Blog

Notes on optics, instrumentation, electronics, and scientific Python.

Occasional write-ups from the lab — coordinate transforms and beam analysis, low-noise photodetection and filtering, Arduino instrumentation, and Python for experimental data. Longer tutorials come in parts; some posts are runnable Jupyter notebooks.

Multiprocess performance of linear algebra and FFTs in Python

python

data analysis

signal processing

Benchmarking NumPy backends (Intel MKL) and multiprocessing for linear-algebra and FFT workloads, and when spreading work across cores actually pays off.

Python for experimental sciences — chapter II

python

experimental physics

data analysis

A brief tutorial on Python for experimental data analysis. Part two covers reading experimental data from files, analysing results, and writing simple reports in Jupyter.

Image conversion from cartesian to cylindrical coordinates

optics

python

Using NumPy to convert a beam image from cartesian to cylindrical coordinates.

Instalando o arduino, python e outros pacotes adicionais

arduino

python

kivy

Breve guia de instalação do arduino e do python para a disciplina de sensoriamento e controle.

Transimpedance amplifiers — application in optical sensing with photodiodes

electronics

arduino

instrumentation

optics

Transimpedance amplifiers convert currents into voltages — handy in optics experiments. Some electronics aspects of these circuits when amplifying photodiode signals.

Python for experimental sciences — chapter I

python

experimental physics

data analysis

A brief tutorial on Python for experimental data analysis. Part one covers installing Python and an introduction to several basic Python concepts.

RC filter cutoff frequency optimization

electronics

arduino

filters

instrumentation

The filter cutoff (3 dB point) should be chosen at the signal frequency under quite general circumstances, both for high-pass and low-pass filters.