Grover Swartzlander is said to study darkness, not optics. But, if it is one then it’s no ordinary one, as it’s a kind of darkness that will allow astronomers to see the light. Allowing astronomers to study planets in nearby solar systems, Swartzlander is developing devices that block out dazzling starlight. He is an associate professor in The University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences.



Besides this, the devices may also prove valuable to optical microscopy and be used to protect camera and imaging systems from glare. The core of this technology is an “optical vortex mask”. The mask is actually a thin, tiny, transparent glass chip that is etched with a series of steps in a pattern similar to a spiral staircase.



Via: Physorg