Feature Articles

Optics in 2007: Introduction

This special issue of Optics & Photonics News (OPN) highlights the most exciting research to emerge in the preceding 12 months in the fast-paced world of optics. “Optics in 2007” offers readers a unique opportunity to access, in a single source, summaries of cutting-edge optics research reported in the peer-reviewed press. The areas covered in 2007 include biophotonics, communications, holography, lasers, micro-optics, microscopy, nonlinear optics, photonic structures, plasmonics, quantum optics, slow light, solitons and ultrafast optics.

by Robert D. Guenther
Biophotonics

Optics has provided key tools for advancing both modern and traditional biology.

by Grigoriy Emiliyanov, Jesper B. Jensen, Ole Bang, Poul E. Hoiby, Lars H. Pedersen, Erik Michael Kjær and Lars Lindvold
Communications

Although there has been a decrease in telecom research since 2000, significant optical engineering advances continue to provide important contributions to wide-bandwidth communications.

by Casimer DeCusatis and Lawrence Jacobowitz
Holography

Through a careful analysis of numerically reconstructed holographic images, it is possible to obtain 3D information from a single high-aperture EUV Gabor hologram.

by P.W. Wachulak, M.C. Marconi, R.A Bartels, C.S. Menoni and J.J. Rocca
Lasers

Researchers have demonstrated the optical cooling of a laser.

by Alex Hayat, Pavel Ginzburg and Meir Orenstein
Micro-Optics

What unique performance can be provided by micro-optical systems? Is there a limit to the reduction we can make in optical systems? Researchers have taken steps to address these questions.

by Andrea M. Armani, Richard C. Flagan and Scott E. Fraser
Microscopy

Investigators have found new ways to provide the biological community with more powerful tools.

by Chandra S Yelleswarapu and D.V.G.L.N. Rao
Nonlinear Optics

Phase matching is a necessity, but what happens in the extreme? Can we use the nonlinear processes to create the necessary phase matching?

by Robert Fischer, Dragomir Neshev, Andrey Sukhorukov, Solomon Saltiel, Wieslaw Krolikowski and Yuri Kivshar
Photonic Structures

The field of photonic structures now includes not only the identification of naturally occurring structures and the production of conventional optical operations, but the observation of disordered optical structures.

by Sharon A. Jewell, P. Vukusic and N. Roberts
Plasmonics

Surface plasmons are finding interesting applications in nano-optics, where the attenuation does not dominate.

by C.H. Gan, G. Gbur and T.D. Visser
Quantum Optics

Interestingly, quantum optics is being used to solve problems in classical optics.

by S. Chávez-Cerda, Héctor M. Moya Cessa and Jesús R. Moya Cessa
Slow Light

We are finally observing slow light without having to make heroic efforts.

by Joe Mok, Martijn de Sterke, Ian Littler and Benjamin J. Eggleton
Solitons

We can now create structures to form solitons.

by Andrey A. Sukhorukov, Dragomir N. Neshev, Alexander Dreischuh, Robert Fischer, Sangwoo Ha, Jeremy Bolger, Lam Bui, Wieslaw Krolikowski, Benjamin J. Eggleton, Arnan Mitchell, Michael W. Austin and Yuri S. Kivshar
Ultrafast Optics

Short optical pulses provide useful material processing capability.

by A.Y. Vorobyev and C. Guo
Vision

A new intraocular lens has been developed to correct coma. Another finding about metamerism shows that the eye-brain connection stills surprises.

by David H. Foster, Kinjiro Amano, Sérgio M.C. Nascimento and Michael J. Foster

Departments and Columns

Education
Education: Educating Science Educators about Optics

At the 2007 OSA Science Educators’ Day, pre-college teachers learned how to enliven their science classes with demonstrations on fluorescence, lasers, microscopes, basic quantum mechanics and more.

Conversations
OPN Talks with Robert M. Metcalfe

Our conversation with Robert M. Metcalfe, Ethernet inventor and OFC/NFOEC plenary speaker.

Optics Innovations
Carolina Consortium Promotes Photonics Technologies

There is a classic gap between research and the realization of commercial opportunity—often called the “valley of death.” A new consortium of universities in the Carolinas intends to bridge that chasm through a collaborative effort aimed at commercializing photonics technologies.

Policy Matters
Understanding Patent Reform

The U.S. patent system is desperately in need of an overhaul—and Congress may soon be ready to pass reform legislation.

Scatterings
Surface-Vein Scans Track Cancer Spread

A team from Purdue University and the Mayo Clinic is developing technology to scan cancer patients for tumor cells circulating in their bloodstream.

Scatterings
Did You Know?

California prison operates optical lab.

Scatterings
Laser Pioneer’s Solution to Interstellar Puzzler

Surface-vein scans track cancer spread; laser pioneer’s solution to interstellar puzzle; California prison operates optical lab.


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Also in this Issue

Book Reviews
Book Reviews

OSA Today
OSA Today

President's Message
President's Message