Rating: Very Good
Strong Points: Detailed and well-organized guides cover a range of topics.
Weak Points: Focuses on ThorLab products specifically; however,
background information provided is generalizable.
ThorLabs, the company beloved by bench scientists because of the snack boxes that they include in each order, has a different kind of treat tucked away on its website. The Technical Resources section of the ThorLabs website is an excellent guide to numerous cutting-edge techniques, all collected into one place. The guides cover a wide range of topics, including optical elements, laser operation, and laser scanning microscopy. Many of the guides are focused on ThorLabs products, but all the guides include detailed and generalizable background information about the techniques described. For example, many guides provide general protocols, information about the physics behind each technique, and numerous illustrated diagrams explaining foundational theory. There’s even a handy color-coding scheme that tells you if you’re looking at a tutorial, white paper, or programming note—even if the look is just a glance. The ThorLabs Technical Resources page is an excellent compilation of information whether or not you’re using ThorLabs products.