S4E35 Shawn Patterson | Interferometers, Lasers, & Not Panicking
Shawn Patterson, an electro-optical engineer with experience at startups like Summit Technology, Phase Shift Technology, and Compound Photonics, discusses his career path from CAD drafting to laser system design. He explains the physics of solid-state lasers, the challenges of building interferometers for semiconductor metrology, and the critical importance of thermal management and precise alignment in optical systems. Patterson shares specific engineering failures, including a misaligned interferometer prototype and the difficulties of developing underwater fiber-optic laser arrays, while emphasizing the value of calm leadership and knowledge retention in engineering teams.