PhotonDelta CEO Eelko Brinkhoff joins the podcast to discuss the recently concluded PIC Summit Europe. It is no secret that the present need to upscale in the PICs sector is top of mind for industry leaders. But do stakeholders at different reaches of the value chain perceive this bottleneck in the same light? Brinkhoff discusses this dynamic challenge and recaps this year’s summit.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

The global race to realize the potential of laser fusion is heating up. We’ve already seen ignition; now the question is, how do we get to commercialization? Focused Energy is working to develop Europe's first pilot plant for laser fusion by converting the former Biblis nuclear power plant into a fusion power plant. Thomas Forner, CEO and Co-Founder of Focused Energy, joins us to share details on those plans and to talk about the different paths nations are taking towards laser fusion."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

While the threat of MPOX may not be making headlines in the U.S., the virus is still present. The World Health Organization says it has been on the rise in more than 40 countries, and the latest strain is more severe and more infectious. Partha Ray and Mete Aslan are part of a research team from the University of San Diego School of Medicine and Boston University. Hear them discuss a newly developed optical biosensor that can quickly detect the virus at the point of care, without the wait for lab results."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

Detailed digital displays are leaping out of our video games and onto the front lines. Vuzix specializes in AI-powered smart glasses, waveguides, and augmented reality. It just secured a contract to provide customized waveguides for one of America's leading defense contractors. Those waveguides will be designed to operate in new, lightweight, head-up displays for military personnel. This technology could provide men and women with maps, vital statistics, and mission-critical intelligence, right in front of their eyes. Rob Schultz, vice president of optics for Vuzix, joins us to discuss how technology is transforming video game fiction into real tactical equipment."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

A conversation with Tal Carmon, a professor at Tel Aviv University, who led the team behind the recently unveiled method of photonic origami. The conversation covers the technology’s origins, how it works, and what its potential applications may be."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

There is an ever-growing demand for power, whether it is to supply electricity for our power-hungry AI servers or to keep the lights on in more homes. Inertial confinement fusion has been referred to as one of the most promising paths to thermonuclear fusion, and it could one day provide a path to more efficient power. Omar Hurricane and Mike Campbell formed a professional relationship and a lasting friendship through their time together at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In this episode of All Things Photonics, they discuss the progress made in inertial confinement fusion and what this technology will need to reach its full potential."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

Photonics industry luminary Jason Eichenholz discusses hollow core fiber (HCF). Eichenholz is co-founder and CEO of Relativity Networks, a Florida-based startup pioneering the development and rollout of this transformative technology. It is hardly Eichenholz’s first such undertaking, and the Spotlight conversation looks back at some of his most consequential and influential projects.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

In the lead-up to the European Conference on Optical Connectivity 2025 in Copenhagen, “All Things Photonics” chats with OIF board president Nathan Tracy and board member Mike Klempa. The discussion focuses on the Forum’s agenda for the conference, including a multi-vendor demonstration with 35 members from its partner ecosystem. Current networking and connectivity bottlenecks are also featured in the conversation."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

Professor Graham Reed is a pioneer in silicon photonics. In 1989, he founded the Silicon Photonics group at the University of Surrey, and in 2012, Professor Reed brought his team to the University of Southampton as the deputy director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre. Today, he serves as the director of the Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Center, an open-source, license-free silicon photonics prototyping foundry. In this Spotlight conversation, Professor Reed discusses the future of silicon photonics and the role Cornerstone will play in its advancement in the U.K. and around the world.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

Photonic technologies are already being used to battle cardiovascular disease, but emerging technologies could further advance the treatment and diagnosis of the world’s leading cause of death. Yuqi Zhou is an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo and the lead author of a study on photonics and cardiovascular health. Sitting down with All Things Photonics, she discusses the potential of these systems and the hurdles they still face."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.comAmerican Elements - www.AmericanElements.com

Mike McKee, undergraduate advisor at the University of Central Florida's College of Optics and Photonics (UCF CREOL), and high school student Griffin Whiteside, a rising sophomore, discuss UCF CREOL’s Laser and Photonics Summer Camp."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

We may not all be experts in the field of quantum nonlinear photonics, but we can all appreciate the applications it could advance. Whether it is in medical diagnostics or LIDAR systems, quantum technology has the potential to lead to life-altering breakthroughs. Yannick Salamin is an associate professor of optics at UCF CREOL. His research has focused on the exploration of the quantum properties of light, and now he is reaching out to the next generation to help grow this field of study. In our Spotlight conversation, Salamin gives us a crash course on quantum nonlinear photonics and discusses how his newly formed research group aims to advance it.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Jasper Stackawitz, a rising senior at Pennsbury High School in Pennsylvania and recipient of the 2025 Teddi C. Laurin Scholarship, discusses his path to the world of photonics research, his work with phase change materials, and how we might reach a new generation of photonics professionals."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Garrett Cole, associate professor at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences, has returned to academia after working with famed research labs and turning his own work into a successful startup. His focus today is on using semiconductor materials and processing techniques to make ultra high-performance optics for optical metrology systems. In this spotlight conversation, Cole takes us through his professional journey and shares how he hopes to inspire the next generation of photonics professionals.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Søren Friis, head of sales and business development at NLIR, breaks down the technique of MIR spectroscopy, overviewing technology, applications, and instrumentation. As a key addition to the end user’s toolkit for industrial tasks that strain many familiar methods, MIR spectroscopy may be best explained by its applications. But, Friis explains, innovative system architectures and rising trends also help tell the story."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Long thought of as a technology of the future, holographic displays are now making their way to the commercial market. In this episode, Avalon Holographics CEO Wally Haas explains how the technology works, and where his company’s NOVAC display is finding use. The conversation also offers a look to the future, where these displays can be produced at lower cost and find much broader use."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Reza Chaji, CEO of VueReal, discusses current challenges in micro-LED display technologies, and the potential of VueReal’s MicroSolid Printing platform to address them, as well as to push the technology further. Our conversation covers manufacturing, sensor integration, and the applications in mobile devices, augmented reality, medical diagnostics, and safety technologies."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Laser World of Photonics is one of the top trade shows for the laser and photonics industry. Tens of thousands of visitors from around the world will travel to Munich to take part in this year’s event. Anke Odouli is the exhibition director for the trade show. She says they’re expecting record attendance this year with nearly 1,400 exhibitors filling the halls. Odouli tells us what else we can expect to see in this year’s show, in our spotlight conversation.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

Aldas Juronis, CEO of EKSPLA, discusses key parameters in the design and manufacture of industrial laser systems in this final episode before the start of Laser World of Photonics 2025. EKSPLA’s direct refrigerant cooling system highlights the company’s capabilities in delivering highly repeatable systems while pushing the bounds of performance and innovation. Additional talking points include emerging applications, application drivers, designing for OEMs, and Lithuania’s dynamic laser ecosystem."All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com

A group of bipartisan lawmakers formed the Optics and Photonics Caucus back in 2020. At that time, the U.S., along with the rest of the world, was grappling with the pandemic and the disruptions to the supply chain it created. The legislators on that committee hoped to use this new platform to address America’s reliance on Eastern nations and boost the domestic production of photonic goods.Democratic Rep. Joe Morelle of New York is the co-chair of the Optics and Photonics Caucus. In this Spotlight conversation, Morelle offers his insight on the policies impacting our industry and shares the concerns of New York’s leading photonics companies.Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry.Sponsored by:Hamamatsu –  www.Hamamatsu.com Editor’s Note: The team at "All Things Photonics" reached out to Morelle’s Republican counterpart, Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, to take part in the conversation. Mast and his team did not follow up with us for this podcast.