May 2014 Issue
Feature Articles
Ultrafast and Ultrashort: Some Recent Advances in Pulsed Lasers
In the R&D lab, new materials, improved performance and higher power levels are expanding opportunities for ultrashort-pulse lasers. And industrial suppliers are pushing the envelope toward ever-shorter and more stable pulses, extending micromachining into previously untapped segments.
by Valerie C. CoffeyDiscovering a Laser
An enthusiastic recounting of the early days of the helium cadmium laser—a twisting path with many characters that started at the University of Utah.
by William T. Silfvast120 Years of Optical Glass Science
An elegant, century-old mathematical relationship, tying the physical properties of a multicomponent glass to those of its chemical components, still provides a powerful tool in designing materials for fiber lasers and other applications.
by Peter D. Dragic and John BallatoDepartments and Columns
Scatterings
Headliners, policy news and industry updates.
Block Engineering: Raising the Bar in QCL Spectroscopy
Building on a long pedigree in infrared spectroscopy, Block has emerged as a technology leader in instruments based on quantum cascade lasers.
Remembering James P. Gordon
Colleagues Steven Chu, Linn Mollenauer, Mark Shtaif and Charles Townes share their memories of a legend and friend.
The Physics of Finance
Putting a scientific background to work in the business world.
The Mystery of Cryolite
The search for an item for a lab demo takes the author surprisingly far afield.
