Complex-Light Lasers

Tailoring modal competition inside lasers is enabling novel sources of complex light—and new approaches to light-based computation.

by Nir Davidson, Simon Mahler, Asher Friesem and Andrew Forbes

New Optics for Cars

Headlight and display technologies promise brighter views of the road and of driver controls but also raise challenges in automotive safety.

by Jeff Hecht

Multiresonant Fiber Gratings

The mode control enabled by specialized gratings allows simultaneous sensing of multiple parameters in a single fiber strand—a potential game-changer.

by Christophe Caucheteur, Tuan Guo and Jacques Albert

Newsroom

Research and Industry News

Rapid plasma accelerators / Mitochondrial microlenses / Ultrathin fibers for optogenetics / Mimicking butterfly wings / Harvesting radio waves / Chicago Quantum Exchange / Equity in  universities / Improving scintillation

Conversations

CLEO 2022 Returns to the Stage

Optica Fellows Hui Cao and Peter J. Delfyett are among four plenary speakers featured at this year’s hybrid live/online conference.

Light Touch

The Aureole Effect

Examining an optical phenomenon that makes an observer look like an angel.

Tutorial

Laser Acceleration of Proton Beams

A technique using high-intensity light pulses could advance research on cancer therapies.

Infographic

User-Centered Smart Homes

The success of smart-home technology will depend on users making it part of their everyday routines. User-centered smart-home solutions focus on different needs for different stages of life.

President's Message

Thoughts in a Time of War

All of our thoughts are with our friends and colleagues in Ukraine.

Looking Back

30, 20, and 10 Years Ago in OPN

Ultrafast optical and opto­electronic phenomena; diode lasers and the laser market; discovery of deuterium

Optica in Focus

News from the Society

OFC recap / Brown named Institute of Optics Director / Standing with Ukraine / New Optica CTO builds industry ties / Optica Fellow stories / Amplify Scholarship / High-brightness Congress in Budapest / NSBP at Optica / Thank you, editors and volunteers

After Image

Analog metacrystal

Sectional views of a solid crystal detailing the inner structure of a computed optical system where encryption is defined by the topological structure.