From The Editor

  1. Is Reducing Proprietary Time On The James Webb Space Telescope A Risk? 4/13/2023

    Currently, data collected by JWST will have a proprietary period of one year before it can be widely shared. But some scientists are pushing for immediate open access to data, claiming it could save lives, inform critical policymaking, and drive more equitable outcomes.

  2. Defense + Commercial Sensing: Exploring The Latest Innovations In Imaging, Sensing, And Photonic Technologies 4/11/2023

    Over the past 68 years, SPIE has been connecting, engaging, and serving its global constituency of more than 258,000 people from 184 countries. A big part of meeting that mission is accomplished by hosting conferences and exhibitions and, at the end of the month, SPIE will be hosting a big one: The Defense + Commercial Sensing conference and exhibition.

  3. How Photonics Help Smart Cities Flourish 4/10/2023

    So, what exactly is a smart city? And what role do photonics play in making a city smart? Let’s find out. 

  4. Dual-Property Coating Prevents Fogging, Unwanted Reflections For LiDAR Applications 3/31/2023

    Using advanced plasma-ion-assisted deposition technology, a team of researchers created an effective combination of antireflective double-nanostructure together with an antifog coating which provides long-term reliability and is suitable for LiDAR applications.

  5. Bright Ideas — 3D-Printed Rocket Launched, NSF Gives Grant To University of Dayton, Nanophotonics And Ultrafast Optics Breakthrough, And More 3/29/2023

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in optics and photonics. This week, we look at a SPIE Summit, combining MEMS with photonics in a single microchip, a demo of a new laser weapon system, and more.

  6. Bright Ideas — 3D Metal Printing Advancements, Improvements On Optical Ranging Technology, Controlling Radiation Direction, And More 3/22/2023

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in optics and photonics. This week, we look at SEEQC’s energy-efficient digital chips, ultra-efficient white light lasers, observing atoms in outer space to improve the measurement of climate factors, and more.

  7. Can Photonics Overcome A Decades-Long Hiring Challenge? 3/21/2023

    Advances in technology and applications are fueling the growth of photonics in more fields including military, communication, aerospace, and automotive to name but a few. These advances have increased the need for photonics professionals but, ironically, photonics has been facing a shortage of qualified technicians for decades now. This is a problem that threatens to slow the industry's growth and is presenting photonics companies with some difficult hiring challenges.

  8. Bright Ideas — Exceptionally Brief Hard X-Ray Pulses, Silicon Photonics Kicking Down Doors, Gh-Gh-Gh-Ghost (Imaging), Butterfly Wings, And More 3/15/2023

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in optics and photonics. This week, we look at a couple of pieces of Optica news, a Texas A&M professor wins a major award, a photodetector shows enhanced sensitivity and speed, and more.

  9. How Machine Vision Is Benefitting The Automotive Industry 3/9/2023

    Machine vision is making its impact felt in every industry and that impact is only going to grow more and more dramatic. Let’s take a look at how it’s making its mark on the automotive industry.

  10. Bright Ideas — Using Fullerene To Predictably Switch An Electron’s Path, Keeping Quantum Computer Cool, Giant Leap Toward 3D Cameras, And More 2/27/2023

    Bright Ideas presents the most captivating news and innovations in optics and photonics. This week, we look at making qubits and controlling them to read and write data, dirt-cheap alternatives to silicon, making phantoms match the optical properties of their target tissue, and more.