The fifteenth Annual Meeting of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society (LEOS) will be held from November 10-14, in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. This meeting will be the first annual meeting held outside the United States of America, to reflect the Society’s growing overseas membership and activities. To further promote global participation, LEOS is now offering registration fees reduced by up to 75% based on World Bank country classifications.

Submissions to the conference continue to be strong, and the technical sessions promise to be as vigorous as ever. Four plenary talks to kick-off the meeting are “New Age Fibre Crystals” by Philip St. J. Russel of the University of Bath, “Advances in Vertical-Cavity and Widely-Tunable Lasers using InP-Based PIC Technology” by Larry A. Coldren of the University of California, Santa Barbara, “The Future of Optical Communications” by Shigeyuki Akiba of KDDI Submarine Cable Systems, and “Optical Sciences in Scotland” by John Marsh of the University of Glasgow. A record number of the special symposia for this year’s meeting cover a variety of “hot” topic areas: 40 Gb/s Systems – the Next Frontier in Optical Communications, Lasers in Medicine & Biology, Photonics Time/Frequency Metrology, Nonlinear Optics for Coherent Sources from THz Radiation to X-Rays, Agile Optical Beams and Applications, and Photonic Integration. Moreover, the above six special symposia and the sixteen regular technical sessions will feature a large selection of invited talks, the hallmark of the LEOS Annual Meeting, to cover a wide range of disciplines under LEOS.

For new entrants to the field as well as those wishing to expand their technical scope, we offer on Sunday six short courses taught by recognized technical experts. They are “Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers: Technologies and Applications” by Fumio Koyama of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, “40 GB/sec Technologies” by Leda Lunardi of JDS Uniphase and Alan Willner, “Design of AWGs for Multiplexing, Demultiplexing, Power-monitoring, Dispersion Compensation, Gain-flattening and other Applications” by Henk Bulthuis and Martin Amersfoort of Kymata , “Wavelength-tunable Laser Diodes for Optical Communications” by Markus C. Amman of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, “Optical Beam-forming for Phased-Array Antennas” by Henry Zmuda of the University of Florida, “Design of EDFAs, Raman Modules and Hybrid Raman/EDFA Amplifiers” by Doug Butler of Corning.

The purpose of this annual meeting is to give LEOS members an opportunity to gather together to present and discuss their work. The informal atmosphere encourages introduction and interaction. All conference attendees are invited to attend the Monday evening conference reception and awards ceremony for an evening of food and fun and a chance to connect with friends and colleagues. We hope you will take the time to join us in Glasgow, Scotland, this year, to enjoy one of the liveliest and most cosmopolitan destinations in Europe and, of course, to attend the conference. You can find more information regarding the Annual Meeting at the LEOS website, http://www.i-leos-org/. See you in Glasgow, Scotland.

Topic areas are as follows:

Displays

“Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Displays”. The workshop is going to be primarily focused on organic electroluminescent devices and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. OLED based flat panel displays are rapidly reaching commercialization. OLEDs are being actively explored for applications in solid state lighting and imaging applications. In addition to displays, organic electronics is rapidly emerging as an important topic, so materials and device research activities in OLEDs will enhance growth in organic electronics.

The Electro-Optic Sensors and Systems program includes papers by world class scientists and engineers on research, development and applications of optical, electro-optical, and optoelectronic systems and sensors for ultra fast systems, 3D display, 3D data processing, information systems, security systems, radar, and image and data sensing. There will be sessions which include papers describing systems and techniques for high speed information processing and communications systems, optical interconnects, light modulators, smart pixels for information processing, optical storage/memory for information systems, three dimensional imaging systems, three dimensional image recognition, adaptive optics, radar, fiber optics sensors, and imaging systems for intelligent transportation systems.

The integrated optics and optoelectronics sub-committee has put together an excellent program covering a broad range of relevant topics, including a special symposium on Photonic Integration. There is increasing interest in the field of photonic crystals for possible applications in photonic routing and signal processing. Enabling devices are highlighted through invited and contributed papers. High speed modulation, optical amplification, and a variety of filter technologies are also covered in invited as well as contributed talks by experts and researchers in these fields.

Microwave Photonics

Microwave and millimeter-wave photonic technologies are critical for high-speed fiber and wireless communications, and remote sensing applications. Photonic techniques are now used for the generation, transmission, detection, and processing of millimeter-wave signals with carrier frequencies exceeding 100 GHz. This year’s 9 invited and 7 contributed papers on microwave photonics are divided into sessions covering radio-over-fiber communications, advanced components, antennas and receivers, and novel measurement techniques. Specific topics include millimeter-wave signal transmission, optical sampling and down-conversion, optoelectronic antennas, high-speed lasers and modulators, and microwave spectrum analysis.

Nonlinear Optics

Nonlinear Optics – LEOS 2002 has over 30 papers evenly distributed between invited and contributed papers. There will be two sessions on nonlinear effects in micro- and nanostructured materials, which will include photonic crystal fibers and quasi-phase matched materials. Another session will be on nonlinear effects in lasers impacting the design and dynamical effects influencing applications. There will be a session on spatial and temporal solitons. A session on nonlinear optical materials will include talks on the steering of molecules by multiphoton coherent control, and tailoring of the complex nonlinear index of organic, polymeric, and nanostructured materials. The remaining sessions are focused on nonlinear interactions, including ultrafast optical signal processing using semiconductor quantum dot amplifiers, all-optical switching using near-infrared intersubband transitions in quantum wells, and analytical solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with gain.

Optical Communications

This year’s sessions in Optical Communications cover a broad range of topics from optical components to high capacity networks. Among the highlights will be sessions on nonlinear-effects in optical communications systems, optical components, polarization mode dispersion, fiber and semiconductor amplifiers, and wavelength conversion. New topics include discussions on the progress in optical signal processing, improving spectral efficiency and reducing nonlinear interactions in optical fiber transmission systems. Eleven technical sessions running over all four days of the conference will feature thirteen invited talks by leading experts in the field.

Optical Fiber & Planar Waveguide Technology

Optical communications networks increasingly require real time system optimization. Advances in optical fiber and planar waveguide technology are meeting this challenge. Four sessions in OFPW will cover these areas. One session will focus on advances in fiber optic switch technology. In another session, measurement and characterization science will be covered. Another session will cover new and novel components. These include, gratings and filters, dynamic gain equalizers, and PMD and dispersion compensators.

Optical Interconnect & Processing Systems

This year’s symposium on optical interconnects and processing systems highlights a variety of new and exciting technologies and applications. The symposium consists of 5 sessions featuring both invited and contributed papers from around the world. One session will focus on optoelectronic switching systems featuring both passive all-optical and regenerative optoelectronic methods. The optical interconnects session contains two invited talks on the latest in VCSEL arrays and applications to PCB interconnects. The system design and modeling session will highlight analytic and CAD design methods for optimizing system design. Finally there will be two sessions covering novel devices and materials, featuring invited talks on novel techniques using nanophotonics, MEMs, and holographic-based technologies.

Optical Networks & Systems

Tremendous interest in high capacity transmission systems and optical networks has been fueled by unprecedented growth in data and internet traffic. Advances in network architectures and device technology enable the transition from point-to-point systems to optical networking. The Optical Networks and Systems committee is addressing this trend with sessions focusing on optical crossconnects, modeling of optical networks, and advanced devices and network concepts. In addition, there is a special session on visionary/future optical networking services and technologies. These sessions are anchored by more than a dozen invited talks by noted experts in the field.

Optoelectronic Materials & Processing

Optical Materials and Processing papers cover a wide range of applications and topics including crystal growth of semiconductor materials and nanostructures as well as emerging device fabrication of gratings, photonic crystals and quantum well intermixing. Invited papers cover spin opto-electronics, long-wavelength materials, InP photonic circuits and photonic crystal development. Contributed papers span topics ranging from microcavity emitters for blue to infrared wavelengths to advances in intermixing technologies for device integration.

Four Optoelectronic Packaging, Manufacturing and Reliability sessions will feature exciting selected presentations from 16 speakers. A session dealing with design and reliability of MEMs and wavelength lockers will set the stage for sessions dealing with progress toward component and module reliability, low cost packaging and manufacturing. Presentations in these sessions treat a variety of packaging issues including: platform technology, assembly and automation. Two sessions covering the issues involved in manufacturing and reliability of low-cost components, modules, and optoelectronic packages conclude these sessions.

Photodetectors & Imaging
The five sessions of Photodetectors and Imaging will include seven invited and fifteen contributed papers with topics ranging from new device structures and material systems to novel approaches to photoreceiver design and integration. Presentations will include advances in ultra-high speed detectors, highly linear detectors, theoretical and experimental work on avalanche photodiodes, and photoreceivers employing both hybrid and monolithic integration. A full session will be dedicated to progress on silicon-based photodetectors for silicon IC integration, and progress in detectors and arrays for long-wavelength imaging will also be presented.

Semiconductor Lasers
Semiconductor lasers continue to be heavily studied with important new developments being rapidly commercialized. At the 2002 LEOS Annual Meeting, this area comprises nine different sessions including ten invited presentations and approximately thirty contributed presentations. New research results will be presented in the already commercially important technology areas of high power lasers, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and grating-based lasers for telecommunications and other applications.

In addition, new diode laser research areas are particularly emphasized. Several invited and contributed presentations are in the emerging areas of ultrafast and terahertz laser diodes. Recent results that address the utilization of novel III-V nitride materials in long wavelength edge emitting and vertical cavity lasers are presented. Finally, leading researchers in the areas of quantum dots for lasers and photonic crystal semiconductor lasers will introduce their work in two sessions devoted to these topics.

Short Wavelength and Gas Lasers
This session will highlight new development in the generation of coherent soft x-ray, VUV and UV radiation. Advances in the generation of soft x-ray radiation by high order harmonics, soft x-ray lasers and femtosecond x-rays from a synchrotron will be reported. They will focus on the high brightness, energy scaling of the high order harmonic generation, tunability, and saturated amplification. In addition to the generation of soft x-ray radiation, their novel applications such as time-resolved probing of plasma created by femtosecond laser pulse and the study of structural dynamics in condensed matter will be discussed. Significant advances in the UV and VUV radiation will be reported as well. Development of high-power cw 252 nm coherent light sources for laser cooling of silicon atoms will be presented. High-power 157 nm discharge-pumped molecular fluorine lasers for microlithography of LSI will be reported as well.

Solid State Lasers
This section will highlight emerging and novel technologies in solid state lasers. Sessions will cover recent developments in high power lasers, novel laser architectures, fiber laser, diode-pumping and materials for non-linear conversion. These papers reflect the maturing states of the solid state laser field, with most papers representing the state-of-the-art in their technology area. Research results include development of UV and visible solid state lasers, non-linear optics, novel fiber lasers, unique cavity configurations, and short pulse lasers.

Special Symposium – Lasers in Medicine & Biology
This symposium consists of four sessions focused on some of the hot topics in medical optics. These topics deal with the use of optical coherence tomography for imaging in a manner that allows penetration of the surface of a material; optical and Raman spectroscopy; fluorescent imaging; novel biophotonics and cell growth sensors; biophotonic film assembly and gene modulation; photonic microinstrumentation and practical problems in dentistry. This series of talks will bring both experts and novices up to speed on this field which is rapidly growing.

Special Symposium – Photonics Time-Frequency Metrology
The Special Symposium on Photonics Time-Frequency Metrology highlights exciting new developments in this emerging field. There are seven invited papers, one tutorial, and seven contributed papers, organized in four sessions. The first session of the Symposium begins with a tutorial on the subject of precision measurements through control of the phase and frequency of mode-locked lasers. The tutorial is followed by an invited talk on the latest developments in connecting the optical frequency domain with the RF domain. The second session is devoted to ultra-short pulse metrology, and characterization of phase and amplitude of optical pulses. This session includes two invited presentations and two contributed ones. The third session of the symposium is organized around the subject of optical frequency standards, with an invited talk on recent results with optical clocks, and four contributed papers describing optical frequency references in various regions of the spectrum. The last session is on the subject of ultra-low timing jitter. Three invited papers describe generation, characterization, and applications of low jitter signals, with a contributed paper on characterization of noise. The four sessions represent a forum where critical aspects of frequency-time metrology are addressed, and where emerging new directions are emphasized.

Special Symposium – Nonlinear Optics for Coherent Sources from THz Radiation to X-Rays
Starting with convenient visible or near-infrared laser sources, researchers have traditionally relied on nonlinear optics, through processes such as harmonic and parametric generation, to extend the available spectral range of coherent sources. It is the purpose of this symposium to present recent progress in the coherent generation and detection of radiation from the soft x-rays to the THz region and their applications. In three sessions, the role of nonlinear optics in broadening the spectrum of coherent radiation is highlighted. The first session includes a tutorial about the use of x-ray radiation for time resolved studies of excited matter. The second session gives an overview of the exciting new area of attosecond metrology including high-harmonic generation extending into the soft x-ray region. The third session is devoted to the generation, detection and application of far-infrared and THz radiation.

Special Symposium – Agile Optical Beams and Applications
The focus of this special symposium is to report recent research and technology developments related to the area of agile laser beams. Papers are solicited in works for basic materials, optical beam control devices, and systems using agile optical beams. Example materials include liquid crystals, and optical micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication materials. Devices include chip-scale, integrated optic, and bulk-type optical beamformers using for example the mentioned materials. System applications of interest for agile beams include, for example, laser communications, laser radar, and infrared countermeasures and tracking.

Special Symposium – 40 Gb/s
This year, there will be a special symposium on 40 Gb/s transmission systems. The sessions are highlighted by one tutorial and 8 invited talks intended to provide insight into current research and commercial deployment of 40 Gb/s systems.

Special Symposium – Photonic Integration
Photonic Integration can offer the benefits of increased functionality at a lower cost. Highlighting this fact, we have organized a “ Special Symposium on Photonic Integration “, that opens with a tutorial titled “High Density Integrated Optics” by Prof. Herman Haus of MIT, to set the stage. Seven invited talks offer an excellent overview of this very important area of research and application. The presentations offer an even balance between the future promise of Photonic crystals and the more mature integration methods in use today. The four contributed papers selected complement the invited talks to round out this Symposium on Integration.

Ultrafast Optics & Electronics
The ultrafast optics and electronics community continues to be very active, with a program consisting of five sessions with eight invited and thirteen contributed papers focusing on the latest advances in the field of ultrafast phenomena and technology. Some of the ways in which ultrafast optoelectronics plays an increasingly important role are highlighted in a session on broadband femtosecond techniques, which includes an invited talk on the origin of supercontinuum generation in microstructured fibers. These have recently produced a unique coupling between the ultrafast and metrology communities (see the Special Symposium on Photonics Time/Frequency Metrology). Terahertz science and technology is well represented in several sessions covering new terahertz tools and techniques applied to imaging, biology and semiconductor spectroscopy (see also the Special Symposium on Nonlinear Optics for Coherent Sources from THz Radiation to X-rays).\ New techniques in the generation and characterization of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses are covered in several sessions which include invited papers on arbitrary waveform synthesis and high repetition rate sources.