed for protein-based materials and native tissues.  This study demonstrates a promising strategy to develop a robust, synthetic bypass graft.

 

May 5, 2006 -- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Calendar -- 10:00 a.m. -- AME N715
Dr. Steven F. Son, Los Alamos National Laboratory, currently on sabbatical at Penn State University, and an AME Faculty Candidate, will present Some Examples of Advanced Energetic Material Combustion.  Abstract:  The advanced Energetic Materials (EMs) effort at Los Alamos has two major thrust areas: Metastable Intermolecular Composites (MICs) and High Nitrogen Materials (HiNs).   Applications of traditional composite energetic materials have been limited because of slow diffusion controlled energy release rate even though energy can be higher than classical EMs.   Nanoscale composite energetic materials (or MICs) can potentially "change the rules" by producing reaction rates increased dramatically with a tunable energy release rate.  Applications include green (lead-free) primers, igniters, and microenergetics (microactuators, thrusters, heat generation, etc.).   HiNs utilize a nitrogen backbone instead of carbon in classical EMs.  This dramatically changes the combustion of these EMs compared to classical materials because of the exothermic decomposition of these materials in contrast to oxidation reactions.   Applications of these materials include microthrusters, microactuators, propellant burn rate modifiers, and as a pyrotechnic ingredient.   An additional use of HiN metal complexes is to generate ultra-low density high-surface area metal foams.   Nanostructured metal monolithic foams have been formed by a novel combustion synthesis approach having remarkably low densities (0.011 g/cm3) and the highest surface areas obtained for metals (258 m2/g).  In this talk I will present a limited overview with specific examples of some of my recent work on the combustion of advanced energetic materials.  I will also briefly discuss future work and teaching interests.

 

 

Happy Birthday

May 9

 

David Hill (david.hill@optics.arizona.edu)
John McInerney (mcinerney@ucc.ie)
Antony Mills (antony79@email.arizona.edu)
Joanna Schmit (jschmit@veeco.com)

May 10

 

Jacob Egan (jacobe@email.arizona.edu)
Dustin Hsu (thsu@optics.arizona.edu)
Nancy Preble (npreble@radiology.arizona.edu)

May 11

 

Li Li (lli@optics.arizona.edu)
Srinivas Manne

May 14

 

William Anderson (bill@optics.Arizona.EDU)
Heather Durko (hdurko@optics.arizona.edu)
Sergio Johnson (sergioj@email.arizona.edu)

 


Watt's Happening

 

May 5, 2006 -- Final Examinations Begin

 

May 8, 2006 -- Special Presentation -- 11:00 a.m. -- Meinel 701
James G. Grote, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, will present Biopolymers Based on Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) -A New Class of Polymer.

 

May 8, 2006 -- Special Presentation -- 5:00 p.m. -- Meinel 701
Professor Jacques Lucas, Universite de Rennes 1, will present Glasses to See Beyond Visible.  Shibin Jiang and Nasser Peyghambarian are the hosts.

 

May 10, 2006 -- PhD Final Oral -- 10:00 a.m. -- Meinel 701
Sang-Ki Park will present Master/Slave Servo Technique and Characteristics of Bit-Wise Volumetric Optical Data Storage.

 

May 12, 2006 -- Final Examinations End

 

May 12, 2006 -- Degree Certification Deadline
M.S. graduates must complete their final oral exam and submit signed completion documents.

 

May 13, 2006 -- Spring Commencement -- Congratulations Graduates!

 

May 24, 2006 -- AOIA Cross Cluster Mixer -- Sigma

 

May 29, 2006 -- Memorial Day -- University Holiday

 

July 4, 2006 -- Independence Day -- University Holiday

 

September 4, 2006 -- Labor Day -- University Holiday

 

September 19 and 20, 2006 -- OSC Written Comprehensive Exam

 

November 13, 2006 -- Veterans Day -- University Holiday

 


Employment Openings

 

Applications Engineer – Optical Thin-film Filters for Biotech Applications.  Semrock, inc.  Keywords:  Thin-film filters, biotechnology, fluorescence, microscopy, imaging, genomics, proteomics, cell biology, flow cytometry, high throughput screening, Raman spectroscopy, lasers, applications engineer, insides sales.  About Semrock:  Semrock, Inc. – based in Rochester, New York – develops and manufactures high-performance, high-reliability optical thin-film filters that set the standard for biotech and analytical instrumentation.  Semrock supports its markets with three product platforms, including high-performance optical filters for:  fluorescence instrumentation & microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and biomedical laser systems.  Position Description:  Semrock is growing rapidly, with revenue from high-volume OEM sales of specially tailored products to major industry players, as well as from the sales of stock catalog products to both end-users and OEM customers.  In support of its expanding business Semrock is looking for the right Applications Engineer to join our talented team, who will:  Generate complex quotations for volume OEM opportunities in cooperation with the Sales, Engineering, and Manufacturing teams.  Provide technical support to the Sales team, Distributors, and end-user customers.  Organize and host direct interactions with OEM customers and distributors around the world to:  define requirements, develop and clarify specifications, and resolve any significant product issues.  The Applications Engineer will accomplish the above objectives by combining a thorough understanding of Semrock’s manufacturing processes and capabilities with an understanding of customer requirements to develop and/or modify customer specifications and determine costing and time to manufacture using various advanced software tools.  Qualifications:  Success in this position will be measured by the timely and accurate generation of quotations, rapid and thorough response to customer questions, and by the ability to work effectively as part of a larger Semrock team to assist our sales team as needed.  The right candidate will have a strong technical background in science and engineering, with a good working knowledge of optics.  A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with at least some relevant industry experience is expected.  Experience with optical thin-film filters, including both design and fabrication, is highly desired.  Direct experience with fluorescence applications and an understanding of one or more relevant fields in biotechnology (especially fluorescence imaging and quantification) and experience with laser-based analytical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy will be greatly prized.  Computer proficiency is also a must.  This person must be very organized and detail-oriented, have exceptional communication skills (both verbal and written), and must work well and with minimal direction in a fast-paced small-company environment.  The position is based in Rochester, New York.  Contact:  Dr. Turan Erdogan, CTO, Semrock, Inc. 3625 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY 14624.  tel: (585) 594-7001.  fax: (585) 594-3898.  turan@semrock.com  www.semrock.com

 

Optical Designer.  Microvision.  Microvision is the world leader in high-resolution scanned beam display and imaging systems built upon the company's proprietary silicon micro-mirror technology. We are a small company that allows individual contributions to have an immediate impact. We encourage and reward employees to be creative, to stretch beyond the boundaries of title, to take risks, to share knowledge, and to become leaders within the organization.  Microvision currently has an exciting opportunity in our engineering group for an experienced Optical designer.  Position Summary:  Microvision uses its scanning laser beam technology to develop head up displays and head worn displays. Optically, these systems can be divided in a scanning laser beam part with the emphasis on beam propagation, and in a part where the virtual image is created with the focus on imaging optics. Both parts of the system offer interesting optical challenges.  The Optics group is part of the Engineering team and is responsible for the development of the optical systems for these displays systems. The optics engineer will be working in this group to develop high quality and differentiated optical systems. The optics engineer contributes to product development in the areas of product concept definition, product design, analysis, component design, prototyping, and testing. Requires Experience in: Working closely with other members of a multi-disciplined project team to develop imaging and projection systems using scanning laser beam technology.  Designing both the laser scanning and imaging part of the optical system.  Using tolerance analysis to verify designs.  Optimizing the design of the engine for manufacturability with mechanical engineers.  Working with vendors to develop specifications for optical components and assemblies. Evaluating optical components and build prototypes of the engine to validate the design. Responsibilities also include identification and validation of new optical technologies.  Working with Zemax Software is highly desired.  Minimum Qualifications:  Two years of optical design using ray tracing methods.  Knowledge of optical design software, at least preferably use of Code V or TracePro.  Education:  BS in Physics or Optics.  MS in Optics a plus.  Contact:  Heather Skillman, Sr Recruiter, Microvision Inc.  www.microvision.com  425-936-6835.

 

Optical Engineer.  Digital Optics Corporation.  Digital Optics Corporation is the world leader in wafer-based micro-optics and micro-optical systems. Based in Charlotte, NC, we develop and market advanced micro-optical components and systems worldwide. Our products are widely used in communications, sensing and scanning applications, semiconductor manufacturing as well as homeland security systems.  We are currently looking for a talented entry-level Optical Engineer. In this position, you will be responsible for design and analysis in support of new product development utilizing DOC’s core technology of wafer-based optics. Candidate will support design, process development and test efforts, working within multiple cross-functional project teams.  Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:  New product system design support: tolerancing, first-order optomechanical analysis, etc.  Hands on testing in our optics laboratory.  Analyzing process metrology and optical test data, then interpret results for peers.  The ideal candidate must display excellent analytical capabilities and be able to effectively communicate complex technical ideas in detail. A strong knowledge of optics fundamentals should be evidenced in one or more the following areas: optical design, micro-optic fabrication, optics laboratory skills, photonics, fiber optics, or optical metrology. A broad technical curiosity and strong work ethic are valued characteristics. Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Physical Science with at least 2 years of optical engineering work experience, or a Master’s Degree or higher in Engineering or Physical Science with specialization in optics.  We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, including stock options, a 401K plan with company match, medical/dental, Company paid vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, tuition reimbursement, up to 20 PTO days, and a relocation allowance.  DOC, whose products are currently sold worldwide, provides a dynamic environment, excellent advancement opportunities and a wide variety of projects and assignments. Our work environment is fun, engaging, intellectually stimulating, challenging, relaxed, and environmentally friendly. Email your resume, including salary requirements, to hr@doc.com. Digital Optics Corporation is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer.  Contact:  Jenna McWilliams, ASA, Administrative Services, Digital Optics Corporation, 9815 David Taylor Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262.  (704) 887-7617.  (704) 887-3101.  jmcwilliams@doc.com

 

Optical Engineer.  L-3 Sonoma EO.  About L-3 Sonoma EO:  L-3 Sonoma EO, a rapidly growing aerospace engineering firm, is redefining state-of-the-art in high performance EO/IR stabilized imaging systems for military and government applications. L-3 Sonoma EO is located in the beautiful wine country of Sonoma County - approximately 1.5 hours north of San Francisco.  Optical Engineer:  L-3 Sonoma EO has an immediate opportunity for an Optical Engineer to conduct optical engineering and analysis of visible and infrared gimbal-mounted imaging systems.  Responsibilities:  Optical analysis of visible and infrared optical components and sub-assemblies supporting internal and external optics development.  Optical analysis and experimentation supporting optical product development.  Integration and test of visible and infrared imaging modules.  Support ISO quality system by assisting in the development of quality system documentation (as required) and follow internal process to ensure proper conformance to established policies and procedures.  Requirements:  Understanding of geometrical optical principles.  Understanding of optical metrology techniques and equipment.  Familiar with optical design programs such as Zemax or Code V.  Understanding of optical system design.  Experience with telescopes, camera lenses, and MWIR lens systems.  Knowledge of analytical software tools (Zemax, Mathematica, MATLAB, etc..)  Hands-on experience in optical labs.  Strong written and oral communication skills.  US Citizenship and the ability to gain security clearance required.   Education:  BS in Optical Engineering or related field with 5 – 10 years of experience.  MS in Optical Engineering or related field with 3 – 5 years of experience.  PhD in Optical Engineering or related field with 1 -3 years of experience.  Please apply to this job via our website, www.l-3com.com/sonomaeo  L-3 Sonoma EO is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.  Thank you for your time and consideration of L-3 Sonoma EO.

 

Product Manager – Optical Thin-film Filters for Biotech Applications.  Semrock, Inc.  Keywords:  Thin-film filters, biotechnology, fluorescence, microscopy, imaging, genomics, proteomics, cell biology, flow cytometry, high throughput screening, Raman spectroscopy, lasers, applications engineer, insides sales, product management, customer service.  About Semrock:  Semrock, Inc. – based in Rochester, New Yorkilities with an understanding of customer requirements and with strong leadership ability.  Qualifications:  The right candidate will have a strong technical background in science and engineering, with a good working knowledge of optics.  A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree plus five years of relevant industry experience are expected.  Experience with optical thin-film filters, including both design and fabrication, is highly desired.  Direct experience with fluorescence applications and an understanding of one or more relevant fields in biotechnology (especially fluorescence imaging and quantification techniques for genetics, cell biology, drug discovery, etc.) and experience with laser-based analytical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy will be greatly prized.  The qualified individual will have demonstrated proficiency in managing a small team of people.  Computer proficiency is also a must, including the ability to rapidly become adept in the use of the Company’s ERP system.  The Applications Engineering Manager must be able to both build product information into the ERP system, and to mine the data contained within it, as well as augment the business systems used by the Customer Service team.  This person must be very organized and detail-oriented, have exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, and must work well and with minimal direction in a fast-paced small-company environment.  The position is based in Rochester, New York, and reports directly to the CTO.  Contact:  Dr. Turan Erdogan, CTO, Semrock, Inc. 3625 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY 14624.  tel: (585) 594-7001.  fax: (585) 594-3898.  turan@semrock.com  www.semrock.com

 

Research Engineer.  Avago Technologies.  Work with a small team of scientists and engineers, in an applied R&D environment, to invent, design, and fabricate prototypes of novel navigation devices. The candidate will be responsible for all aspects of the invention and design process. In addition, he/she will be responsible for initiating new products and consumer/industrial markets for the company’s business units.  Qualifications:  Masters/PhD in EE or Physics with focus in optical design and measurement, including imaging science.  Experience/skills – Necessary: Graduate level experience in set-up and execution of optical measurements using computer controlled software, such as LABVIEW, etc Experience with computer aided design software such as MATLAB, ZEMAX, ADC, etc.  Desirable:  Circuit board design and layout experience.  Knowledge and experience of fabrication of micro-optic components.  Experience in design and fabrication of consumer electronic or optical products or product prototypes.  Contact:  Dr. David Dolfi, Research Fellow, Avago Technologies, dave.dolfi@avagotech.com


cathy.alexander@optics.arizona.edu
University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences