In my spare time I like to make videos on technical subjects, which are published on the Huygens Optics Youtube Channel. Below you will find a list of the video projects of the past year.
Why is this space telescope so tiny?
October 15, 2021
Interview with Rik ter Horst who is an optical engineer at NOVA-Astron. The subject is the manufacture of very small telescopes which he makes completely by hand for use in satellites. In addition, the video contains an introduction on the principle of Cassegrain- and Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes.
Making OLED Displays
September 2nd, 2021
The video discusses the theory of operation of OLEDs and also shows how they can be made in pratice, with the use of photolithography with a 3D printer and thin layer deposition using physical vapor deposition.
How big is a visible photon?
July 5th, 2021
In this video I discuss the behavior of photons/electromagnetic waves especially the aspect of interference. At the same time, I wanted to set an error straight that was presented in a previous video. The video involved ("Photons in Radio Waves and Visible Light"),
contained a mis-intepretation of the observed phenomenon. The current video not only exposes the flaw, but presents a better explanation.
DIY Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) using Thermal Evaporation
May 20th, 2021
This video discusses the building process of a system for doing Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD).
Etching tiny patterns in glass using hydrofluoric acid (HF)
Feb 23rd, 2021
This video contains an overview of some glass etching experiments I did with Buffered Oxide Etch (HF / NH4F).
Just for the record: the video is not meant as an encouragement to start experimenting with concentrated HF yourself.
Making Optical Logic Gates using Interference
Jan 16th, 2021
In this video I am looking into the idea of using optical interference to construct different kinds of logic gates, both from a conceptual- as well as from the practical perspective.
HUYGENS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: Analog Television Equipment (& Nostalgia)
Dec 16th, 2020
This video is a bit different from my previous videos and not related to optics.
I made it purely out of interest for older (analog) equipment and technology.
It discusses the principles behind analog TV transmission technology, such as color encoding in composite video signals and RF transmission and modulation methods.
Photons in Radio Waves and Visible Light
Oct 30th, 2020
Experiments with interference of radio waves and visible light.
This video shows single-photon interference with 2 slits and 2 paths having different lengths. Unfortunately, i contains a few errors, sorry about this.
1) The explanation in the video at 13:23 was based on speculation without any scientific proof. For a better explanation, please refer to the follow-up of this video, which can be found in the follow-up video: How big is a visible photon?
2) Another flaw in the video is the conclusion about the 2-laser interference experiment (which I confusingly refer to as the 2-photon interference). Basically the average intensities should always add up, regardless whether there is visible interference or not between the 2 lasers. The fact that we don't observe it is caused by the relatively large difference in frequency between the two lasers.
The Real Double Slit Experiment.
Oct 5th, 2020
This video gives a different perspective on a more than 200 years old experiment and discusses in detail both the experiment itself, as well as the quantum mechanics behind it.
In the video I show you how you can use a microscope to visualize the wave propagation and the development of the spatial probability distribution for the multi- and single photon experiment.
WARNING: do not attempt to repeat this experiment without using a camera! Looking at laser beams under a microscope with your bare eyes instead of a camera can kill your eyesight instantly and leave you blind for the rest of you life.
Building a Small Cleanroom for Photolithography.
Sep 17th, 2020
This video describes the design- and build process of a small cleanroom space for my workshop.
In addition to facilitating working more cleanly, it also allows for working with dangerous substances, such as strong fuming acids, and can be used for processing photoresists.
It's build from approx. 5m2 of trespa plate material and uses a HEPA filter and a fan to achieve a steady supply of clean air.
Fourier Optics used for Optical Pattern Recognition
Jul 25th, 2020
Optical Fourier transformations were performed using small lithographic patterns of different characters. A DLP projector can be used as a Fourier filter to do simple pattern recognition.
Light Waves Visualized using Photon Sieves.
Jun 29, 2020
The video shows how the optical wave front of a laser beam can be shaped by means of DIY photon sieves.
It also shows how the quality and sharpness of the focal point in a diffraction pattern can be influenced by the number of diffractive apertures in the photon sieve surface.
Making a Mirror with a Variable Surface Shape.
Jun 14, 2020
Video about making a small glass-ceramic mirror with a variable surface shape.
Some concepts in this video have been pictured in a somewhat simplified manner to make it more accessible to a less specialized audience.
