diff --git a/js/photons/model/Laser.ts b/js/photons/model/Laser.ts
index 5c87c5c..a428a2b 100644
--- a/js/photons/model/Laser.ts
+++ b/js/photons/model/Laser.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ import TReadOnlyProperty from '../../../../axon/js/TReadOnlyProperty.js';
 import dotRandom from '../../../../dot/js/dotRandom.js';
 import Range from '../../../../dot/js/Range.js';
 import Vector2 from '../../../../dot/js/Vector2.js';
-import PickRequired from '../../../../phet-core/js/types/PickRequired.js';
-import { PhetioObjectOptions } from '../../../../tandem/js/PhetioObject.js';
+import optionize from '../../../../phet-core/js/optionize.js';
+import WithRequired from '../../../../phet-core/js/types/WithRequired.js';
+import PhetioObject, { PhetioObjectOptions } from '../../../../tandem/js/PhetioObject.js';
 import Tandem from '../../../../tandem/js/Tandem.js';
 import StringUnionIO from '../../../../tandem/js/types/StringUnionIO.js';
 import quantumMeasurement from '../../quantumMeasurement.js';
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ export type PhotonEmissionMode = 'singlePhoton' | 'manyPhotons';
 type SelfOptions = {
   emissionMode: PhotonEmissionMode;
 };
-type LaserOptions = SelfOptions & PickRequired<PhetioObjectOptions, 'tandem'>;
+type LaserOptions = SelfOptions & WithRequired<PhetioObjectOptions, 'tandem'>;
 
 const PolarizationPresetValues = [ 'vertical', 'horizontal', 'fortyFiveDegrees', 'unpolarized', 'custom' ] as const;
 export type PolarizationPresets = ( typeof PolarizationPresetValues )[number];
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ const MAP_OF_PRESET_POLARIZATION_ANGLES = new Map<PolarizationPresets, number>(
   ]
 );
 
-class Laser {
+class Laser extends PhetioObject {
 
   // The position of the detector in two-dimensional space.  Units are in meters.
   public readonly position: Vector2;
@@ -84,6 +85,12 @@ class Laser {
 
   public constructor( position: Vector2, photonCollection: PhotonCollection, providedOptions: LaserOptions ) {
 
+    const options = optionize<LaserOptions, SelfOptions, PhetioObjectOptions>()( {
+      phetioState: false
+    }, providedOptions );
+
+    super( options );
+
     this.position = position;
     this.photonCollection = photonCollection;
     this.emissionMode = providedOptions.emissionMode;
diff --git a/js/photons/model/PhotonDetector.ts b/js/photons/model/PhotonDetector.ts
index c4e3a6b..db5a49e 100644
--- a/js/photons/model/PhotonDetector.ts
+++ b/js/photons/model/PhotonDetector.ts
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ import NumberProperty from '../../../../axon/js/NumberProperty.js';
 import Range from '../../../../dot/js/Range.js';
 import Vector2 from '../../../../dot/js/Vector2.js';
 import { Line } from '../../../../kite/js/imports.js';
-import { combineOptions } from '../../../../phet-core/js/optionize.js';
-import PickRequired from '../../../../phet-core/js/types/PickRequired.js';
-import { PhetioObjectOptions } from '../../../../tandem/js/PhetioObject.js';
+import optionize from '../../../../phet-core/js/optionize.js';
+import WithRequired from '../../../../phet-core/js/types/WithRequired.js';
+import PhetioObject, { PhetioObjectOptions } from '../../../../tandem/js/PhetioObject.js';
 import Tandem from '../../../../tandem/js/Tandem.js';
 import AveragingCounterNumberProperty from '../../common/model/AveragingCounterNumberProperty.js';
 import quantumMeasurement from '../../quantumMeasurement.js';
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { TPhotonInteraction } from './TPhotonInteraction.js';
 type SelfOptions = {
   displayMode?: DisplayMode;
 };
-type PhotonDetectorOptions = SelfOptions & PickRequired<PhetioObjectOptions, 'tandem'>;
+type PhotonDetectorOptions = SelfOptions & WithRequired<PhetioObjectOptions, 'tandem'>;
 
 // Define a type for the direction in which the detector is looking for photons.
 export type DetectionDirection = ( [ 'up', 'down' ] )[number];
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export type DisplayMode = ( [ 'count', 'rate' ] )[number];
 export const COUNT_RANGE = new Range( 0, 999 );
 export const RATE_RANGE = new Range( 0, 999 ); // in events per second
 
-class PhotonDetector implements TPhotonInteraction {
+class PhotonDetector extends PhetioObject implements TPhotonInteraction {
 
   // The position of the detector in two-dimensional space.  Units are in meters.
   public readonly position: Vector2;
@@ -71,10 +71,13 @@ class PhotonDetector implements TPhotonInteraction {
 
   public constructor( position: Vector2, detectionDirection: DetectionDirection, providedOptions: PhotonDetectorOptions ) {
 
-    const options = combineOptions<PhotonDetectorOptions>( {
-      displayMode: 'count'
+    const options = optionize<PhotonDetectorOptions, SelfOptions, PhetioObjectOptions>()( {
+      displayMode: 'count',
+      phetioState: false
     }, providedOptions );
 
+    super( options );
+
     this.position = position;
     this.detectionDirection = detectionDirection;
     this.displayMode = options.displayMode!;
diff --git a/js/photons/view/LaserNode.ts b/js/photons/view/LaserNode.ts
index ff19aca..03f2313 100644
--- a/js/photons/view/LaserNode.ts
+++ b/js/photons/view/LaserNode.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ export default class LaserNode extends Node {
     }, providedOptions );
 
     super( options );
+
+    this.addLinkedElement( model );
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/js/photons/view/PhotonDetectorNode.ts b/js/photons/view/PhotonDetectorNode.ts
index f6647d0..09ee634 100644
--- a/js/photons/view/PhotonDetectorNode.ts
+++ b/js/photons/view/PhotonDetectorNode.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export default class PhotonDetectorNode extends Node {
 
   public constructor( model: PhotonDetector,
                       modelViewTransform: ModelViewTransform2,
-                      providedOptions?: PhotonDetectorNodeOptions ) {
+                      providedOptions: PhotonDetectorNodeOptions ) {
 
     // Create the detection aperture.  This is essentially the anchor point for reset of the layout, meaning that the
     // other nodes are positioned relative to this.
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ export default class PhotonDetectorNode extends Node {
     );
 
     super( options );
+
+    this.addLinkedElement( model );
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/js/photons/view/PhotonTestingArea.ts b/js/photons/view/PhotonTestingArea.ts
index 756654c..1e0da8a 100644
--- a/js/photons/view/PhotonTestingArea.ts
+++ b/js/photons/view/PhotonTestingArea.ts
@@ -82,11 +82,15 @@ class PhotonTestingArea extends Node {
 
     const verticalPolarizationDetector = new PhotonDetectorNode(
       model.verticalPolarizationDetector,
-      photonTestingAreaModelViewTransform
+      photonTestingAreaModelViewTransform, {
+        tandem: providedOptions.tandem.createTandem( 'verticalPolarizationDetector' )
+      }
     );
     const horizontalPolarizationDetector = new PhotonDetectorNode(
       model.horizontalPolarizationDetector,
-      photonTestingAreaModelViewTransform
+      photonTestingAreaModelViewTransform, {
+        tandem: providedOptions.tandem.createTandem( 'horizontalPolarizationDetector' )
+      }
     );
 
     const polarizingBeamSplitterNode = new PolarizingBeamSplitterNode(