Researchers could spur the development of smaller, more versatile optical filters that are especially adept at playing a trick of the light
Tech focus
06 January 2021
A rendering of the experimental setup used. Light is reflected down to the nanostructure of molybdenum disulfide (yellow and teal lattice) and PZT (blue and green). Wavelengths reflecting from the surface are captured by the top detector as transmitted wavelengths pass through the PZT to the bottom detector. (Image: Hong et al.)
03 November 2020
Car manufacturing has been hit hard by Covid-19 but the need for vision on production lines has not diminished, as Greg Blackman finds out
03 November 2020
The optical set-up of the new dual-comb spectrometer. (Image: David R. Carlson, NIST and the University of Colorado Boulder)
Matthew Dale speaks with the developers of the world’s first dual-comb spectrometer with an acquisition speed of 10 gigahertz
28 September 2020
Photonic crystals are responsible for the iridescent colours of a butterfly's wings.
Researchers have devised a new way of generating thin 3D photonic crystals that show promise for miniaturising photonic integrated circuits
26 August 2020
Many university laboratories using lasers have had to shut down temporarily following a visit from an HSE inspector
Matthew Dale learns how the safety knowledge of the laser community is not yet fully up to scratch
26 August 2020
A small-sized silicon photonics chip that can be used for non-mechanical beam steering and scanning. (Credit: Yokohama National University).
Japanese researchers have employed a bespoke prism lens to reduce the size and cost of lidar technology
15 July 2020
Left: Birefringence image of a flat lens and intensity patterns of 488nm laser beam with different handedness circular polarisations focused and defocused by the same lens. Right: The same lens corrects short -5 D and long +5 D sightedness.
Researchers have developed a new technique for producing flat optics with ultra-low loss and high damage threshold
15 July 2020
A Hybrid Hexapod being used for camera image stabilisation (Image: ALIO Industries)
As motion control systems reach ever-higher levels of precision, new standards and methods are required to better define their capabilities to end users, Matthew Dale finds
04 June 2020
US researchers have proposed a photovoltaic cell that could generate power throughout the night
30 April 2020
A new type of PIC has been developed, the properties of which can be programmed using a combination of light and heat
Researchers in the Netherlands have developed a new type of photonic integrated circuit that can be programmed using a combination of light and heat
30 March 2020
A new simple chip powered by quantum dots allows standard microscopes to visualise difficult-to-image biological organisms.
MIT researchers have developed a multi-layered chip that could dramatically reduce the cost of dark-field microscopes
02 March 2020
Matthew Dale discovers how high-resolution LED matrices and blue lasers are set to increase the functionality of automotive lighting
23 January 2020
The latest research on ultrafast lasers will be presented at Photonics West in San Francisco
05 December 2019
Figure 2: Micro-integrated ultra-narrow linewidth diode laser based on resonant optical feedback (footprint of the AlN optical bench (light grey): 80 x 30mm2)
The European Space Agency’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna requires very-low-noise seed lasers
05 December 2019
Professor Emir Salih Magden updates on plans to commercialise an on-chip broadband optical filter
12 November 2019
The technique uses a nanostructure that ‘traps’ molecules from the air and amplifies the Raman signal
25 October 2019
The high electrical current required to achieve the lasing process has made it difficult to create the devices up until now
25 September 2019
A University of Cambridge team has designed a nanowire-based spectrometer that doesn’t require dispersive elements like a prism, therefore permitting greater miniaturisation than conventional systems
12 July 2019
New method can measure large-scale quantum correlation of single photons, which until now would have required thousands of single photon counters
23 May 2019
A research team has created software for modelling femtosecond pulses that overlap at angles of up to 140 degrees much more efficiently than existing systems
29 April 2019
Combining 3D printing with metal-coating and wet-etching processes enables metamaterial geometrical optics with unique properties
09 April 2019
The amplification of phonons in solids represents a further step towards new phononic devices for the next generation of sensors, mobile phones and computing
27 February 2019
Optomel founder Damien Gardiner, a semi-finalist for SPIE's Startup Challenge at Photonics West, explains how the firm is making optical filters based on self-organised materials
10 December 2018
New nanometre-accurate hexapod opens up applications in laser processing and metrology
01 November 2018
Prism technology that’s now a major part of optical communications is finding its way into next-generation lidar systems
01 November 2018
Advances in Raman spectroscopy could one day make invasive blood glucose tests a thing of the past
21 September 2018
Matthew Dale on Daimler’s new beam analysis equipment for laser welding differential gears
21 September 2018
Consumer electronics, telecommunications, and solar energy are all driving developments in optical coatings, according to a new market report
21 August 2018
A new crystal doping technique could enable more powerful lasers
18 July 2018
A look at how single photon counting is being used in a Horizon 2020 project, and a round-up of the latest commercial products
26 June 2018
A look at the latest optical modelling programs and their application in the development of self-driving cars
30 May 2018
A look at the use of optical mirrors in space telescopes, and a round-up of the commercial offerings available for every application
19 April 2018
A laser-based gas analyser that employs novel optical parametric oscillator (OPO) technology was a finalist in this year’s SPIE Prism Awards
26 March 2018
Part of the development of advanced endoscopes is scaling down the components that position the micro-optics inside of them
16 February 2018
Continuously variable bandpass filters offer a good middle ground for building hyperspectral imaging solutions, says Delta Optical Thin Film’s Oliver Pust
14 November 2017
In November's Product Focus, we look at some of the latest spectroscopy systems, components and software
26 September 2017
In the October Product Focus, we take a look at the latest products for positioning optical components and systems
08 August 2017
In the August/September Product Focus, we take a look at the latest versions of optical modelling software
