Photonic Computing for Sale

Companies are increasingly being set up to commercialize optical processors—a technology with huge potential benefits, as well as some sticking points.

by Edwin Cartlidge

Advancing Nanolasers

Recent advances in technology and physics offer new possibilities for efficient control of nanolasers, to enable faster information processing at lower powers.

by Min-Soo Hwang, Hong-Gyu Park, Qinghai Song and Yuri Kivshar

Two Breakthroughs That Revolutionized Optics

The joint history of lasers and fiber optics illustrates the many interconnected steps through which truly revolutionary breakthroughs unfold.

by Jeff Hecht

Newsroom

Research and Industry News

Desert colors / Edge computing / Dye-sensitized solar cells / Metamaterials from paper / Optogenetic pacemaker / Horseshoe crab vision / Neurescence acquired / Industrial 3D printing / Ouster-Velodyne merger / Green-VCSEL partnership

Market Report

Hot Topics in a Cool Market

What lies ahead for optics and photonics vertical markets.

Profile

The Art of Discovery

Imaging scientists at the US National Gallery of Art are building an optical toolkit for investigating masterpieces ancient and modern.

President's Message

Moving Forward in 2023

I hope to focus on three areas this year that I view as particularly important.

Looking Back

30, 20, and 10 Years Ago in OPN

Elsa Garmire; anthrax attacks; NASA’s rover Curiosity.

Optica in Focus

News from the Society

Theodor W. Hänsch prize / Optica Fellow stories / Optica Foundation Challenge winners / Optica community / Quantum Industry Summit / Blatt and Li honored / Remembering Lee, Nussenzveig and Sheridan / Alain Rousset named Advocate of Optics / VinFuture prize for Payne / LGBTSTEM day / Thank you, volunteers and editors

After Image

Protostar from the Webb Telescope

The protostar within the dark cloud L1527, shown in this image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), is embedded within a cloud of material feeding its growth.