From The Editor

  1. Finally Face To Face Again At Photonics West 2/2/2022

    Photonics West 2022 offered what much of the photonics and optics world has been needing: face time. No, not that kind. The much-anticipated gathering cultivated real, live interaction that just can't be replicated on a Zoom call. Warm and welcoming, the conference and its plenaries, exhibitions, and chance conversations were a shot in the arm to what's been a disconnected and disconcerting past two years. 

  2. Bright Ideas — Army Stryker Vehicles With 50kW Lasers Coming This Fall, Nanoscale Semiconductors Could Help Develop Drugs Sooner 1/19/2022

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, the U.S. Army announced its directed energy-enabled Stryker vehicles will undergo final testing before their scheduled September delivery, while researchers say twisted nanoscale semiconductors could help speed up screening of new antibiotics and other drugs.

  3. How Photonics Will Help Curb Methane Emissions And Slow Global Warming 1/12/2022

    Methane gas is 25 times more potent than CO2 at locking heat in the earth’s atmosphere and has more than doubled in concentration over the past two centuries. In an effort to curb the damage done by this potent greenhouse gas, the Biden administration has urged the EPA to implement rules that further reduce methane emissions, particularly in the oil and gas industry. Rising to the challenge of identifying those methane leaks are photonics firms employing existing technologies to tackle an age-old problem in new ways. 

  4. Bright Ideas — James Webb Telescope Is Ready, Intel Opens Photonics Center, First-Ever Optical Oscilloscope Developed 12/20/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, NASA updates its launch time for the James Webb telescope, Intel opens a new photonics research center, a first-of-its-kind optical oscilloscope is created, and one scientist thinks mouse fur might have heat-sensing properties. 

  5. Bright Ideas — NASA Launches Laser Comms, LiDAR Explores Caves & Assesses Forest Health 12/15/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, a new sensing platform enables core body temperature measurements, NASA launches a laser to speed up space communications, and LiDAR sees new uses in mapping caves and assessing forest health. 

  6. Bright Ideas — New Photonic Chip Yields Higher-Contrast Microscopy, OCT Imaging Goes Deeper Into Skin 12/8/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, Chinese researchers presented a new planar photonic chip that doesn’t require a "bulky" condenser or special objective to conduct darkfield or total image reflection (TIR) microscopy. A new DARPA Young Faculty Award recipient is exploring a ne way to control the propagation of light that would enhance power efficiency and thereby improve communications technologies.  And, biomedical engineers have found a way to increase optical coherence tomography (OCT) depth through the skin by 50 percent.

  7. Bright Ideas — Fluids Viable For Freeform Optics, Visible Light Modulators See Improved SWaP 12/1/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, novel approaches are explored in freeform optics and fluorescence imaging, NASA nails down a new date for the James Webb Space Telescope launch, and Optica names its photo contest winners and honorary member award recipient.

  8. Bright Ideas — Defense Contractors Tasked With Taking Down Hypersonic Missiles, Record-Breaking Quantum Computer Tops 256 Qubits 11/24/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, the Military Defense Agency picked three contractors to design a Glide Phase Interceptor prototype, a startup claimed its quantum computer has the most qubits (and the best platform), and an electro-topics grad student developed an optical filter that allows sensors and cameras to operate seamlessly in low and bright light situations. 

  9. Bright Ideas — Solar Power Creates Sustainable Aircraft Fuel, Webb Telescope Camera Ready For Launch 11/17/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, teams with the James Webb Space Telescope confirm its camera and spectrograph are ready for launch, a floating-solar and hydro-power plant hybrid is producing electricity near a dam in Thailand, and sustainable aircraft fuel is made from only sunlight and ambient air.

  10. Bright Ideas — U.S. & Russia Pursue HEL Technology, Fiber Optics "Father" Honored With Google Doodle 11/10/2021

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in photonics. This week, high energy lasers (HEL) are the hot topic among academicians and world leaders alike, the "father" of fiber optics is honored by Google, and plenty of photonics firms are making gains with mergers and acquisitions.