Applications

In optical networks where action on a message or signal is time critical, latency becomes a critical design element. Latency in communications networks is comprised of the networking and processing of messages, as well as the transmission delay through the physical fibre. Measuring and optimising this optical transmission delay can be critical in diagnosing latency issues in a data centre...

Measuring the return loss along a fibre optic network, or within a photonic integrated circuit, is a common and very important technique when characterising a network’s or device’s ability to efficiently propagate optical signals. Reflectometry is a general method of measuring this return loss and consists of launching a probe signal into the device or network, measuring the reflected light...

Sensing in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range (wavelengths from 0.9 to 1.7 microns) has been made practical by the development of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) sensors. Sensors Unlimited, Inc., part of UTC Aerospace Systems, is the pioneer in this technology and clear leader in advancing the capability of SWIR sensors. Founded in 1991 to create lattice-matched InGaAs structures, Sensors Unlimited...

QPSI™ Technology Shrugs Off Vibration from Common Sources When image stabilization became available on digital cameras, it vastly reduced the number of photos ruined by camera shake. The new technology eliminated the effects of common hand tremors, greatly improving image quality in many photo situations. Animated comparison of a PSI measurement with fringe print-through due to vibration, and the same...

DynaPhase® Dynamic Acquisition for Extreme Environments Confidence in metrology, no matter the conditions Fizeau Interferometry has become a trusted standard for precise metrology of optical components and systems. Traditionally, these instruments were required to be installed in lab environments, where conditions were carefully controlled, to ensure high precision measurements were not compromised. However, today a growing number of applications demand...

The nano mechanical imaging (NMI) mode is an extension of the contact mode. The static force acting on the cantilever is used to produce a topography image of the sample. Simultaneously, at each pixel force curves are produced and used to extract quantitative material properties data such as adhesion, deformation, dissipation... Click here to read the complete article.   To...

Electronic products can emit unwanted electromagnetic radiation, or electromagnetic interference (EMI). Regulatory agencies create standards that define the allowable limits of EMI over specific frequency ranges. Testing designs and products for compliance to these standards can be difficult and expensive, but there are tools and techniques that can help to minimise the cost of testing and help to enable designs...

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has become a powerful and versatile tool for material characterisation. This is especially so in recent years, due to the continuous shrinking of the dimension of materials used in various applications.  What is SEM? SEM stands for scanning electron microscope. As the name suggests, electron microscopes use electrons for imaging, in a similar way that light...

New FlexRes® oscilloscopes deliver flexible resolution, deep capture memory and mixed signal capability in a USB 3.0 PC connected instrument. Pico Technology, market leader in PC oscilloscopes and data loggers, today introduced the PicoScope 5000D Series FlexRes oscilloscopes and MSOs that feature up to 16 bits of vertical resolution with up to 200 MHz bandwidth and 1 GS/s sampling speed...

Thomas Horseman, Mehdi Tajvidi , Cherif I. K. Diop , Douglas J. Gardner   Lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNF) were produced from thermo-mechanical pulp (TMP) using a micro-grinder and were characterised with respect to fibre diameter and thermal stability. The initial water content in the TMP affected the defibrillation process and longer grinding time was necessary for the airdried TMP, resulting in...