Optics and Photonics News

TESS: The Little Satellite with a Big Job

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is surveying the solar neighborhood for Earth-like exoplanets—and reaping a data harvest with potential impact far beyond the search for life.

by Valerie C. Coffey

Light Sailing into the Great Beyond

Powering spacecraft by radiation pressure from solar or laser light, once the province of science fiction, is becoming increasingly practical with advances in photonic technology and the space economy.

by Grover Swartzlander, Les Johnson and Bruce Betts

Meet OSA’s 2020 Fellows

Congratulations to the 94 members of the 2020 class of OSA Fellow Members, who will be recognized at OSA conferences throughout the year for scientific, engineering and technological contributions, as well as industry leadership and service to OSA and the global optics community.

by Meredith Smith, Kari Apter and Samantha Hornback

Newsroom

Research and Industry News

Quantum optics meets enzyme biology / Machine-learning microscope / Fiber maps subsea faults / Cellulose-based optical fiber / Transparent solar cells / LEDs save sea turtles / Scientists return to China / Record sales for Zeiss / Optical tweezers for scattering media

Profile

Designing Adlershof

Germany’s science city was built on the concept of academic–industrial collaboration.

Tutorial

Next-Generation Coronagraphs

Blocking out starlight, for a direct view of distant, faint extrasolar planets.

President's Message

An International Incident

Looking Back

30, 20, and 10 Years Ago in OPN

Quantum well modulators; environmental scanning electon microscope; promoting LED use.

OSA Update

News from the Society

OPTIC 2019 in Taiwan / IONS KOALA / Hagan named CREOL interim dean / NAI fellows / Honors for Vuckovic and Forbes / OSA Fellow stories / A.E. Kaplan mourned / Thank you, editors and volunteers