Laser technology

Feature story

Internationally renowned scientist says the CSIR was 'her lifeline' Winner of the Africa-Arab State 2009 L'Oreal-Unesco Award for Women in Science, Professor Tebello Nyokong, says her collaboration with the CSIR "marked a turning point in her career". We took a deeper look into her rise to fame.

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Novel method for efficient industrial laser paint stripping Micro-optics research at the CSIR has led to the successful design and implementation of a novel optical solution for efficient industrial paint stripping. The development was as a result of laser physicist, Dr Andrew Forbes, of the mathematical optics team taking their micro-optics research a step further via a partnership with a supplier.

A new spin on old technologies published in Nature: Quantum info processing Dr Hermann Uys, a CSIR National Laser Centre bursar, along with his collaborators Drs Michael Biercuk and John Bollinger at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US have illustrated techniques that could become key ingredients in robust quantum information processing and other quantum control devices.

Mathematical optics outreach to Africa In keeping with its commitment to build much-needed scarce laser-based skills on the continent, the CSIR National Laser Centre's mathematical optics group hosted a short course on 'Introduction to Laser Beams' for delegates from across the African continent in March 2009.