Applications of Lasers for Sensing and Free Space Communications (LS&C)

Applications of Lasers for Sensing and Free Space Communications (LS&C)

20 October - 24 October, 2024
Osaka, Japan

LS&C presents the latest developments in laser-based sensing and free space laser communication. Sophisticated laser systems are increasingly being used in a wide variety of applications including remote imaging and object characterization, sensing for autonomous vehicles, probing of the atmosphere and high bandwidth free space optical (FSO) communications.

These applications spread across a variety of basing platforms including ground, air, water and space platforms. They also encompass a range of laser system implementations. Direct detection measurements can produce 3D point clouds and can incorporate sophisticated detector technologies such as Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes. Coherent detection systems can make time varying phase measurement and also provide estimates of the wave field that can be used in synthetic aperture imaging. Both types of systems can find application in probing of the earth and atmosphere as well as in free space optical communications. However, system requirements continue to demand increased performance from the system itself as well as the various components used to implement these systems. Advances in beam steering, waveform-agile laser and detector schemes, mitigation of atmospheric effects and development of image and signal processing for information extraction are all significant challenges.

This meeting reports on the multiple applications of lasers in sensing and FSO communications, the sophisticated systems that operate in these applications and the enabling components and processing techniques.  

 

 

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Topic Categories

This conference presents the latest developments in laser-based sensing and free-space laser communication. Sophisticated laser systems are increasingly being used in a wide variety of applications, including:

• Remote Imaging
• Object Characterization
• Sensing for Autonomous Vehicles
• Probing of the Atmosphere
• Free Space Optical (FSO) Communications for Terrestrial and (Deep) Space Applications

These application domains span ground, air, water and space, which forces a range of laser system implementations to meet specific challenges.  

Efficient laser and sensor systems, pointing and tracking, communication protocols and mitigation of distortions from random media are all incorporated in FSO communications in the atmosphere, underwater and in (deep) space to enable high-speed and high data-rate communications over long distances. 

Advances in waveform-agile lasers, detector schemes, beam steering, mitigation of atmospheric effects and advances in image and signal processing (to include applied AI/ML techniques) for information extraction are all significant technological areas with unique challenges.  

Direct detection measurements can produce 3D point clouds and incorporate sophisticated detector technologies such as Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes. They also enable novel sensing modes, such as laser-based non-line-of-sight and ghost imaging.  

Coherent detection systems enable time varying phase measurements for use in vibration detection and also enable estimation of the wave field for use in synthetic aperture imaging. As system operators demand increased system performance, the overall system requirements continue to demand increased component performance to implement these systems. 

This meeting reports on the multiple applications of lasers in sensing and FSO communications, the sophisticated systems that operate in these applications, the enabling components and the processing techniques.

1. Component Technologies for Sensing and Communications

1.1. Lasers
1.2. Receivers
1.3. Wavefront control

2. Remote Sensing
2.1. Non-imaging
2.1.1. Vibrometry (Doppler, Micro-Doppler)
2.1.2. Atmospheric sensing (wind, aerosols, and other chemical/biological sensing)
2.2. Imaging
2.2.1. Hardware (LiDAR, time of flight & single photon cameras)
2.2.2. Processing and exploitation of 3D data
2.2.3. OAM beams, fractal beams
2.3. Applications
2.3.1. Mapping (terrain and object)
2.3.2. LiDAR for autonomous applications

3. Free Space Optical Communications
3.1. Space (all domains)
3.2. Atmospheric
3.3. Underwater

4. Quantum Methods for Sensing & Communication

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Chairs

 

Miranda van Iersel

University of Dayton , United States,
Chair

Edward Watson

University of Dayton, United States,
Chair

Kyle Drexler

NIWC Pacific, United States,
Program Chair

Nicolas Riviere

Office Natl d'Etudes Rech Aerospatiales, France,
Program Chair

Martin Fejer

Stanford University

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Plenary
 

Tammy Ma

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA
Ignition Achieved: Next Steps in the Path toward an Inertial Fusion Energy Future

Andrew Forbes

University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Communicating distortion-free with structured light

Susumu Noda

Kyoto University, Japan
High-power, high-beam-quality, high-functionality photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers－For paradigm shift towards realizing smart society.

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Committee

• Miranda van Iersel, University of Dayton , United States, Chair
• Edward Watson, University of Dayton, United States, Chair
• Kyle Drexler, NIWC Pacific, United States, Program Chair
• Nicolas Riviere, Office Natl d'Etudes Rech Aerospatiales, France, Program Chair
• Farzin Amzajerdian, NASA Langley Research Center, United States
• Jaime Anguita, Universidad de los Andes, Chile, Chile
• Aniceto Belmonte, Univ Politec de Catalunya BarcelonaTech, Spain
• Jeremy Bos, Michigan Technological University, United States
• Santasri Bose-Pillai, Air Force Institute of Technology, United States
• Romain Ceolato, ONERA, France
• Mitchell Cox, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
• Nathaniel Ferlic, Naval Air Warfare Cntr Aircraft Division, United States
• Alex Fuerbach, Macquarie University, Australia
• Hamid Hemmati, Meta Platforms Inc, United States
• Sammy Henderson, Beyond Photonics, United States
• Victor Kulikov, University of Dayton, United States
• Darryl Naidoo, CSIR - NLC, South Africa
• Mohammad Umar Piracha, Zoox, Inc. , United States
• Mark Spencer, Joint Directed Energy Transition Office , United States
• Maureen Szymanski, Air Force Research Laboratory, United States
• Abderrahmen Trichili, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
• Christopher Valenta, Georgia Tech Research Institute

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Invited Speakers

• Peter Abels, Fraunhofer-Institut für Lasertechnik, Germany
  Title to be Announced  
• Patrizio Antici, INRS-EMT, Canada
  Laser-Generated Protons for Material Science  
• Antoine Courjaud, Amplitude, France
  Laser-driven X-ray Sources for Non Destructive Testing in Industry : Opportunities and Challenge  
• Kai Drechsel, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Germany
  AI-Assisted Evaluation of the Feedstock Influence on the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process  
• Kim Faernlund, NTT Data XAM Technologies Corporation, Japan
  The Value of Professional Independent Experimentati  
• Fabian Gast, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
  Frameworks for Sovereign Knowledge Exchange in Laser-Based Additive Process Chains  
• Bryan Germann, Aerotech Inc, United States
  Kinematic Motion Transformations Applied to Laser Beam Steering Systems  
• Jens Gottmann, Rheinish Westfalische Tech Hoch Aachen, Germany
  Microstructuring of Glass  
• Masaki Hashida, Tokai University, 
  Recent Progress of Laser-induced Periodic Nanodot Structures on Solid Surfaces  
• Yoshio Hayasaki, Utsunomiya University, Japan
  Holographic Optical Engine for Material Laser Processing and its Implementation in Industry  
• Seita Iizuka, Blue Laser Fusion Inc., Japan
  Recent Progress in Commercializing Laser Fusion Based on a High Efficiency 10 MJ Laser and a High Gain, Solid Fuel Target  
• Joe Ji, Coherent Corp., China
  Laser Market and Applications Trends in Brittle Materials Processing  
• Jan Kaufman, HiLASE, Czech Republic
  Laser Peening in Tooling Industry  
• Kurita Kenya, JAMPT Corporation, Japan
  Practical AM Products by EOS Metal Printers  
• Leily Kiani, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States
  Tm:YLF Lasers for Emerging Applications  
• Steve Kidd, PowerPhotonic Ltd, United Kingdom
  From Laser Fusion to Micro-welding: Freeform Refractive Beam Shaping  
• Marc Kirchhoff, TRUMPF Inc, United States
  Laser Surface Technology – An Overview with Examples from E-Mobility  
• Yuji Kobayashi, Sintokogio, LTD, Japan
  Outlook for the Contract Business using Laser Peening in Japan  
• Markus Kogel-Hollacher, Precitec Optronik GmbH, Germany
  Beam shaping, Process Monitoring and AI – Successful Teamwork to Improve E-mobility  
• Xiaoxu Liu, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan
  Title to be Announced  
• Andreas Maier, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron, Germany
  A Laser-Plasma Based Injector For DESYs Future PETRA IV Synchrotron  
• Robert Martinsen, nLight Corporation, United States
  Beam Shaping Freakonomics How Small Changes in Heat Flux Produce Order-of-magnitude Reductions in Part Cost  
• Warren McKenzie , HB11 Energy Pty Ltd, Australia
  Developments in Laser Driven Fast Ignition for Fusion Energy Production  
• Hiroaki Minamide, RIKEN, Japan
  Backward Terahertz-wave Parametric Oscillator and Its Applications  
• Michiaki Mori, National Inst. Quantum & Rad Sc & Tech, Japan
  Pointing Stable Low-Divergence 100 keV-class Electron Beam Generation from Microcapillary Target Under Sub-Relativistic Laser Intensity  
• Keisuke Nagato, The University of Tokyo, 
  In-situ Surface Observation of L-PBF  
• Aiko Narazaki, Natl Inst of Adv Industrial Sci & Tech, Japan
  Data-Driven Ultrashort Pulse Laser Processing, In-Process Monitoring and AI for Higher Precision and Throughput Micro-Processing of Brittle Materials  
• Beat Neuenschwander, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
  Laser Micromachining of Brittle Materials with Sub 100 fs Pulses and an Industrial Grade Laser System  
• Beat Neuenschwander, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
  Can Beam-shaping Pave the Way to the Use of kW Femtosecond Lasers?  
• Chiko Otani, RIKEN, Japan
  THz Imaging and Applications  
• Pablo Romero, AIMEN Technology Centre, 
  Systems and Methods for 3D Surface Laser Processing; Challenges in Dimensions, Precision and Productivity  
• Jean Sauvage-Vincent, GLOPhotonics, France
  Hollow Core Photonic Crystal Fiber: Guiding the Ultrafast Lasers  
• Karen Schwarzkopf, Institute of Photonic Technologies (FAU), Germany
  Potentials of Coherent Beam Combining in Laser Material Processing  
• Hitoshi Soyama, Tohoku University, Japan
  Laser Cavitation Peening Using a Nd:YAG Laser and a Fiber Laser  
• Koji Sugioka, RIKEN, Japan
  GHz Burst Mode Femtosecond Laser Processing: Ablation, Surface Nanostructuring, TPP  
• Yu Takiguchi, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Japan
  Holographic Laser Processing with Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulator  
• Keisuke Tanaka, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Japan
  Development of Wire Laser Metal 3D Printer  
• Shuntaro Tani, The University of Tokyo, Japan
  Title to be Announced  
• Jeroen Van Tilborg, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States
  Demonstration of High-gain Operation of a Laser Plasma Accelerator Driven Free Electron Laser  
• Niklaus Wetter, Centro de Lasers e Aplicações - IPEN/SP, Brazil
  Fan-out, Fiber-coupled, Focal-plane Array of Detectors for Laser Ionization Diagnosis in the TCABR Tokamak and Validation of Plasma Density Models  
• Setsu Yamamoto, Toshiba Co Gijutsu Ctr, Japan
  Nuclear Reactor Maintenance Using Pulsed Lasers and Applications of Laser Ultrasonic to Manufacturing Processes  
• akifumi yogo, Institute of Laser Engineering,Osaka, 
  Challenges in THz Acceleration and Laser Acceleration  
• Mitsuhiro Yoshida, KEK, 
  Challenges in THz Acceleration and Laser Acceleration  

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Special Events:

Event name	Sunday, 20 October	Monday, 21 October	Tuesday, 22 October	Wednesday, 23 October	Thursday, 24 October	Friday, 25 October
Welcome Reception	17:00 - 18:30
Technology Showcase: 30 Years of Experience: Overview of Tunable Femtosecond OPAs		10:00 - 10:20
Technology Showcase: Dispelling Myths Surrounding UV-Induced Optical Degradation		10:30 - 10:50
Congress Banquet				19:00 - 21:00
Farewell Toast					16:00 - 17:00
Lab Tour: National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology						10:00 - 17:00

Welcome Reception

Sunday, 20 October 17:00 - 18:30

Rooftop Garden Pergola

Join fellow attendees as we begin a week of illuminating technical content and networking. The welcome reception is where leading minds gather to ignite ideas and forge connections.

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Technology Showcase: 30 Years of Experience: Overview of Tunable Femtosecond OPAs

Monday, 21 October 10:00 - 10:20

Prince Ballroom A-D, Exhibit Hall

For over 30 years, Light Conversion has been a leading supplier of tunable femtosecond optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) for both Ti: Sapphire and Ytterbium-based laser systems. With over 8,000 systems delivered worldwide, we are uniquely positioned to compare these two pump technologies and their impact on customer experience.

Speaker

Ignas Abromavičius, Light Conversion, Lithuania

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Technology Showcase: Dispelling Myths Surrounding UV-Induced Optical Degradation

Monday, 21 October 10:30 - 10:50

Prince Ballroom A-D, Exhibit Hall

In the world of UV laser optics, performance loss over time is an insidious and expensive problem. To address this issue, it is essential to understand the conditions under which UV degradation occurs. We detail some of Edmund Optics' efforts and conclusions to diagnose and mitigate UV-induced optical degradation.

Speaker

Bill Murray, Ultrafast Laser Optics Product Line Manager, Edmund Optics, USA;Pennsylvania

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Congress Banquet

Wednesday, 23 October 19:00 - 21:00

Prince Ballroom A-B

Connect with fellow congress attendees at the week's premier networking event, and enjoy an evening filled with food, drinks and authentic Japanese entertainment. Please purchase a ticket when registering for the congress.

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Farewell Toast

Thursday, 24 October 16:00 - 17:00

Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay

Please join us in a closing toast, and celebrate a week of knowledge-sharing, discourse and networking.

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Lab Tour: National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology

Friday, 25 October 10:00 - 17:00

National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology

The National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) is Japan's premier research institution dedicated to advancing quantum science and technology. QST's research spans diverse fields, including quantum beam technology, quantum computing, quantum sensors and radiation medicine. The institution's mission is to foster innovation and translate these advancements into practical applications across industries such as healthcare and manufacturing. By bridging fundamental research with real-world implementation, QST is at the forefront of shaping the future of quantum technology. Sign up for the tour when registering for the congress.

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