Short Courses

Short courses cover a broad range of topic areas at a variety of educational levels (introductory to advanced) and are taught by highly-regarded industry experts. They are an excellent opportunity to learn about new products, cutting-edge technology and vital information at the forefront of your field. They are designed to increase your knowledge of a specific subject while offering you the experience of knowledgeable teachers.

Certificates of Attendance are available for those who register and attend a course. To request a certificate after the course concludes, send an email to cstech@optica.org with your name, course name, conference name and year.
 

1. SC544 - Ultrafast Lasers & Optical Frequency Combs: Fundamentals, Technology, and Emerging Applications

   Sunday, 19 October
   09:00 - 12:00

   Instructor: Thomas Südmeyer, University of Neuchâtel

   Short Course Level:  Intermediate — attendees should already know basic laser physics to fully appreciate the material.

   Short Course Description:
   

   This three‑hour tutorial bridges the gap between classical laser courses and today’s cutting‑edge ultrafast systems. We will begin with a refresher on the fundamentals of picosecond‑ and femtosecond‑pulse generation, covering dispersion management, nonlinear pulse propagation and modelocking techniques. Building on this foundation, we will then examine carrier‑envelope‑phase (CEP) stabilization and the f‑to‑2f interferometer that underpin optical frequency combs. The tutorial will also include a comparative discussion of state‑of‑the‑art ultrafast laser platforms then highlights key trade‑offs in pulse duration, average power, spectral coverage and repetition rate.

   The second part focuses on future performance challenges and high‑impact applications. Case studies span industrial micromachining, dual‑comb spectroscopy, environmental sensing, optical clocks and emerging quantum technologies, illustrating how advances in source design translate into real‑world solutions.

   Benefits & Learning Objectives

   This course should enable participants to…

   1.  Explain the physical mechanisms that generate femtosecond pulses in ultrafast lasers. 

   2. Design a passively modelocked femtosecond laser that meets specified energy, repetition rate and pulse duration targets.

   3. Diagram a carrier envelope phase stabilized frequency comb system, including f to 2f detection and feedback loops.

   4.  Compare femtosecond laser platforms by pulse duration, average- and peak power, bandwidth and wavelengths range.

   5.  Identify best practice diagnostics for femtosecond pulse characterization.

   6.  Summarize emerging trends such as mid IR and UV nonlinear conversion, dual comb sensing and quantum photonic applications.

   Short Course Audience:
   

   Graduate students, optical engineers, applied physicists, and R&D managers who know basic laser concepts but need a rapid on ramp to ultrafast sources and frequency combs. New graduate researchers, production engineers evaluating industrial ultrafast lasers, and metrologists implementing optical comb solutions will all benefit.

   Instructor Biography:
   

   Dr. Thomas Südmeyer is Full Professor of Physics and head of the Time-Frequency Laboratory at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. A recognized leader in ultrafast photonics, he pioneered passively mode locked thin-disk lasers and nonlinear pulse compression techniques during his PhD at ETH Zürich. Industry experience at Sony Corporation, Japan, sharpened his focus on translating laboratory breakthroughs into real world laser systems. In his habilitation at ETH Zürich, he investigated next-generation ultrafast oscillators and nonlinear systems. Appointed in 2011, he has since driven breakthrough research in photonics, metrology, and ultrafast science at the University of Neuchâtel. Thomas Südmeyer has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, received an ERC Starting Grant and was elected an Optica Fellow in 2018 for his seminal contributions to ultrafast photonics. He bridges academia and industry through service on multiple advisory boards and on Switzerland’s National Science Foundation Research Council. A renowned educator, he chairs international conferences and delivers tutorials worldwide, distilling complex ultrafast laser concepts for audiences ranging from newcomers to seasoned experts.

2. SC545 - Ultrafast Characterization

   Sunday, 19 October
   09:00 - 12:00

   Instructor: Rosa Romero, Sphere Ultrafast Photonics

   Short Course Description:
   

   This short course introduces advanced techniques for the characterization of ultrafast laser pulses. Topics include temporal characterization for measuring pulse duration and phase, carrier-envelope phase (CEP) characterization for phase stability analysis and spatio-temporal characterization for examining the interplay between spatial and temporal pulse properties. Practical considerations, common diagnostic methods, and real-world applications will be discussed.

   Instructor Biography:
   

   Rosa Romero is CEO of Sphere Ultrafast Photonics, leading the development of advanced diagnostic solutions for ultrafast laser systems. With extensive experience in photonics, she has driven innovations in ultrashort-pulse characterization, supporting cutting-edge research and industrial applications in laboratories and facilities worldwide.

3. SC538 - 3D-LiDAR and Applications

   Sunday, 19 October
   14:00 - 17:00

   Instructor: Nicolas Riviere, ONERA

   Short Course Description:
   

   3D-LiDAR is an active technology to detect and acquire the three-dimensional spatial information of a target. The quick and highly resolved capabilities are promising for applications such as object recognition, classification, high-precision 3D imaging and measurement. This course provides an overview of the principles of 3D-LIDAR technology and their applications. Their technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages will be given in relation with the missions (ground, drones, vehicles platforms) and applications. 3D-LiDAR systems evolve gradually from single point scanning to array scanning and array flash imaging. Single photon detection technology is also becoming mature and the detection sensitivity is getting higher and higher. All of these techniques will be detailed within this course.

   Instructor Biography:
   

   Nicolas Riviere is Program Director of Space Systems at ONERA, The French Aerospace Lab. He is also Research Director at the University of Toulouse authorized to steer researches. He teaches at aerospace engineering higher education schools such as ISAE-SUPAERO, ENAC and IPSA. He received his PhD degree in 2006 and started as Senior Research Engineer in the Optronics Department at ONERA in the field of light scattering and laser imagery. His research interests covered advanced vision in low visibility thanks to 3D laser imaging techniques such as high resolution 3D-LiDAR and telemetric systems embedded on mobile vehicles (eg. satellites, drones or planes).

4. SC539 - Aerosol Light-scattering for Lidar Remote-sensing

   Sunday, 19 October
   14:00 - 17:00

   Instructor: Romain Ceolato, University of Toulouse

   Short Course Description:
   

   This short-course discusses both fundamentals and applications of light-scattering for lidar and remote-sensing. It gives an introduction to the field of light-scattering by particles, including soot and smoke aerosols.

   Topics covered include:

   • A basic introduction on light-matter interactions
   • Concepts of light-scattering by irregularly shaped particles
   • Models of lidar-relevant parameters, such as lidar ratio, color ratio or backscatter Angstrom exponent, for irregularly shaped particles – including soot fractal aggregates
   • Multispectral and polarimetric backscattering measurements of particles (e.g., volcanic ashes or dust particles)
   • A state-of-the-art of elastic backscatter lidar techniques with a light-scattering perspective – including recent achievement in the field of short-range lidar

   Short Course Audience:
   

    

   This course is intended for anyone who is interested in remote-sensing from a light-scattering perspective. It addresses scientists and students with a background in optics and/or remote-sensing and/or aerosol science. 

   Instructor Biography:
   

   Romain Ceolato is a Senior Scientist at the Optronics Department of ONERA - University of Toulouse, France. His research interests cover several areas of light-scattering and elastic backscatter lidar, in particular soot particles for aerospace applications. In 2023, he received the Goody Award for early-career scientists working in the field of atmospheric radiation and remote sensing.