ISE has completed work on our laser optics test bench. The focal point is our newly built one-watt Class IV 655nm continuous wave (CW) laser capable of high levels of visible illumination and particle scatter in our laboratory research.

Our big scary laser, besides being used for holography experiments, the study of various gas transition phases under examination in the lab, and the detection of damage in specially and generally orthotropic composites, has the uncanny ability to burn through gloved hands, ignite dark objects, ruin digital cameras if not properly positioned, heat water, and oh yes, blind you instantly. Needless to say, an entire set of safety protocols and interlocks has been incorporated into the design to keep the experiments safe. Despite this, we've been having a lot of fun tinkering around with it and figuring out ways to incorporate it into different research projects.

Up until about a decade ago, a one-watt CW laser would have been confined only to the largest research complexes or university settings. Hat's off to the inventor of the laser diode. The photo, done for visual effect, shows the effect of the laser being shined lengthwise through a simple glass prism.

What's New at ISE...

Lighting & Photometric AssessmentsISE provides a complete range of lighting and photometric services geared towards commercial and industrial comp...
Historic Preservation Services at ISEISE’s historical preservation services are a natural extension of our structural dynamics services which we hav...
 Lots of people have heard of the Horton Grand Hotel in downtown San Diego, CA. Here\'s a view of the hotel that not too many people see - a view from...
Structural Risk AssessmentISE’s structural risk assessment services are a natural extension of our structural dynamics services. We take the concept...
Environmental Vibration Solutions at ISEISE is a recognized leader in mechanical and dynamic vibration analysis, and has a full range of portable moda...
Environmental Noise Control at ISEISE provides a full spectrum of acoustical consulting services necessary for compliance with environmental regulatio...
ISE has again raised the environmental bar to new levels by adding Mass Spectrometry to our list of in-house air quality monitoring services. Our SRS ...
The following article is an opinion piece that reflects the scientific thoughts of the author. It is my opinion based upon my review of the science an...
Laboratory Shake Table Testing at ISEISE houses a complete dynamic analysis laboratory consisting of an APS Dynamics long stroke shake table, capable...
Phase I ESA\'s & Environmental Due DiligenceISE provides a broad suite of environmental site assessment and due diligence services geared towards c...
Structural Dynamics Analysis at ISEISE is a recognized expert in the field of structural and soil dynamics having developed several cutting-edge techn...
Acoustical Analysis & DesignISE\'s staff is formally trained in the requisite fields of acoustics, fluid mechanics, and gas dynamics allowing us to...
ISE\'s Noise Monitoring & Noise Control SolutionsISE specializes in custom noise control and monitoring solutions for every imaginable industry app...
Kinetic & Kinematic Analyses at ISEAt the heart of any forensic problem involving the laws of physics are two fundamental quantities: the path of ...
Physical Laboratory Services Available at ISEISE maintains a secure physical science laboratory traceable to standards set forth by the American Natio...
The ISE Rayleigh Wave (R-Wave) seismic vibration prediction model hit another milestone in 2011 in development by being able to accurately predict sur...
We\'re not sure how well this works, but you have the give the City of San Francisco a \'A\' for effort.This sign is located at the bottom of Lombard Str...
Environmental GIS Solutions at ISEISE provides a comprehensive set of cost-effective Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping services built around...
Computational Fluid Dynamics at ISEISE are experts in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wave propagation analysis. We utilize, and h...
Environmental Impact ReportingAll of ISE’s technical services are available in a variety of environmental formats to satisfy local, state, and feder...

Featured Video Clip (Shock Wave)

A video taken by ISE showing the supersonic expansion of high pressure natural gas in a pipeline. 

The shock wave is clearly visible at the 1:00 min mark as a white cloud above the end of the pipe and produces an acoustic overpressure of close to 140 dB - which is as loud as a rocket engine.