Optics and photonics
Latest articles
How to boost the sustainability of solar cells
Roadmap authors look to the future of photovoltaic technologies in this podcast
First human retinal image brings sight-saving portable OCT a step closer
Siloton’s handheld OCT system could soon be used for home-based monitoring of retinal disease, and may one day find its way onto future space missions
Research headlines
Metasurface-enhanced camera performs hyperspectral and polarimetric imaging
Inexpensive metasurface could revolutionize the capabilities of conventional imaging systems
New on-chip laser fills long sought-after green gap
Devices will be important for applications in quantum sensing and computing, biology, underwater communications and display technologies
Metasurface makes thermal sources emit laser-like light
Pillar-studded surface just hundreds of nanometres thick allows researchers to control direction, polarization and phase of thermal radiation
AI-assisted photonic detector identifies fake semiconductor chips
New technique could reduce risks of unwanted surveillance, chip failure and theft, say researchers
Photonic orbitals shape up
The behaviour of photons confined inside three-dimensional cavity superlattices is much more complex than that of electrons in conventional solid-state materials
Structured electrons have chiral mass and charge
Discovery has puzzled some physicists
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Photonics West 2023
Read article: Avantes launches its new Pacto spectrometer
Avantes launches its new Pacto spectrometer
The Pacto has been tailored for the life sciences and biomedical industries
Read article: Detection technologies from the Tibidabo group
Detection technologies from the Tibidabo group
Tibidabo group companies outline their range of products designed for photon detection
Read article: Innovation in diamond applications from Element Six
Innovation in diamond applications from Element Six
Staff from Element Six outline the many thermal, optical and quantum applications of diamond
Read article: Tunable lasers and femtosecond lasers from Hübner Photonics
Tunable lasers and femtosecond lasers from Hübner Photonics
Hübner Photonics introduces the company's C-WAVE product family of tunable and laser light sources
Read article: MKS-Newport’s high performance optical filters
MKS-Newport’s high performance optical filters
MKS-Newport introduces the ODiate high-performance optical filter line at Photonics West 2023
Read article: New fibre laser technology from NKT Photonics
New fibre laser technology from NKT Photonics
NKT Photonics presents new fibre lasers for the quantum computing community
Read article: Vibration isolation products from Minus K Technology
Vibration isolation products from Minus K Technology
Minus-K Technology showcases the company's range of passive vibration isolators
Features
Explore more in optics and photonics
Read article: Ask me anything: Fatima Gunning – ‘Thinking outside the box is a winner when it comes to problem solving’
Ask me anything: Fatima Gunning – ‘Thinking outside the box is a winner when it comes to problem solving’
Physicist Fatima Gunning explains how mentorship has helped her grow as a researcher and teacher
Read article: Free-space optical communications with FPGA-based instrumentation
Free-space optical communications with FPGA-based instrumentation
Available to watch now. Liquid Instruments explores how to implement optical modulation and detection techniques with a reconfigurable, FPGA-based device
Read article: Hannah Stern: how new materials are driving the quantum revolution
Hannah Stern: how new materials are driving the quantum revolution
Hannah Stern explains why the quantum revolution needs a new toolkit of materials
Read article: Ask me anything: Andrew Weld: ‘You’re probably going to be working for over 40 years, so make sure you enjoy what you do’
Ask me anything: Andrew Weld: ‘You’re probably going to be working for over 40 years, so make sure you enjoy what you do’
Andrew Weld is the head of research and development at QLM technologies
Read article: Cosmic-ray physics: detector advances open up the ultrahigh-energy frontier
Cosmic-ray physics: detector advances open up the ultrahigh-energy frontier
Gearing up in the search for ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays
Read article: New diffractive camera hides images from view
New diffractive camera hides images from view
Technology based on diffractive optical process offers alternative to traditional encryption
Read article: New titanium:sapphire laser is tiny, low-cost and tuneable
New titanium:sapphire laser is tiny, low-cost and tuneable
Energy efficient and integrated device is pumped by an LED
Read article: Why optics is critical to meeting society’s grand challenges
Why optics is critical to meeting society’s grand challenges
Jolyon De Freitas says that the ubiquity of optics and photonics in the coming decades will provide many challenges but ample opportunities too
Read article: Liquid crystals generate entangled photon pairs
Liquid crystals generate entangled photon pairs
Technique gives greater control and flexibility over entanglement
Read article: Optical tweezers think big
Optical tweezers think big
New technique can stably trap irregularly shaped particles bigger than 0.1 mm – something that has been challenging to do so far
Read article: Laser-driven accelerator benefits from clever use of light pulses
Laser-driven accelerator benefits from clever use of light pulses
Protons were driven to 150 MeV, 50% higher than previous record
Read article: Blurred tomography fabricates custom microlenses with optically smooth surfaces
Blurred tomography fabricates custom microlenses with optically smooth surfaces
A novel 3D printing method can rapidly produce optical components with commercial-level quality
Read article: Metasurfaces make a single-shot polarization imaging system
Metasurfaces make a single-shot polarization imaging system
New method might find applications in biomedicine
Read article: Celebrating attosecond science, physics tournament focuses on fun
Celebrating attosecond science, physics tournament focuses on fun
We chat about ultrashort pulses and ultrasharp students in this podcast
Read article: Sound and light waves combine to create advanced optical neural networks
Sound and light waves combine to create advanced optical neural networks
Researchers demonstrate a novel computation architecture based on the interaction of optical and acoustic waves
Read article: Multiphysics modelling of photonic devices with COMSOL
Multiphysics modelling of photonic devices with COMSOL
Available to watch now, COMSOL explains how modelling and simulation is being used to drive innovation in photonic device design
Read article: Laser light makes a material magnetic
Laser light makes a material magnetic
Researchers demonstrate a new way to induce a relatively large magnetic moment in room-temperature materials
Read article: New photovoltaic 2D material breaks quantum efficiency record
New photovoltaic 2D material breaks quantum efficiency record
Material contains special bandgap states that efficiently absorb light at crucial solar wavelengths
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- Optics and photonics | Conference SPIE Photonics West 2025 25—30 January 2025 | San Francisco, US
- Optics and photonics | Meeting SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2025 23—27 February 2025 | San Jose, US
- Detectors and sensors | Conference SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing 2025 13—17 April 2025 | Orlando, US
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