**Research Firsts Exhibition: Image and accompanying text by Steven Johnson**
![Photograph of a metal table populated with various optical fibres and mounts][1]
Within quantum optics we build systems to control and analyse light. These experimental systems are not always easy to align.
This image depicts the “first light” where light has passed through the system for the first time. It is an important step during the experiment in the process towards having a working system. The image depicts the light coming from a laser into a series of optics to measure the polarisation of the light. The red light can be seen emitting from a fibre optic cable, which will carry the light to the final detector.
[1]: https://mfr.osf.io/export?url=https://osf.io/download/wrhn6/?direct=&mode=render&format=2400x2400.jpeg