Spider in the web
For many Remote Sensing applications, the optics and detector are at the heart of the instrument. As an optical instrument scientist you are therefore often involved in many expects of the instruments design, development, calibration and commissioning. What I love about this function is that I therefore need to have detailed discussions with many different experts. Whether it is on mechanical design, electronic effects inside a detector or control software. It is crucial that I understand the issues or possibilities and can communicate with all these different people to make the best possible instrument.
Photonic Crystals
Did you ever looked closely at a butterfly wing or beetle and saw a beautiful rainbow sheen? These are photonic crystals! Tiny repetitive structures smaller than a 1 micron. The electromagnetic oscillations inside the structure give rise to colorful transmissions and reflections. We can make this crystals in a lab use them to improve instruments. Together with other optical instrument scientists I develop novel types of instruments to measure trace gases and aerosols, based on these photonic crystal filters.
