Centro de Investigaciones en Optica (also known as CIO) is a research center in the field of

optics Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultraviole ...

which is a branch of

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

. CIO is located in the city of Leon in the state of

Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

(approximately at 21°09'12.02"N 101°42'15.84"W). It also has an industrial research facility in the city of Aguascalientes.

History

It was founded in 1980

Research

The center has 62 researchers. It is split into two sub-departments known as "divisions" which are Optics and Photonics.

Optics

In this division researchers are dedicated to problems in

classical optics Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultravio ...

, optical design and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

holography Holography is a technique that enables a wavefront to be recorded and later re-constructed. Holography is best known as a method of generating real three-dimensional images, but it also has a wide range of other applications. In principle, i ...

interferometry Interferometry is a technique which uses the ''interference'' of superimposed waves to extract information. Interferometry typically uses electromagnetic waves and is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy, fiber opt ...

polarimetry Polarimetry is the measurement and interpretation of the polarization of transverse waves, most notably electromagnetic waves, such as radio or light waves. Typically polarimetry is done on electromagnetic waves that have traveled through or ...

vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain un ...

, etc.

Photonics

In this division researchers are dedicated to problems in optical properties of

matter In classical physics and general chemistry, matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume. All everyday objects that can be touched are ultimately composed of atoms, which are made up of interacting subatomic partic ...

optical fiber An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to ...

nanomaterials * Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 and 100 nm (the usual definition of nanoscale). Nanomaterials research takes a materials science-based approach to nan ...

ultrafast optics In optics, an ultrashort pulse, also known as an ultrafast event, is an electromagnetic pulse whose time duration is of the order of a picosecond (10−12 second) or less. Such pulses have a broadband optical spectrum, and can be created by m ...

, terahertz,

dynamic systems In mathematics, a dynamical system is a system in which a function describes the time dependence of a point in an ambient space. Examples include the mathematical models that describe the swinging of a clock pendulum, the flow of water in a p ...

photonic crystal A photonic crystal is an optical nanostructure in which the refractive index changes periodically. This affects the propagation of light in the same way that the structure of Crystal structure, natural crystals gives rise to X-ray crystallograp ...

s, etc.

Teaching

All the academic There are 3 graduate programmes offered by the center: * Master of Optomechatronics Om Is a recently created programme that aims to produce highly qualified graduates with a profile appropriate to work in industrial problems. * Master of Science (Optics) Sc Is a programme aims to produce highly qualified graduates with a profile appropriate to follow an academic career for teaching and if desired for research after a doctorate. * Doctor of Science (Optics) ScIs a programme aims to produce highly qualified researchers with a profile appropriate to follow an academic career. All three programmes include a number of courses that have to be fulfilled by the student followed by the preparation of a thesis which has to resolve an industrial (or related) problem in the case of the MOm degree or a research problem in the case of the other two programmes followed by an oral

thesis defense A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

Knowledge transfer

The ''direccion de tecnologia e inovacion'' manage the Centers's intellectual property portfolio, working with the Center researchers who wish to commercialise their work by identifying, protecting and marketing technologies through patenting and licensing as well as selling institutional consulting to companies. DTI provides researchers with commercial advice, funds patent applications and legal costs, negotiates third-party licences and identifies and manages consultancy opportunities for researchers at the center.

Administration

Administratively the center is divided into four directions: # Research (Direccion de Investigacion). This direction is in charge of all the research done in the center. It has certain administrative responsibilities, especially related to # Academic (Direccion de Formacion Academica). # Knowledge transfer (Direccion de Tecnologia e Inovacion). # Administration (Direccion Administrativa). Centro de Investigaciones en Optica is a CONACYT research center that depends of the National Council for Science and Technology of Mexico, similar to the national laboratories of the US. {{authority control Research institutes in Mexico 1980 establishments in Mexico