Applied Industrial Spectroscopy (AIS)
Events
Applied Industrial Spectroscopy (AIS)
12 – 17 July 2026 | Maastricht, Netherlands
Imaging and sensing technologies that harness optical methods are driving innovation across science, industry and daily life.
The Optica ImageSense Congress showcases breakthroughs in image acquisition, processing and display, from computational and neuromorphic imaging to AR/VR applications. The program also explores the latest advances in optical sensors and their diverse uses in fields such as agriphotonics, quantum sensing and fiber-based technologies, while fostering collaboration across disciplines.
The 2026 Technical Program
This congress brings together Optica's Imaging and Sensing congresses in a completely integrated fashion, providing a unique opportunity to expand interaction with multidisciplinary groups that share related interests and goals.
This consolidated congress addresses all aspects of image acquisition, processing and display and diverse uses of cutting-edge optical sensors:
- Computational and compressive imaging, imaging through scattering media, imaging through turbulence and the application of machine learning to image processing
- Next-generation imaging methods, such as neuromorphic imaging, as well as applications of imaging technology in augmented and virtual reality systems
- Imaging at THz and x-ray wavelengths, including the use of metasurfaces for real-world imaging applications.
- The latest developments in optical sensing and sensors as well as their use in a variety of applications
- Hot topics being addressed, including agriphotonics, fiber-based sensing, quantum sensors, THz sensing, sensing solutions in manufacturing and the latest developments
The program comprises technical sessions featuring invited and contributed oral talks, panel discussions, poster sessions and postdeadline papers as well as ample networking opportunities and special events. in comb spectroscopy, including fiber lasers and mid-IR sources.
Optica ImageSense Congress
- 3D Image Acquisition and Display: Technology, Perception and Applications (3D)
- Adaptive Optics: Methods, Analysis and Applications (AO)
- Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI)
- Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS)
- Hyperspectral/Multispectral Imaging and Sounding of the Environment (HISE)
- Imaging Systems and Applications (IS)
- Laser Applications to Chemical, Security and Environmental Analysis (LACSEA)
- Optical Sensors (Sensors)
- Optics and Photonics for Sensing the Environment (ES)
- Propagation Through and Characterization of Atmospheric and Oceanic Phenomena (pcAOP)
- Quantum Sensing and Metrology (QSM)
Topic Categories
1. New technologies and phenomena in sensing, image capture and displays
1.1. Emerging optical materials and components for 3D imaging and sensing
1.2. Sensor development
1.3. Terahertz- and mm-wave-based sensing
1.4. Mid-infrared sensing and imaging
1.5. Frequency combs
1.6. Structured illumination
1.7. Metaoptics for computational imaging
1.8. Quantum-enhanced sensing and imaging
1.9. Other subtopics
2. System architecture and co-design for sensing, imaging and displays
2.1. Chemical sensing
2.2. Flow sensing
2.3. Remote sensing
2.4. 3D display systems, including both hardware and software
2.5. Virtual reality and augmented reality systems
2.6. Computational imaging and display systems
2.7. Wavefront sensors and correctors
2.8. Spectroscopy and spectral imaging
2.9. Tomography
2.10. Super resolution and nanoscopy
2.11. Other subtopics
3. Image and signal processing and computational techniques
3.1. Image processing for acquisition and display systems
3.2. Deep learning and artificial intelligence for image acquisition and display systems
3.3. Event-based systems
3.4. Radiative transfer modeling
3.5. Real-time wavefront sensing
3.6. Lensless imaging
3.7. Sparse imaging and unconventional imaging modalities
3.8. Imaging through scattering media
3.9. Other subtopics
4. Human and machine vision and perception
4.1. Metrics, characterization and models for visual comfort in displays
4.2. Human factors for AR/VR display
4.3. Electronic nose and tactile sensors
4.4. Imaging for mobile computing and AR/VR applications
4.5. Other subtopics
5. Industrial, security, agriphotonic and environmental applications
5.1 Industrial and agriphotonic process control and monitoring
5.2 Leak detection
5.3 Miniaturization, ruggedization and harsh environments
5.4 Sensing for energy and propulsion
5.5 Diagnostics for nuclear energy reactors
5.6 Aerosol and microplastic detection
5.7 Atmospheric and oceanic propagation modelling and studies
5.8 Underwater imaging and communications
5.9 Metrology
5.10 Terrestrial, aquatic, cryospheric and atmospheric applications of remote sensing
5.11 Other subtopics
6. Astronomy, space and remote imaging applications
6.1. Advances in astronomical imaging
6.2. Space-based telescopes and imaging
6.3. Free space optical communications
6.4. Ground-based telescopes and exoplanet detection
6.5. Radiation hardened sensing
6.6. Active optics and phasing telescope arrays
6.7. Turbulence profiling
6.8. Gravitational wave detection
6.9. Other subtopics
7. Biomedical applications
7.1. Optical and fiber sensors for biomedicine
7.2. Imaging technologies for health care
7.3. Brain imaging
7.4. Ophthalmology
7.5. Lab on a chip, biological and chemical sensing
7.6. Point-of-care sensing applications
7.7. Microscopy and endoscopy
7.8. Quantum-enhanced nonlinear microscopy
7.9. Other subtopics
8. Guidance, navigation and autonomy applications
8.1. Gyroscopes and other inertial sensors
8.2. LIDAR and vision for autonomy
8.3. Quantum technologies for PNT
8.4. Navigation systems
8.5. Other subtopics
9. Imaging and sensing submissions not otherwise listed
Subtopic not required
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Plenary Speakers
Dr. Paul M. Danehy
NASA Langley Research Center
Moon to Mars: Contributions of Optical Measurements to NASA’s Artemis Program
NASA and partners have embarked on a series of space missions to the moon and Mars, collectively known as the Artemis Program. This talk overviews the Artemis missions and details laser and optical measurement technique development and application to ground and flight tests related to, or inspired by, the Artemis program. Three measurement techniques have been applied to study vehicle launch, Earth and Mars entry, and lunar and Martian landing. Such optical instrumentation provides unique information to inform the underlying physics of space flight while also providing benchmark data for validating ever advancing predictive codes.
About the Speaker
Dr. Danehy graduated from the University of New Hampshire in Mechanical Engineering in 1989. He attended Stanford University obtaining both MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering, finishing in 1995. Thereafter, he spent five years at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra as a post-doctoral researcher and then as a faculty member in the Department of Physics, where he applied laser-based methods to study hypersonic flows. Dr. Danehy has been at NASA Langley Research Center since 2000. As NASA’s Senior Technologist (ST) for Advanced Measurement Systems he leads and participates in the planning, advocacy, execution and review of basic and applied research to advance the state of the art in measurement technology with an emphasis on Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL).
[Top]
Dr. Nathalie Picqué
Max-Born Institute, GERMANY
Frequency comb sensing and imaging
Optical frequency combs have revolutionized time and frequency metrology and enabled powerful techniques such as dual-comb interferometry. Using two combs with slightly different line-spacings, these motion-free interferometers achieve exceptional accuracy, speed and resolution, enabling compact integrated devices and advanced applications in spectroscopy, sensing and imaging.
About the Speaker
Nathalie Picqué is Director at the Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy and Professor of Physics at the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. Previously, she was a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (Garching, Germany) and before that a researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Orsay (France). She received her doctoral degree in physics from the University Paris-Saclay (France) in 1998. She and her team explore new insights in optical and molecular fundamental physics with advancing tools of laser science. Nathalie Picqué is a pioneer in the development and application of techniques of interferometry over broad spectral bandwidths with optical frequency combs. An Optica Fellow, N. Picqué is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2024 William F. Meggers Award of Optica.
[Top]
Dr. Stefano Bonora
The Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies , ITALY
Beyond static optics: how adaptive optics increase the performance of an optical system
From laser communication to laser processing and subcellular imaging, deformable optical components enable a higher levels of performance. We explore the shared challenges across these fields and the techniques pushing beyond the limits of conventional, static optics.
About the Speaker
Stefano Bonora is a Director of research at the Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies in Padua, Italy, since 2004. His work focuses on the development of innovative designs and methods for deformable optical devices.
He is the inventor of several types of deformable mirrors, adaptive lenses and methods for adaptive optics in microscopy, laser processing and laser communication.
In 2009, he co-founded Adaptica Srl, a company dedicated to portable and wearable ophthalmic instruments. In 2017, he founded Dynamic Optics Srl, specializing in deformable optical systems for applications in microscopy, ophthalmology, high-power lasers and free-space optical communication. Since 2020, he has served as the company’s CEO.
Throughout his career, he has also held research positions at the Hilase Laser Facility (2013–2015) and the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Beamlines (2017).
Professor Renjie Zhou
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG
From probing quantum materials to in vivo imaging of animals with quantitative phase microscopy
Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) has emerged as an important label-free imaging technique for bioimaging and material metrology. We recently pushed the performance limits of QPM to allow for probing the hidden electronic-behaviors in sub-atomic structures and imaging deep into live animals in vivo
About the Speaker
Renjie Zhou received his doctoral degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2014, followed by postdoctoral training at the George R. Harrison Spectroscopy Lab at MIT. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he directs the Laser Metrology and Biomedicine Lab. His research interest is in quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) and its applications and he has successfully transferred his QPM technologies to industry. In recent years, he received the Croucher Innovation Awards from Croucher Foundation, the Excellent Young Scientists Fund from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Hong Kong RGC Research Fellow Scheme, etc. He is a Fellow of SPIE, a member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences and currently serves on the editorial boards of Photonics Research and IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.
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Invited Speakers
Applied Industrial Spectroscopy (AIS)
- Frank Hegmann, University of Alberta, Canada
Probing Ultrafast Nanoscale Terahertz Dynamics in Semiconductors Tutorial - Andrei Anisimov, Technische Universiteit Delft, Netherlands
Optical Sensing and Metrology for Material Characterization and Non-destructive Testing in Aerospace - David Citrin, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
Terahertz Imaging for Art and Industry - Benjamin Dewes, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
Fast Utraviolet-C Photonics: Generating and Sensing Laser Pulses on Femtosecond Timescales - Sidney Goossens, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
Optical Fiber Sensors in Harsh Environments: From Nuclear Fuel Assemblies to Aerospace-grade Conditions - Nazanin Hoghooghi, NIST Boulder, United States
Chemical Kinetics Diagnostics with Mid-Infrared Dual-Comb Spectroscopy - Andreas Huber, attocube systems, Germany
Infrared Correlation Nanoscopy with Unprecedented Spectral Coverage - Mona Jarrahi, University of California Los Angeles, United States
Industrial Inspection through High-throughput Plasmonic Terahertz Imaging Systems - Lex Oosterveld, Stichting imec Nederland (OnePlanet Rese, Netherlands
Agrifood Applications for Spectral Sensing Using On-chip Tunable Lasers - Ryan Rhoades, Vescent, United States
Fielded Optical Frequency Combs: Robust Dual-Comb Hardware and Applications - Lukasz Sterczewski, Politechnika Wroclawska, Poland
Incoherent Room-temperature Fourier Spectrometry from the Ultraviolet to the THz - Chris Van Hoof, OnePlanet Research Center, Netherlands
Title to be Announced
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Industry Programs
The 2026 Industry Program provided an update on the various roadmaps to determine how they are driving innovation and what can be done to continue that development. Cutting edge applications will be presented to encourage dialogue.
This program encourages dialogue, vision, know-how and guidance. This content model was enthusiastically received by the 500 participants at Toulouse 2024 and we expect the momentum to continue.
Objectives
The goal of the Industry Program is to pave the road toward substantial future growth and give orientation. There is great momentum in the optical sensing and imaging industry. This momentum should continue to grow and make optical sensing and imaging preferred career paths. The industry team will be focused on the various roadmaps and their impact on technology development.
2026 Chair
Borislav Hinkov
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH, Austria,
Industry Chair
2026 Committee
Borislav Hinkov, Silicon Austria Labs, Austria, Chair
Johannes Kunsch, LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH, Germany, Co-chair
Shankar Baliga, LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group Inc., USA
Amber Czajkowski, Alluxa Inc., USA
Kurt Hochrein, Dexter Research Center, USA
Timothy Olsen, Omega Optical, USA
| Event name | Tuesday, 14 July | Wednesday, 15 July |
|---|---|---|
| Imaging and Sensing Applications | 11:00 - 12:00 | |
| Roadmaps – Driving Innovation from Academia to Industry? | 17:00 - 19:00 | |
| Materials and Devices | 11:00 - 12:15 |
Imaging and Sensing Applications
Tuesday, 14 July 11:00 - 12:00
Auditorium 2
Optical Imaging and Sensing are driving many novel applications in the fields of healthcare including medical diagnostics and therapy, agrifood, manufacturing, communication and beyond. Hear from renowned speakers about latest trends in those fields and engage into direct conversations and discussions.
Presider
Johannes Kunsch
Laser Components Germany GmbH, GERMANY
Speakers
Jürgen Popp
Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena & Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technologies, GERMANY
AI-Driven Vibrational Photonics for Clinical Diagnostics and Personalized Optical Digital Twins
Infrared and Raman photonics are rapidly evolving from powerful analytical tools toward clinically deployable technologies for real-time, label-free diagnostics. This presentation highlights recent progress in translating vibrational spectroscopy into healthcare applications, with a focus on infection diagnostics and oncology. Examples include AI-supported analysis of biofluids for rapid infection assessment as well as fiber-based Raman approaches for intraoperative tissue characterization. A key enabler for clinical adoption is artificial intelligence, which allows robust interpretation of complex, high-dimensional spectroscopic data under real-world conditions. Building on these developments, the talk outlines a forward-looking vision: the Personalized Optical Digital Twin. By integrating longitudinal molecular fingerprints from Raman and infrared measurements with clinical and physiological data streams, including wearable technologies, such digital twins may enable predictive, preventive and personalized healthcare. This concept illustrates how photonics can contribute to a future of continuous, data-driven health management and scalable clinical decision support.
Hugo Thienpont
Vrije Uni Brussels, BELGIUM
PhotonHub: The Gateway to Photonics Innovation for European Entrepreneurial Researchers and Companies
PhotonHub Europe is the EU’s flagship innovation hub for photonics—one of the most transformative enabling technologies driving the digital and green transitions. By providing streamlined access to cutting-edge technology expertise, advanced infrastructure, and hands-on support, PhotonHub empowers entrepreneurs and companies—particularly start-ups, spin-offs, SMEs, and scale-ups—to accelerate both technology development and investment readiness. All services are heavily subsidized by the European Commission to maximize impact.
Through cross-border collaboration and deep-tech innovation, PhotonHub fosters the adoption of photonics across strategic sectors including healthcare, agriculture and food, manufacturing, energy, space, and communications. This initiative strengthens critical value chains, creates high-value jobs, and reinforces Europe’s technological sovereignty and competitiveness.
In this presentation, we will highlight the economic importance of photonics and its impact in different sectors, we will demonstrate how entrepreneurial researchers and companies can benefit from PhotonHub’s expertise platforms, pilot lines, and foundries, as well from its business and financial coaching services to accelerate their photonics journey, and we will illustrate the impact of the innovation hub on different European industry sectors at the hand of various innovation support examples.
Luis Felipe Carvalho
Universidade de Taubaté, BRAZIL
FTIR Spectroscopy in Healthcare: Molecular Insights for Clinical Decision Support
Healthcare increasingly benefits from analytical tools capable of providing rapid and reliable molecular information to support clinical decision-making. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers a powerful approach to probe biochemical fingerprints from complex biological samples, revealing molecular changes associated with physiological and pathological processes.
In this talk, we present recent advances in the application of FTIR vibrational spectroscopy to challenges in medicine and dentistry. Our work explores the analysis of biofluids as a source of molecular information that can complement conventional laboratory tests and imaging methods. In addition, we discuss emerging fiber-optic–based sensing strategies that open possibilities for minimally invasive and potentially real-time biochemical assessment. Rather than replacing existing diagnostic approaches, FTIR spectroscopy can act as a complementary tool, adding molecular-level information that supports clinicians and healthcare professionals in more informed and timely decision making.
Marco Kienel
IRScope GmbH, GERMANY
Field-resolved Infrared Molecular Spectroscopy: Translating Cutting-edge Ultrafast Laser Science to Industry-grade Optical Instruments
Recent advances in ultrafast laser science have opened new ways for controlling light, and optically probing matter at unprecedented temporal and spectral precision. These developments enable direct access to the individual oscillations of the electromagnetic field of light with a degree of control close to the fundamental, quantum limit, offering transformative potential for applications in science, industry, and medicine.
In this talk, key technological concepts and recent progress in infrared electric-field-resolved spectroscopy will be presented, with a focus on their relevance for real-world applications such as high-precision optical control and medical diagnostics. The challenges of translating fundamental insights into robust, user-friendly systems, which is addressed at the newly-founded company IRScope GmbH, will be discussed, alongside opportunities for scalable deployment beyond laboratory environments.
Roadmaps – Driving Innovation from Academia to Industry?
Tuesday, 14 July 17:00 - 19:00
Auditorium 2
Come hear from speakers representing different roadmaps and then engage in an interactive panel discussion. The session will conclude with a networking opportunity to continue the dialogue with the speakers and panelists.
Presider
Borislav Hinkov
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH, AUSTRIA
Johannes Kunsch
Laser Components Germany GmbH, GERMANY
Speakers
Werner Mäntele
Goethe University Frankfurt & DiaMonTech AG , GERMANY
Roadmap on IR Photonics for Medical Diagnostics and Therapy
Over the past decades, Infrared Photonics has moved towards fascinating biomedical research, on the threshold to be implemented in everyday medical applications. An overdue Roadmap-Paper signed by more than 80 co-authors across 19 countries presents examples of IR applications and technologies and identifies the bottlenecks, hurdles, chances, and risks of IR-based healthcare routines. This roadmap presents a vision of biomedical infrared research and encourages interdisciplinary dialogue and a common framework for collaboration. It has been the founding momentum for the InfraMed Allliance, a global initiative and platform founded by spectroscopists and device manufacturers united by a common goal: To bring infrared photonic advances into medical practice as rapidly as possible.
Jürgen Popp
Friedrich- Schiller-University Jena and Leibniz Inst. of Photonic Technologies, GERMANY
Photonics21 Roadmap 2030: Enabling Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Healthcare
This talk introduces the biophotonics roadmap of the Strategic Innovation and Research Agenda (SRIA) of the European Technology Platform Photonics21 and its vision for transforming healthcare. Facing ageing populations, increasing disease burden, and rising costs, healthcare must shift from treating disease toward predicting, preventing, and managing it at an early stage. Photonics enables this transition by providing non-invasive access to the molecular state of the human body, allowing biological processes to be monitored across all stages of care—from wellness and early detection to diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up. The roadmap highlights key technological directions, including multimodal optical sensing, the integration of imaging and spectroscopy and AI-driven data analysis, as well as the need for miniaturised, scalable, and clinically robust systems. A central emerging concept is that of Personalised Optical Digital Twins, which combine continuous photonic measurements with data-driven models to enable real-time health monitoring and prediction. Together, these developments position biophotonics as a core enabling technology for predictive, preventive and personalized healthcare, with the potential to fundamentally reshape how health and disease are understood and managed.
Lien Smeesters
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BELGIUM
Photonics for Agrifood Roadmap: Towards a Sustainable and Healthier Planet
Photonics technologies play a crucial role in driving technological advancements within the agrifood industry, aiming to deliver a sustainable food and agriculture and offering healthy, nutritious and safe food for all of us. Particularly, optical sensors and imaging systems, together with machine-learning processing and advanced lighting, play a pivotal role in monitoring crop and soil health with unprecedented precision, while safeguarding the food supply chain. This roadmap aims to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art photonics technologies benefitting agrifood applications, including a view on their current limitations, challenges and future potential, while addressing practical case studies. Future trends towards multimodal sensors and sensor fusion, artificial intelligence and digital twins, miniaturization and controlled farming are highlighted. The revolutionizing capabilities of the photonics technologies are indicated, inspiring future applications and developments and paving the way towards optimized resource utilization, increased crop yields, stopping land degradation and reduction of food waste.
Moderators
Aparajita Bandyopadhyay
Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, INDIA
Jürgen Popp
Friedrich- Schiller-University Jena and Leibniz Inst. of Photonic Technologies, GERMANY
Panelists
Luis Felipe Carvalho
Universidade de Taubaté , BRAZIL
Maximilian Högner
IRScope GmbH, GERMANY
Werner Mäntele
Goethe University Frankfurt & DiaMonTech AG, GERMANY
Jayshri Sabarinathan
Western University Ontario, CANADA
Lien Smeesters
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BELGIUM
Francesca Venturini
Zurich University of Applied Sciences & TOELT GmbH , SWITZERLAND
Materials and Devices
Wednesday, 15 July 11:00 - 12:15
This session is focused on the importance of novel photonic materials and devices for real-world applications. Learn from experts about the latest trends and developments in this field and about their readiness for use in applications and real-world use-cases.
Speakers
Pierre Didier
ETH Zurich, SWITZERLAND
Nonlinear Lithium Niobate Photonic Platforms for Sensing from the Near Infrared to the Mid Infrared
Lithium niobate is a powerful integrated platform for classical and quantum photonic sensing because it combines strong second order nonlinearity, a pronounced Pockels effect and wide transparency. In the near infrared, we developed Pockels based interferometers for highly sensitive on chip detection with broad optical bandwidth. Extending this approach to the mid infrared, we demonstrated a broadband high speed electro optic Mach–Zehnder modulator with strong extinction, efficient operation, and clear potential for sensing in a spectral region rich in molecular fingerprints. We also use periodically poled lithium niobate for broad mid infrared difference frequency generation, highlighting its ability to support engineered nonlinear interactions and future frequency comb generation. Overall, this work positions lithium niobate as a unified platform for near and mid infrared sensing, linking nonlinear optics, electro optic control and integrated photonic engineering.
Ward Hendriks
Aluvia Photonics, NETHERLANDS
Photonic Integration in Aluminum Oxide: Material Capabilities and Demonstrations
Aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) offers a distinct combination of broadband transparency, low optical loss, and compatibility with active dopants, bringing a materials innovation for integrated photonics beyond conventional platforms. In this talk, we focus on the material‑level properties of Al₂O₃ and how they translate into new and improved performance of photonic integrated circuit applications. Demonstrations span low‑loss passive photonics from the UV to IR and integrated light sources for a diverse range of applications.
Clement Fleury
Silicon Austria Labs, AUSTRIA
The AlN Material Platform for UV Photonic Applications and Beyond
Thanks to its broad transparency window from UV to IR and its crystalline structure enabling electro-optics and non-linear optical applications, AlN has become the leading candidate for addressing the challenges of UV photonics. The applications that are targeted are UV spectroscopy, where pollutants such as PFAS have strong UV absorption, quantum and nonlinear applications. Two of the major approaches for quantum computing and sensing – namely neutral atoms and trapped ions – will benefit from a mature AlN photonic platform able to modulate in phase, amplitude and frequency with a GHz bandwidth. Ions and atom should also be targeted by precisely crafted grating couplers, for addressing and cooling. The talk will cover some early results on the topic and present the quantum pilot lines that will use aluminum nitride.
Killian Keller
Scale Lasers, SWITZERLAND
Scale Down to Light Up – Commercializing Vertically Emitting Quantum Cascade Lasers
SCALE Lasers is bringing the VCSEL revolution to the mid-infrared. By combining miniaturization with our unique surface-emitting laser architecture, we are democratizing high-end spectroscopy – transforming complex lab diagnostics into ubiquitous components of everyday life. In this talk, we introduce SCALE Lasers and our path to market.
Hooman Banaei
Everix Optical Filters, UNITED STATES
Ultra-thin Absorptive Optical Filters for Wide-Field-of-View Miniaturized Cameras, Sensors and Spectrometers
We present ultra-thin absorptive OD6+ filters, produced by thermally drawing an absorptive semiconductor material within a polymer-encapsulated structure with two orders of magnitude higher blocking than conventional color optical filters for the same thickness. The resulting ultra-thin filter architecture reduces packaging constraints and stray-light risk while enhancing field of view and signal for spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging, and optical sensing.
High-optical-density absorptive filters are essential when strong blocking is required without reflecting unwanted light back into the optical path. This is important in spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging, and optical sensing, where reflected or leaked out-of-band light can raise background noise, create ghost signal, and reduce measurement fidelity. A key limitation of conventional bulk absorptive filters is that higher optical density is typically achieved by increasing thickness, which enlarges the optical stack, complicates integration in compact systems, reduces field of view and increases the edge area and material volume available for unwanted light interaction.
Here we present an ultra-thin absorptive filter architecture that reaches OD6+ while avoiding the thickness drawback of conventional bulk absorptive elements. The filters are manufactured by thermally drawing an absorptive semiconductor material and encapsulating it between polymer sheets, forming a thin, mechanically contained structure with strong attenuation in the targeted wavelength range. The reduced thickness supports shorter optical paths, easier integration into space-constrained assemblies, and lower edge-driven stray-light risk than conventional thick absorptive filters. The absorptive material is also selected for low/near-zero autofluorescence under the intended illumination conditions, helping minimize background in fluorescence-sensitive systems.
For spectroscopy, these filters can improve compact order-sorting implementations by providing strong blocking in layouts where a conventional thick absorptive element would increase path length, packaging difficulty, and stray light. For fluorescence imaging and sensing, the combination of high blocking and low/near-zero autofluorescence helps suppress excitation leakage and background, improving contrast and signal detection in low-light measurements. More broadly, the work shows that high-OD absorptive filtering does not need to be tied to the thickness and integration penalties traditionally associated with bulk absorptive glass filters.
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Special Events
| Monday, 13 July | Tuesday, 14 July | Wednesday, 15 July | Thursday, 16 July | Friday, 17 July | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congress Reception | 18:30 - 19:45 | ||||
| Optica Technical Group Workshop on Current Challenges and Opportunities in Adaptive Optics | 12:00 - 13:00 | ||||
| Optica Fabrication and Testing Rapid-Fire Presentation Challenge Event on From Surface to System: The Manufacturing Perspective | 12:00 - 13:00 | ||||
| From Sensor to Science: What Is Limiting the Impact of Remote Sensing Today? | 17:00 - 18:30 | ||||
| Walking Dinner at the Château | 18:30 - 21:00 | ||||
| Quantum Photonics for Startups & SMEs | 11:00 - 16:00 | ||||
| Lab Tour: ETpathfinder R&D Field Lab | 12:30 - 16:30 | ||||
| Congress Closing Toast | 15:30 - 16:00 |
Congress Reception
Monday, 13 July 18:30 - 19:45
Lobby North, Praetorium
Join fellow attendees as we kick off a week of insightful technical exchange and collaboration with drinks and light bites. The ImageSense Congress Reception is where ideas take shape and connections begin.
Optica Technical Group Workshop on Current Challenges and Opportunities in Adaptive Optics
Tuesday, 14 July 12:00 - 13:00
0.9 Athens Room
The Optica Laser Systems Technical Group invites Optica members to join Dr. Kevin Murphy, Associate Professor, TU Dublin (Technological University Dublin) to discuss current challenges in wavefront sensing for atmospheric propagation. After a short overview, participants are encouraged to identify research challenges that might be addressed through cross-disciplinary engagement. Optica Members Only.
Optica Fabrication and Testing Rapid-Fire Presentation Challenge Event on From Surface to System: The Manufacturing Perspective
Wednesday, 15 July 12:00 - 13:00
0.2 Berlin-0.3 Copenhagen
This session will provide a focused platform for those working in optical fabrication, precision machining, freeform and diffractive optics, waveguide systems, surface metrology, and imaging system integration. Selected participants will deliver concise 3–5 minutes presentations highlighting fabrication challenges, innovative testing methods, and the impact of manufacturing tolerances on imaging performance. Optica Members Only. RSVP here.
From Sensor to Science: What Is Limiting the Impact of Remote Sensing Today?
Wednesday, 15 July 17:00 - 18:30
3-Berlin/Copenhagen
What is the biggest challenge that limits the impact of remote sensing technology? Is it radiometric accuracy/traceability, algorithm robustness (debates over ML vs. physics-based), complexity of the data, problems with validation and uncertainty quantification, lack of commonly agreed/applied standards, or something else?
Panelists
Robin Cole
EarthDaily Analytics, CANADA
Jeremy Kravitz
Pixxel Space, UNITED STATES
Erin Hestir
University of California Merced, UNITED STATES
Kristen Cote
Wyvern, CANADA
Peter Liu
ITRES Research Limited, CANADA
Andrea Vander Woude
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Res Lab, UNITED STATES
Malik Chami
Sorbonne University, FRANCE
Walking Dinner at the Château
Wednesday, 15 July 18:30 - 21:00
Château Neercanne
Join us for a memorable evening at the historic Château Neercanne, where timeless elegance, scenic surroundings, and exceptional hospitality come together for one of the Congress’s signature social events.
Set just outside the city in a truly distinctive setting, the Walking Dinner at the Château offers attendees the opportunity to experience regional cuisine and thoughtfully selected beverages while exploring the unique ambiance of this landmark venue. Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy a progressive dining experience designed to encourage conversation, connection, and discovery in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. The evening will feature fine wines and delicious courses served throughout a progressive dining experience as guests journey through the Château’s atmospheric cave wine cellar before continuing into the sprawling courtyard and gardens for an unforgettable evening of conversation, cuisine, and connection.
Whether reconnecting with colleagues, meeting new peers from across the global community, or simply taking in the historic surroundings, this special evening provides a memorable complement to the scientific program and a chance to experience the charm and culture of the region alongside fellow congress attendees.
Transportation will be provided and attendees can register for a ticket on the congress registration page. Limited Capacity.
Quantum Photonics for Startups & SMEs
Friday, 17 July 11:00 - 16:00
Workshop: 11:00 – 14:30
Networking: 14:30 – 16:00
On 17 July 2026, ChipNL CC is co-organizing a complimentary half-day workshop alongside the Optica ImageSense Congress at The Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Centre. The workshop is jointly hosted with FiCCC (Finland) and AT-C3 (Austria), three of Europe's national Chips Competence Centres.
The workshop is free of charge and open to all. Whether you are a startup founder, SME, researcher, or ecosystem partner in photonics or quantum technologies, this event provides direct access to Europe's growing chips ecosystem, including funding opportunities, support programs, Competence Centre networks and valuable networking with peers across the community.
What to Expect
Introduction to the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) ecosystem, including opportunities for startups and SMEs
Overview of funding pathways, including Chips JU, EU Pilot Lines, Competence Centre programs and national funding schemes
Insights into skills development and training services offered through the European Chips Competence Centres
Networking lunch with professionals from industry, research and investment
Registration Required: Although this workshop is free to attend, space is limited. Please add the workshop to your Optica ImageSense conference registration and complete your RSVP on the workshop registration page to reserve your spot.
Lab Tour: ETpathfinder R&D Field Lab
Friday, 17 July 12:30 - 16:30
Registered attendees are invited to visit the ETpathfinder R&D Field Lab, a unique cryogenic laser-interferometer facility located on the University of Maastricht campus. The lab supports the development and validation of next-generation technologies for gravitational-wave detection, including precision measurement techniques and innovations in photonics, lasers and optics.
ETpathfinder will be a testing ground for laser interferometry, the technique used to detect and measure gravitational waves. A laser beam is split into two and reflected by mirrors at the ends of the “arms”. The two beams then come together again and are collected on a detector. When they do so, they either cancel out one another on the detector or are amplified. This depends on the difference in length between the arms. When a gravitational wave passes it distorts space-time by a minuscule amount so that one of the arms is very briefly a tiny bit shorter than the other. This produces a flicker in the signal, which the detector picks up: the gravitational wave’s fingerprint.
The laboratory is a short 3-5 minute walk from the Maastricht Convention Center.
RSVP when registering for the Congress!
Congress Closing Toast
Friday, 17 July 15:30 - 16:00
As the Congress comes to a close, join fellow attendees for a complimentary celebratory Closing Toast as we reflect on an inspiring week of scientific exchange, collaboration and connection. Raise a glass with colleagues and new acquaintances alike as we celebrate the conversations, discoveries, and community that made this year’s Congress memorable. Bubbly beverages will be served immediately following the last sessions in the lobby.
