30, 20 and 10 Years Ago in OPN

“The use of lasers as intrinsic parts of many new devices and products requires a deeper understanding of how to optimize images using diffraction and beam propagation as well as traditional geometrical optics principles. Coupling to fibers and waveguides is a common need, which requires agility in understanding of the uses of physical optics. New opportunities for using active optical components in commercial systems will lead to the inclusion of nonlinear optical materials and crystals as an intrinsic part of future design software.”