(Middlefield, CT, USA 29th May 2025) Zygo™, a business unit of AMETEK®, Inc. (NYSE: AME), is proud to announce that Dr. Peter de Groot, Scientist Emeritus and former Chief Scientist at Zygo, will deliver the prestigious Fraunhofer Lecture at this year’s 126th Annual Meeting of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für angewandte Optik (DGaO). The lecture will take place at 18:00 on June 13th, 2025, at the Hotel Maritim in Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the DGaO’s distinguished conference program.
Dr. de Groot has dedicated his career to the science and technology of precision measurement. Holding over 140 U.S. patents and recognized internationally for innovation in applied optics, his contributions share the stage with many outstanding advances in optical instrumentation for precision measurements.
In a lecture provocatively titled “Did I Invent That? Reflections on Creativity and Innovation in Optics,” Dr. de Groot will explore the true nature of invention. Drawing from a career that bridges basic research and the study of classical optics, he will discuss how many modern advances rest upon the foundational work of generations past, and examines the fine line between originality and reinvention.
“Innovation is often a reinterpretation of brilliant ideas that came before us,” Dr. de Groot says. “The core concepts of optical science such as coherence, interference, and holography, were explored long before today’s advanced light sources and detectors made them applicable to industries like semiconductor manufacturing and quantum imaging. To invent, one must first understand the past.”
Attendees can expect engaging stories from the frontiers of optical metrology, including insights into coherence scanning interferometric microscopy for surface mapping, heterodyne encoders for displacement measurement, manufacturing metrology, and interferometric micro-ellipsometry. Dr. de Groot’s lecture promises to inspire both seasoned professionals and aspiring innovators, reminding all attendees that we stand on the shoulders of giants.
Zygo is also proud to be exhibiting at the associated DGaO exhibition, showcasing its latest innovations in optical metrology.
