APD 2026 RESOURCES

Arizona Photonics Days 2026 Resources

Click on the links below to download the PDF versions of the presentations from Dropbox. The photos and presentations are password protected, the password was included in the email announcing the availability of the Resources page. If you do not have the password and attended APD 2026, please email info@opticsvalleyaz.org to request the password.

Please keep in mind that video or animated content in the live presentation may not be available in the PDF version. If a technical presentation is not linked, there is no presentation available for distribution.

These presentations are provided as a general conference resource for attendees of the 9th annual Arizona Photonics Days. All presentations remain the work of the presenters/authors. Any further use or distribution is only with the express consent of the presenters/authors.

To access photos from the 9th annual Arizona Photonics Days, view and download from here.

Additional event photos are still being submitted, and will continue to be reviewed and added to this folder—bookmark for easy future access!

All photos are copyright protected and no commercial use is allowed without express written consent.

Other Arizona Photonics Days 2026 resources available for viewing and downloading:

Session Chair Bios
Technical Abstracts
Technical Presentations (opens Dropbox folder or download individual presentations below)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026

BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY SESSION

[BIO-01] Advancing Biomedical Research through Mid-Infrared Photothermal Microscopy

Presenter: Yeran Bai, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona

[BIO-02] Gradient-Based Channelized Ideal Observers for Objective Assessment of Biomedical Imaging Systems

Presenter: Weimin Zhou, PhD., Assistant Professor, University of Arizona

[BIO-03] Optical Coherence Elastography for Ex Vivo Detection of Human Gastric Cancer and Dysplasia

Presenter: Alana Gonzales, PhD Student, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona

[BIO-04] Portable Confocal Microscope: A Low-Cost and Non-Invasive Clinical Diagnostic Tool

Presenter: Momoka Sugimura, PhD Candidate, University of Arizona

[BIO-05] Multiphoton Microscopy Using a Green Femtosecond Laser

Presenter: Lam T. Nguyen, Graduate Researcher, Wyant College of Optical Science, University of Arizona

PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND SENSORS SESSION

[PIC-01] Co-Packaged Optics Scaling with Advanced Packaging

Presenter: Kumar Abhishek Singh, Principal Engineer, Intel Corporation

[PIC-02] Beam and Image Steering with MEMS SLMs for Display, LiDAR, and Communication

Presenter: Yuzuru Takashima, Professor, College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona

[PIC-03] Design-for-Test Architectures and Techniques for Silicon Photonic Circuits

Presenter: Pratishtha Agnihotri, Assistant Research Technologist, Arizona State University

[PIC-04] Next Generation Commodity and Precision Plastic Optics from Sulfur Petrochemicals

Presenter: Jeffrey Pyun, Professor, University of Arizona

[PIC-05] Phase-Change Material Integration on SAW Delay Lines for Reconfigurable Topological Acoustic RF Devices

Presenter: Howard Yawit, University of Arizona

[PIC-06] High Performance Microwave Photonic Systems Using Hybrid Integration Between Low Loss Silicon Nitride and InP

Presenter: Robert Grootjans, MSc., LioniX International BV

QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY SESSION

[QUA-01] KEYNOTE All-CMOS Fabricated Photonic Integrated Circuits for Utility Scale Quantum Information Processing with Atomic Qubits

Presenter: Matt Eichenfield, SPIE Endowed Professor, University of Arizona

[QUA-02] Heralded Quantum State Synthesis Using Brillouin Optomechanics

Presenter: Ryan Behunin, Associate Professor, Northern Arizona University

[QUA-03] Scaling Up Trapped-Ion Quantum Processors with Integrated Photonics

Presenter: Sara Campbell, Lead Physicist, Quantinuum

[QUA-04] Quantum Amplification Through Modulated Squeezing

Presenter: Christian Arenz, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026

LASER TECHNOLOGY SESSION

[LAS-01] High Energy Laser (HEL) Perspectives from a Recent Government Leader and Current Academic Researcher

Presenter: Mark F. Spencer, Professor of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona

[LAS-02] III-V Laser Diodes: Fundamentals, Applications and the Road Ahead

Presenter: Mark Crowley, Ph.D., Director of Device Technology, Leonardo Electronics US

[LAS-03] Extreme Photonics Applications Centre: A 10 Hz, PW-Class Facility Enabled by a High-Energy DPSSL Pump

Presenter: Gary Quinn, EngD, Senior Laser Scientist, Central Laser Facility, STFC

[LAS-04] Ultrafast Driver for inertial Fusion Energy

Presenter: Erhard Gaul, Director for Lasers, Marvel Fusion

METROLOGY AND SYSTEMS INTEGRATION SESSION

[METR-01] Spatial Integration Method for a Heterodyne Lateral Shearing Interferometer with Sub-Nanometer Resolution of Aspheric Surfaces

Presenter: Eric Goodwin, Fellow, Nikon Research Corporation of America (NRCA)

[METR-02] iPhone-based 3D Reconstruction System through IMU-Aided Structure-from-Motion for Manufacturing Inspection

Presenter: Vikrant Deo, Graduate Research Associate, Arizona State University

[METR-03] From Surfaces to Systems: Advanced Applications of CGHs

Presenter: Christine Muccianti, Ph.D., Applications Engineer, Arizona Optical Metrology, LLC

[METR-04] The Structured Light Autocollimator: Next-Generation Metrology Built on a Classical Tool

Presenter: Dr. Joel Berkson, President, Fringe Metrology

[METR-05] Bessel Beam vs Rotary Axis

Presenter: Robert Parks, President, Optical Perspectives Group

[METR-06] Model-Based Design and Virtual Prototyping for Optical Inspection Systems

Presenter: Matt Novak, Customer Success Manager, Keysight ODE | DES

ASTRONOMY SESSION

[AST-01] KEYNOTE The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument

Presenter: Dr. Arjun Dey, NSF's NOIRLab

[AST-02] Constellation of SmallSats with FUV and NUV Sensors to Map the Diffuse Gas Around Galaxies with Low-Cost Replicated Systems

Presenter: Dr. Aafaque Khan, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona

[AST-03] Detecting Exoplanets in the Long Wavelength Infrared

Presenter: Brittany Miles, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona

[AST-04] Real-Time Deep Neural Network Video Processing for Single-Shot RSO Detection, Classification, and Localization via Ellipse Regression

Presenter: Will Bidle, Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Rocket Lab

INVITED TALKS

University-Industry Collaboration in the Montana Optics Ecosystem

Presenter: Joe Shaw, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Optical Technology Center at Montana State University

Special Session: Public Policy Updates

Presenter: Jennifer O'Bryan, Government Affairs Director, SPIE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026

Facility Tours

University of Arizona campus, Tucson, Arizona

Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab

University of Arizona

Applied Research Building

University of Arizona

Nano Fabrication Center

University of Arizona

Painted Hills Trail Desert Hike

Minutes from Downtown Tucson

SHORT PRESENTATIONS BY BUSINESSES AND OTHER ENTITIES

4D Technology - Joanna Schmit

AOM - Shelby Ament

Arizona Technology Council - Karla Morales

Applied Energetics - Keeley Hurley

Critical Infrastructure Investments - Alex Dely

City of Tucson - Jacquelyne Vega

Colorado Photonics Industry Association - Jenna Montague

Edmund Optics - Jeff Walters

Gentec-EO - Felicien Legrand

FiberBridge Photonics

Foam Packaging Specialties - Paul Budde

Keysight - Matt Novak

Liquid Instruments - Keaton Firestone

Optical Perspectives - Bob Parks

PADT - Eric Miller

Quartus Engineering - Peter Pilarz

Rocket Lab - Will Bidle

Ruda Optical - James Webster

Southwest Center for Optics and Photonics (SCOP) - Scott Stewart

Southwest Mission Accelerator Center - Angelo Aspito

SPIE - John Yoon

The Chamber of Southern Arizona - Magan Howard

Town of Oro Valley - Paul Melcher

UA Wyant College of Optical Sciences - Brian Anderson

UA College of Engineering - Debbie Clagget

UA BIO5 Institute - Vignesh Subbian

UA Nano Fabrication Center - Greg Book

UA Space Institute - Erika Hamden

UA Tech Launch Arizona - Rich Weite

Vast Consulting Solutions - Holly Griffin

Vigo Photonics - Daniel Hirsh

Winsor Consulting - Viaggio Chavez

Zygo - Cory Boone

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