Multimedia / After Images

After Image

The beauty of light, as seen on the last page of each OPN issue

Multiple Diffraction Grating
Multiple Diffraction Grating

A collimated supercontinuum laser hits a diffraction grating. Multiple diffraction orders can be seen reflecting off of the grating. A piece of paper is used to trace out the laser beam in this long exposure shot.

—Benjamin M. Cromey, University of Arizona, USA

20 Apr 2018

Large lens in polyester
Large lens in polyester

Large lens cast in polyester showing sub-unity image magnification. Displayed at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA.  

—Catalin Florea

20 Mar 2018

Output light field
Output light field

Output light field of a tapered fiber probe illuminating a vial filled with water containing trace amounts of the dye Rhodamine 6B. Coupled into the fiber are green (532 nm) and blue (488 nm) laser light under slightly different angles resulting in colorful patterns due to effects of diffraction, interference, scattering and fluorescence. The result is reminiscent of a human iris with the pupil staring intently at the bottom of the glass vial from close proximity.  

—Nils Frederik Hasselmann and Mathias Hünecke, Nonlinear Photonics, Münster University, Germany

20 Feb 2018

Exploring the Quantum World
Exploring the Quantum World

Researchers at JPL and Caltech have developed a new type of amplifier that boosts electrical signals and can be used for everything from studying stars, galaxies and black holes to exploring the quantum world and developing quantum computers.

—NASA/JPL-Caltech

20 Jan 2018

Light from a plastic shell
Light from a plastic shell

Light reflection and dispersion from a lens housed in a plastic shell, as seen through a microscope.  

—Catalin Florea, Avo Photonics

20 Dec 2017

Internal Reflection
Internal Reflection

A green laser beam propagating in a plastic tube filled with olive oil shows total internal reflection and the Goos-Hänchen shift on dielectric boundaries. Reddish color of the beam inside the oil is due to the fluorescence of chlorophyll molecules.  

—Emilio Gómez-González, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain

20 Nov 2017

Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma

Geocolor image of Hurricane Irma passing the eastern end of Cuba on 8 September 2017.   

—NOAA/CIRA

01 Nov 2017

August Solar Eclipse
August Solar Eclipse

A view of the 21 August solar eclipse through the arms of “The Sentinel,” a large metal sculpture by Albert Paley at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). A tight camera aperture (f/32) creates a “starburst” image, while reflections within the camera system cause colorful ghost images of the partially eclipsed sun.  

—​Grover Swartzlander, RIT

10 Oct 2017

Plasma from a Physalis Dimer
Plasma from a Physalis Dimer

Plasma from a physalis dimer in a microwave oven. With an index of refraction of 8.5 at microwave frequencies (2.5 GHz), aqueous spheres may act as resonant cavities, concentrating electric fields at the point of contact and creating an ionic plasma.   

—Aaron D. Slepkov and Hamza Khattak, Trent University, Ontario, Canada

14 Sep 2017

Greenflies
Greenflies

Scanning electron micrograph of a greenfly eye. Greenflies have a pair of compound eyes for accurate perception of movement. The small protrusion coming from the side of the eye, called an ocular tubercle, is made up of three lenses (triommatidium).  

—Kevin Mackenzie, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, 2014 Wellcome Image Awards

29 Jun 2017

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