Photonics/​Optics

Lincoln Laboratory Laser Communications Terminal Launches on Historic Artemis II Moon Mission

As it orbits the Moon, the Orion spacecraft will carry an optical (laser) communications system developed at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Called the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O), the system is capable of higher-bandwidth data transmissions from space compared to traditional radio-frequency (RF) systems. Read on to learn more.

Light-Powered Soft Lens Brings Human-Like Vision to Robotics

A team of biomedical engineers at Georgia Tech has unveiled a breakthrough in adaptive optics: a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions. Read on to learn more.

A Compact Metalens Telescope Capable of Imaging the Moon

Astronomers and amateurs alike know the bigger the telescope, the more powerful the imaging capability. To keep the power but streamline one of the bulkier components, a Penn State-led research team created the first ultrathin, compact metalens telescope capable of imaging faraway objects, including the Moon. Read on to learn more.

Using ‘Doughnut’ Beams to See Incredibly Small Objects

In a new study, researchers at CU Boulder have used doughnut-shaped beams of light to take detailed images of objects too tiny to view with traditional microscopes. The new technique could help scientists improve the inner workings of a range of “nanoelectronics,” including the miniature semiconductors in computer chips. Read on to learn more.

First Electronic-Photonic Quantum Chip Created in a Commercial Foundry

In a milestone for scalable quantum technologies, scientists from Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern University have reported the world’s first electronic–photonic–quantum system on a chip, according to a study published in Nature Electronics. Read on to learn more about it.

Super-Fast Camera Sees Through Dynamic Disorder of Atoms

When materials function inside an operating device, they can behave as if they are dancing. This dynamic disorder is difficult to study because the clusters are not only so small and disordered, but they also fluctuate in time. Researchers report that they have developed a new kind of “camera” that can see the local disorder. Read on to learn more about it.

The Holy Grail of Networking: Bringing Fiber-Optic Speed Directly to the Chip

Caltech scientists have developed a way to guide light on silicon wafers with low signal loss approaching that of optical fiber at visible wavelengths. Read on to learn more about it.

Stable Optical Wireless Power Transmission for the IoT

The world’s first automatic and adaptive, dual-mode light-emitting diode (LED)-based optical wireless power transmission system, that operates seamlessly under both dark and bright...

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions; a new material for insulating windows that could improve the energy efficiency of buildings worldwide; and more.

New MEMS Modulator Offers Significant Advancements in Optical Efficiency

A new Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) grating modulator has been developed, offering significant advancements in optical efficiency and scalability for communication systems. By integrating a tunable sinusoidal grating with broadside-constrained continuous ribbons, a large-scale aperture of 30 × 30 mm is achieved and supports high-speed modulation up to 250 kHz. Read on to learn more.

FPGA-Accelerated AI for Demultiplexing Multimode Fiber Toward Next-Generation Communications

The technique promises immediate impact not only on high-capacity optical communications but also on real-time endoscopic imaging, vibration-tolerant fiber sensors, and any application that demands fast, energyefficient phase retrieval. Read on to learn more.

Stanford Researchers Develop Flexible Color-Changing Material

Stanford researchers have developed a flexible material that can quickly change its surface texture and colors, offering potential applications in camouflage, art, robotics, and...

A New Tool for Measuring Femtosecond Lasers

Ultrashort laser pulses — that are shorter than a millionth of a millionth of a second — have transformed fundamental science, engineering and medicine. Despite this, their ultrashort duration...

NVIDIA Includes Ethernet Photonics in New Six-Chip AI Rubin Platform

NVIDIA is bringing Ethernet networking with co-packaged optics to artificial intelligence (AI) factories, enabling scale-out and scale-across on the NVIDIA Rubin platform...

Peering through Lunar Darkness: Laser Invention to Steer the Next Generation of Moon Landers

In a pivotal step toward autonomous lunar exploration, Advanced Navigation has announced the successful completion of the critical terrestrial validation for its LUNA (Laser Measurement Unit for Navigational Aid) sensor. Read on to learn more.

Co-Developing Illumination and Imaging Systems for Medical Fluorescence Endoscopy

Endoscopic imaging system development requires coordination between various engineering disciplines, especially for optical illumination and imaging engines, particularly when adding fluorescence imaging capabilities. Read on to learn more about it.

A Guide to Cost-Effective Thermal Lens Integration: What to Know for Defense and Autonomous Vehicle Applications

From autonomous vehicles navigating in darkness to UAVs detecting threats, thermal imaging steps in when visible cameras fail — and lens design determines performance, cost, and reliability. Read on to learn more.

Enhancing Signal Integrity and Security in Aerospace: RF-Over-Fiber Optics Hybrid Communications Technology

Although RF-over-Fiber systems are engineered and ruggedized to withstand harsh environments, aerospace systems remain vulnerable to environmental stressors that can degrade the performance of components over time. Maintaining signal integrity requires consistent testing and preventative maintenance of key equipment. Read on to learn more.

Countering the New Threat from the Sky: Advanced IR Imaging Zoom Lenses for C-UAS Systems

This article highlights requirements for an IR imaging C-UAS platform and examines the design of one state-of-the-art lens system for this application. Read on to learn more.

Advances in Fiber Laser Welding for E-Mobility Manufacturing

As electric vehicle designs change and production targets grow even more aggressive, advanced laser welding technologies have continued to evolve to help manufacturers be more efficient and stay competitive. Read on to learn more about it.

Manufacturing the World's Tiniest Light-Emitting Diodes

Miniaturization ranks as the driving force behind the semiconductor industry. The tremendous gains in computer performance since the 1950s are largely due to the fact that ever smaller...

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including a drone with flapping wings that can locate and hover around a moving light like a moth to a flame; a new multi-layered metalens design that could revolutionize portable optics in devices like phones, drones, and satellites; and more.

The U.K.’s First Long-Distance, Quantum-Secured Video Call and More

Researchers have successfully demonstrated the U.K.’s first long-distance ultra-secure transfer of data over a quantum communications network, including the U.K.’s first long-distance quantum-secured video call. Read on to learn more.

3D LiDAR for Improved Rover Traversal and Imagery

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a Space Qualified Rover LiDAR (SQRLi) system that will improve rover sensing capabilities in a small, lightweight package. The new SQRLi package is developed to survive the hazardous space environment and provide valuable image data during planetary and lunar rover exploration. Read on to learn more about it.

Entangled-Photon Pairs Secure Optical Communications

NASA's Glenn Research Center has developed a method of using entangled-photon pairs to produce highly secure mobile communications that require mere milliwatts of power. Read on to learn more.