All Things Photonics

Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensors have thrived in scientific studies. Now, they’re moving beyond the lab and into the real world for more practical applications. CMOS sensors remain the dominant technology in imaging, finding use in cell phones, automotive cameras, and medical imaging. But recent advances in SPAD could both replace and improve the use of CMOS sensors. Sebastian Bauer is the CEO and co-founder of Ubicept, a provider of SPAD sensor solutions. We caught up with Sebastian during the VISION conference in Stuttgart to discuss the rise of SPAD sensors, and the technological advances behind their growing popularity.

The leading conference in image processing, VISION 2026, is about to kick off. Two years ago, AI was discussed on the trade show floor for its potential, but at this year’s event, it has become far more prevalent. Machine vision systems are smarter and more automated than ever, creating a need for better synthetic data for users demanding high-quality training data to advance their own AI ambitions.

All Things Photonics is teaming up with the Journal Optica to bring you insights on the latest studies leading to breakthroughs in optics and photonics. What do nanophotonics and 18th-century French silks have in common? It’s all in the design. Moiré concepts are creating new opportunities in nanophotonics. In a study published in the Journal Optica, a research team from MIT demonstrated that by using twist, lattice mismatch, and interlayer coupling, moiré photonic systems could offer powerful new ways to control light, engineer optical band structures, and design reconfigurable photonic devices. Haoning Tang, an assistant professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, joins us to explain how this work could help further advance work on metasurfaces, photonics crystals, and so much more.

Optotune vice president of sales and marketing, Marco Pigozzi, answers the titular question of our episode, introducing a 15-part framework that identifies and answers why photonics vendors and their OEM customers are apt to fall out of alignment on the commercial deals that drive photonics forward. The nature of photonics OEM evaluations, their nuances, and a comprehensive understanding of what OEM purchasers need — and why vendors sometimes fail to align — is unpacked in this conversation. It is a useful guide for all in the industry ecosystem, supporting more meaningful business dealings at a time of rapid industry growth.

Cyclospora, an intestinal parasite, has sickened more than 22,000 Americans. The recent outbreak has been linked to contaminated lettuce from central Mexico that was later distributed in the U.S., with some researchers saying sewage contamination is the likely cause. Machine vision could prove to be vital in tracing food issues back to their original source. In this episode of All Things Photonics, BioPhotonics Senior Editor Douglas Farmer is speaking with Robb Robles, director of machine vision product management at Zebra Technologies. Robb discusses how machine vision technologies, with AI assistance, can help prevent widespread contamination of food products in the future by tracking them from the point they are harvested to when they are selected by the consumer.

For young professionals in the optics and photonics industry, it can be hard to feel seen. There are long nights in the lab and big ambitions that drive these individuals to try and leave their mark in this ever-evolving field. Fardin Ahmed is a graduate student at the National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS-EMT) in Montreal. His research focuses on developing deterministic, room-temperature single-photon emitters in gallium nitride (GaN) and it’s already turning heads, earning him the honor of winning the 2026 Teddi C. Laurin Scholarship presented by SPIE. In this conversation, we discuss the moments that steered him towards a career in photonics, the mentors that influenced his work, and the advice he would give to other students who are hungry to prove themselves.

One of the most exciting technologies being commercialized in the photonics space is the metalens. Metalenses are flat, lightweight optical components that manipulate light with tiny structures on their surface. They're able to replace traditional glass lenses in a lot of applications, making imaging systems lighter and more compact. In this episode, we speak with Myrias Optics’ CEO, John Fijol. The conversation covers some of the immediate applications, some that are a little bit further off, and the timeline to scaled manufacturing.

A light-based process could not only reduce plastic waste, but it could also create a new path towards harvesting the materials needed for clean fuel. Xiao Lu is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Chemical Engineering at Adelaide University in Australia. Xiao and her colleagues have demonstrated that targeted sunlight can help to break down plastic waste, while also releasing hydrogen gas and other elements that could provide a viable source of renewable energy. She shares the details of her work, and the promise it may hold for future efforts at sustainable waste disposal.

Ultrafast lasers are transforming how optical and photonic systems are designed, fabricated, and integrated. This evolving approach to processing offers a fundamentally different method than conventional means like diamond turning and ion-beam figuring. Jie Qiao is the director of the advanced optical fabrication, instrumentation, and metrology laboratory in the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science at Rochester Institute of Technology. In this episode of All Things Photonics, Qiao explains how ultrafast-laser direct fabrication can serve as a unified platform for shaping and finishing freeform optics.

In April, Artemis II launched on a 10-day voyage around the moon. It was humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. Along with its four astronauts, it carried a series of photonic systems with it. On the core of its space launch system rocket, Imperx charge-couple device cameras monitored engines and provided measurements vital to ensuring a safe and successful launch. Petko Dinev is the Founder, President, and CEO of Imperx. He shares his thoughts on the role optics and photonics will play in the emerging “space economy,” and he explains how advances in imaging can enable advances in space exploration on this episode of All Things Photonics.