Acoustic luminaires have become a common offering for architectural lighting manufacturers, however, Focal Point, a brand of Legrand, has launched a complete acoustic ceiling system with integrated lighting. The Mora™ system is designed to enhance architecture, improve acoustics, and offer the options lighting professionals expect from an architectural luminaire. The System is designed for easy spec and install, seamless integration of lit and unlit components, as well as being engineered, manufactured, and sourced from a single supplier. Mora is targeted to architects, lighting designers, acousticians, and installers.

Seem 1 Acoustic is the lighting backbone of the Mora system. It offers direct illumination of 100 to 500 lumens per foot with a regress or wide batwing lens, 3000K, 3500K, or 4000K CCTs at 80 or 90 CRI, and the integration with 0-10V, DALI, or Lutron EcoSystem® controls. The system allows for arrays up to 208 feet in length.

Mora is available in a variety of PET felt colors, from neutral to bold, to enhance interior décor. The acoustic elements contain up to 50% post-consumer recycled content, the material in recyclable, Declare Certified, and LBC Red List Free.

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A-Light’s ACL2ST and ALD2ST luminaires deliver a range of direct and indirect light distributions in a compact, low-profile housing that integrates well into the built environment.

Choose from a range of new mounting options for diverse design concepts, including adjustable mounting for easier and quicker installation.

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Juno Lighting’s Trac-Master LED Vertical Cylinder Series offers a fresh take on a traditional aesthetic while providing strong performance up to 5,500 lumens.

The cylinders feature a side-mounted vertical driver and adjustable head capable of 360° rotation and 90° vertical aiming. A variety of accessory optics and light control accessories are also available, which offer the ability to customize beam patterns and lighting effects to enhance a lighting design.

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Scientists studying particle collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)—a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility for nuclear physics research at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory—have produced definitive evidence for two physics phenomena predicted more than 80 years ago. The primary finding is that pairs of electrons and positrons—particles of matter and antimatter—can be created directly by colliding very energetic photons, which are quantum “packets” of light.

This conversion of energetic light into matter is a direct consequence of Einstein’s famous E=mc² equation, which states that energy and matter (or mass) are interchangeable. Nuclear reactions in the sun and at nuclear power plants regularly convert matter into energy. Now scientists have converted light energy directly into matter in a single step.

The second result shows that the path of light traveling through a magnetic field in a vacuum bends differently depending on how that light is polarized. Such polarization-dependent deflection (known as birefringence) occurs when light travels through certain materials. (This effect is similar to the way wavelength-dependent deflection splits white light into rainbows.) But this is the first demonstration of polarization-dependent light-bending in a vacuum.

The results were derived from a detailed analysis of more than 6,000 pairs of electrons and positrons produced in glancing particle collisions at RHIC and are published in Physical Review Letters.  Both results depend on the ability of RHIC’s STAR detector—the Solenoid Tracker at RHIC—to measure the angular distribution of particles produced in glancing collisions of gold ions moving at nearly the speed of light.

Colliding clouds of photons

Such capabilities didn’t exist when physicists Gregory Breit and John A. Wheeler first described the hypothetical possibility of colliding light particles to create pairs of electrons and their antimatter counterparts, known as positrons, in 1934.

“In their paper, Breit and Wheeler already realized this is almost impossible to do,” said Brookhaven Lab physicist Zhangbu Xu, a member of RHIC’s STAR Collaboration. “Lasers didn’t even exist yet! But Breit and Wheeler proposed an alternative: accelerating heavy ions. And their alternative is exactly what we are doing at RHIC.”

An ion is essentially a naked atom, stripped of its electrons. A gold ion, with 79 protons, carries a powerful positive charge. Accelerating such a charged heavy ion to very high speeds generates a powerful magnetic field that spirals around the speeding particle as it travels—like current flowing through a wire.

“If the speed is high enough, the strength of the circular magnetic field can be equal to the strength of the perpendicular electric field,” Xu said. And that arrangement of perpendicular electric and magnetic fields of equal strength is exactly what a photon is—a quantized “particle” of light. “So, when the ions are moving close to the speed of light, there are a bunch of photons surrounding the gold nucleus, traveling with it like a cloud.”

At RHIC, scientists accelerate gold ions to 99.995% of the speed of light in two accelerator rings.

“We have two clouds of photons moving in opposite directions with enough energy and intensity that when the two ions graze past each other without colliding, those photon fields can interact,” Xu said.

STAR physicists tracked the interactions and looked for the predicted electron-positron pairs.

But such particle pairs can be created by a range of processes at RHIC, including through “virtual” photons, a state of photon that exists briefly and carries an effective mass. To be sure the matter-antimatter pairs were coming from real photons, scientists have to demonstrate that the contribution of “virtual” photons does not change the outcome of the experiment.

To do that, the STAR scientists analyzed the angular distribution patterns of each electron relative to its partner positron. These patterns differ for pairs produced by real photon interactions versus virtual photons.

“We also measured all the energy, mass distributions, and quantum numbers of the systems. They are consistent with theory calculations for what would happen with real photons,” said Daniel Brandenburg, a Goldhaber Fellow at Brookhaven Lab, who analyzed the STAR data on this discovery.

Other scientists have tried to create electron-positron pairs from collisions of light using powerful lasers—focused beams of intense light. But the individual photons within those intense beams don’t have enough energy yet, Brandenburg said.

One experiment at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in 1997 succeeded by using a nonlinear process. Scientists there first had to boost the energy of the photons in one laser beam by colliding it with a powerful electron beam. Collisions of the boosted photons with multiple photons simultaneously in an enormous electromagnetic field created by another laser produced matter and antimatter.

“Our results provide clear evidence of direct, one-step creation of matter-antimatter pairs from collisions of light as originally predicted by Breit and Wheeler,” Brandenburg said. “Thanks to RHIC’s high-energy heavy ion beam and the STAR detector’s large acceptance and precision measurements, we are able to analyze all the kinematic distributions with high statistics to determine that the experimental results are indeed consistent with real photon collisions.”

Bending light in a vacuum

STAR’s ability to measure the tiny deflections of electrons and positrons produced almost back-to-back in these events also gave the physicists a way to study how light particles interact with the powerful magnetic fields generated by the accelerated ions.

“The cloud of photons surrounding the gold ions in one of RHIC’s beams is shooting into the strong circular magnetic field produced by the accelerated ions in the other gold beam,” said Chi Yang, a long-time STAR collaborator from Shandong University who spent his entire career studying electron-positron pairs produced from various processes at RHIC. “Looking at the distribution of particles that come out tells us how polarized light interacts with the magnetic field.”

Werner Heisenberg and Hans Heinrich Euler in 1936, and John Toll in the 1950s, predicted that a vacuum of empty space could be polarized by a powerful magnetic field and that such a polarized vacuum should deflect the paths of photons depending on photon polarization. Toll, in his thesis, also detailed how light absorption by a magnetic field depends on polarization and its connection to the refractive index of light in a vacuum. This polarization-dependent deflection, or birefringence, has been observed in many types of crystals. There was also a recent report of the light coming from a neutron star bending this way, presumably because of its interactions with the star’s magnetic field. But no Earth-based experiment has detected birefringence in a vacuum.

At RHIC, the scientists measured how the polarization of the light affected whether the light was “absorbed” by the magnetic field.

This is similar to the way polarized sunglasses block certain rays from passing through if they don’t match the polarization of the lenses, Yang explained. In the case of the sunglasses, in addition to seeing less light get through, you could, in principle, measure an increase in the temperature of the lens material as it absorbs the energy of the blocked light. At RHIC, the absorbed light energy is what creates the electron-positron pairs.

“When we look at the products produced by photon-photon interactions at RHIC, we see that the angular distribution of the products depends on the angle of the polarization of the light. This indicates that the absorption (or passing) of light depends on its polarization,” Yang said.

This is the first Earth-based experimental observation that polarization affects the interactions of light with the magnetic field in the vacuum—the vacuum birefringence predicted in 1936.

“Both of these findings build on predictions made by some of the great physicists in the early 20th century,” said Frank Geurts, a professor at Rice University, whose team built and operated the state-of-the-art “Time-of-Flight” detector components of STAR that were necessary for this measurement. “They are based on fundamental measurements made possible only recently with the technologies and analysis techniques we have developed at RHIC.”

Additional contributors to the analyses that led to these results include STAR co-spokesperson Lijuan Ruan of Brookhaven, Shuai Yang of Rice University, Janet Seger of Creighton University, and Wangmei Zha of the University of Science and Technology of China. The scientists made use of computational resources at Brookhaven’s Scientific Data and Computing Center, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Open Science Grid consortium.

Brookhaven Lab’s role in the work and operations at RHIC are supported by the DOE Office of Science (NP). Additional funders include the U.S. National Science Foundation and a range of international agencies listed in the published paper.

Prudential Lighting’s Gaze is a series of narrow profile (2.25” or 2.5” height) pendants designed with a distinctively curved soft edge with a subtle regress or a clean hard edge, round and square. Mix with Gaze acoustics for improved sound absorption.

Here are the details:

• 18˝ – 24˝ – 36˝ Round and Square, Soft and Hard Edge
• Up to 115 LPW, 15000 delivered lumens (36˝)
• Cable mount, power over aircraft cable option (no cord)
• Flush or ½˝ surface standoff ceiling/wall mount with optional top glow
• 18 premium paint colors, no set-up fees, no time delays (in-house powder coating)
• 20 acoustic colors
• Made in America

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Signify’s recently launched Ledalite TruGroove suspended micro features a 1.75-in. aperture and a variety of lengths, colors, and optical distributions to produce a clean, unobtrusive aesthetic.

The luminaire features AccuRender technology, which provides high color rendering, and Meso Optics technology to minimize glare and redirect light laterally for more even, uniform distribution. The luminaires can be built and shipped within 10 business days.

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Espen Technology’s 3-output, 3-CCT selectable center-basket troffer retrofit kits (part of its Versa Kit family) convert 2X2 and 2X4 fluorescent troffers to LED with the flexibility of up to 9 SKUs in a single product.

The new panels allow 3 light outputs and 3 CCTs to be selected per model, reducing inventory carrying costs and providing flexibility at installation. Both 2X2 and 2X4 models permit easy output and CCT selection through simple dip switches on the back of the kits.

The new 2X2 center basket troffer retrofit kits offer:

• Selectable wattage options of 20/25/30 watts
• Selectable lumen output options of 2500/3125/3750 lumens
• Selectable CCT options of 3500/4000/5000K

The new 2X4 back-lit panel retrofit kits offer:

• Selectable wattages options of 25/30/34 watts
• Selectable lumen output options of 3125/3250/4250 lumens
• Selectable CCT options of 3500/4000/5000K

Additional performance features include universal input voltage, 0-10V dimming, 5-year warranty, and DLC listing.

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Eureka’s Billie large-scale architectural luminaire features a distinctive hollow center for a contemporary design with functionality to deliver illumination for spaces such as offices and education spaces.

The internal geometry of the luminaire, including the top radius, is optimized to improve the light spread inside the shape. And a return around the bottom edge acts as a reflector, casting shadow-free light evenly onto the curved interior surface. As a result, Billie is designed to deliver comfortable illumination for occupants below, regardless of mounting height.

Billie luminaires are available in 24″, 36″, or 48″ diameters to scale an aesthetic from room to room. The larger volume creates a statement; by contrast, the unexpectedly hollow interior of the spun aluminum shade contributes to the intimacy of a space. While all shades are matte white on the inside, designers can choose a lightly textured black or white finish for the exterior. RAL colors are also available.

A side-entry power cord contributes to Billie’s distinct look. Positioned in an elegant curve with strategically placed cable routing clips, it connects directly to the LEDs without disrupting the inner lit areas.

Billie is offered with fully dimmable low, regular, or high output. The luminaire delivers a range from 1,214 to 10,508 lumens, dependent on the size and output selected. An optically clear lens protects the light source from dust and facilitates cleaning.

All sizes of Billie can be selected with tunable white and are compatible with the nLight AIR or nLight Wired network control system. These systems manage lighting throughout indoor spaces, helping to reduce energy costs and improve occupant comfort.

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Alloy LED’s PrimaPanel Flexible LED Sheet is a fully modular and field-cuttable LED panel providing even illumination for indoor backlighting applications. The versatile sheet features vertical, horizontal and angle cutting lines for custom installations.

The PrimaPanel sheet is designed to provide a backlighting solution for displays, walls, and counters, among others, and is well suited to illuminating translucent materials common in commercial buildings such as hotels, casinos, retail stores, and corporate offices.

PrimaPanel is 18.9 inches long by 9.45 inches wide and less than 1 inch thick. The sheet features a high density of LED chips, which contributes to a smooth distribution of light. The sheet is available in 3000K, 4000K, 5000K, and 6500K CCT with a 95+ CRI. The panel is dimmable down to 0.1%, depending on the compatible controller.

The product can be mounted with its adhesive tape or with nails or screws through the indicated areas between the cuttable sections. The product is shipped with two interconnector cables, two adaptor splice connectors, and installation screws. The product is UL 2108 listed, and up to seven sheets can be daisy chained.

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Vista Architectural Lighting’s 1140 LED Linear In-Grade Series is designed to produce more lumens per foot for better light quality, cost efficiency, and performance.

The 1140 Series consists of two models, the smaller, 15-3/8”-wide 1141 available in nominal one-foot lengths, and the larger, 26-3/8”-wide 1142 available in two-foot lengths. The 1141 produces up to 2,100 lumens per foot, and the 1142 produces up to 1,845 lumens per foot. By producing more light per foot, more illumination is able to “climb” up the wall, especially important when there’s a significant amount of ambient light entering the site from the surrounding area.

Tested for durability in the harshest outdoor environments, the 1140 Series features aluminum/polymer construction that’s strong enough for drive-over environments when installed in concrete. Both models include sealed optic modules with flow-through, recessed housings to further protect interior components. Five distributions – wall wash, wall graze, narrow, medium flood and wide flood – offer uniform illumination with added versatility. Screwless optic module installation, through-branch circuiting, and three dimming modes make these in-grade fixtures a flexible solution.

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