News – Page 21

Paper on diffractive optics shows 3D holograms become reconfigurable by computer

Diffraction refers to a variety of phenomena occurring when a wave encounters an obstacle and bends around it. Diffractive optics are widely used today in imaging, holography, microscopy and manufacturing. Previous work has shown that extending diffractive optics from two dimensions to three dimensions enables new functionality and improves system performance. The paper suggests a way to make the two-dimensional waves three-dimensional in real time with a simple modification to existing devices controlled with a computer.

Congrats to the COSMIC team for receiving the 2018 Kalus Halbach Award for Innovative Instrumentation

The 2018 Klaus Halbach Award for Innovative Instrumentation at the ALS was given to the COSMIC ptychography team “for the development of the microscopy endstation at the COSMIC beamline, featuring an ultra-stable x-ray microscope, computational methods for data reconstruction, and a high-speed data acquisition system.” The award, which was sponsored by Aerotech, Inc., was presented at the ALS User Meeting to team members David Shapiro, Rich Celestre, Kasra Nowrouzi, Bjoern Enders, Young-Sang Yu, Lee Yang, Hari Krishnan, Stefano Marchesini, and the Science IT-HPCS group led by Susan James.

Expanding the Infrared Nanospectroscopy Window

An innovative infrared-light probe with nanoscale spatial resolution has been expanded to cover previously inaccessible far-infrared wavelengths.

The ability to investigate heterogeneous materials at nanometer scales and far-infrared energies will benefit a wide range of fields, from condensed matter physics to biology.

Congrats to Stan Osher for being Cited in the Top 100 Computer Scientists in the United States

Four researchers in computer science in the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have been ranked in the top 100 computer scientists in the United States based on their productivity and influence in the field.

Stan Osher, a professor of mathematics and computer science, electrical engineering and chemical and biomolecular engineering, ranked 39. He is known for his many contributions in shock capturing, level set methods, and PDE-based methods in computer vision and image processing.

Electronic activity previously invisible to electron microscopes revealed at UCLA

New imaging technique may lead to improved functionality of devices such as PCs, smartphones.

The chips that drive everyday electronic gadgets such as personal computers and smartphones are made in semiconductor fabrication plants. These plants employ powerful transmission electron microscopes. While they can see physical structures smaller than a billionth of a meter, these microscopes have no way of seeing the electronic activity that makes the devices function. That may soon change, thanks to a new imaging technique developed by UCLA and University of Southern California researchers. This advance may enable scientists and engineers to watch and understand the electronic activity inside working devices, and ultimately improve their functionality.

The study, which was published online in Physical Review Applied, was led by Chris Regan, UCLA professor of physics and astronomy and a member of the California NanoSystems Institute.

Congrats to Roger Falcone for being Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

The strength of the Academy lies in the intellectual leadership of its members and the wide range of expertise they bring to its studies and publications.

The Academy membership encompasses over 4,600 Fellows and 600 Foreign Honorary Members and reflects the full range of disciplines and professions: mathematics, the physical and biological sciences, medicine, the social sciences and humanities, business, government, public affairs, and the arts. Among the Academy’s Fellows are more than 250 Nobel laureates and 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.

Congrats to Ke Xu for Receiving an NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards

The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, established in 2007, supports unusually innovative research from early career investigators who are within 10 years of their final degree or clinical residency and have not yet received a research project grant or equivalent NIH grant.

Congrats to Heather Lewandowski for Being Selected as the Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara-Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory Instructions

“For systematic and scholarly transformation of advanced laboratories in physics, for building leading assessment tools of laboratories, and for national service advancing our advanced laboratory educational community.”

Congrats to Laura Waller for being Elected as a 2019 Fellow of the Optical Society

The Optical Society (OSA) Board of Directors has elected 98 members to the Society’s 2019 Fellows Class. Principal factors for election to OSA Fellow include candidates’ achievements in business leadership, education, research, engineering and service. A majority of 2019 Fellows reside outside of the USA.

“Being named an OSA Fellow is an honor accorded to those of rare distinction in their field, and carries the responsibility of service to and leadership of the optics and photonics communities,” said OSA President Ian Walmsley. “I congratulate the 2019 class on their achievements.”

Tess Eidem recognized for work helping students

JILAn Dr. Tess Eidem was recognized by the University of Colorado Boulder for her work coordinating student understanding about roles and responsibilities related to their support funding.

Eidem is the Associate Director of Education for STROBE, an NSF Science and Technology Center that is a collaboration between six universities, including the University of Colorado Boulder.

As recognition for her work, the University awarded Eidem a certificate for Best Practices in Managing Conflicts of Interest & Commitment and a small gift certificate.