September 2014 Issue
Feature Articles
Laser Fusion: The Uncertain Road to Ignition
In early 2014, the U.S. National Ignition Facility announced that it had achieved a fusion reaction that produced net positive energy. Fusion scientists have applauded that step—but the path to sustainable fusion energy remains a long and uncharted one.
by Melinda RoseDiamond Raman Lasers
Scientists are using high-purity synthetic diamonds to create novel devices that offer increased laser power, brightness and wavelength reach.
by Richard P. Mildren, Aaron McKay, Robert J. Williams and Ondrej KitzlerOptical Networks Come of Age
Big data and insatiable consumer demand for broadband are driving a new generation of intelligent, programmable, energy-efficient networks—powered by optical switching—to support Internet services reaching terabit-per-second speeds.
by Daniel Kilper, Keren Bergman, Vincent W.S. Chan, Inder Monga, George Porter and Kristin RauschenbachDepartments and Columns
Scatterings News
Headliners, policy news, industry updates and book reviews.
Fueling the Photonics Workforce
Resolving a near-term shortage in qualified photonics technicians will require innovative cross-training approaches for employed techs from other specialties.
Multi-Tiered Role Models in Career Workshops
Career workshops using multi-tiered role models can support and advance minority scientists at all career stages.
Overcoming Limits for Nanophotonic Devices
Q&A with Jung Park, Pablo Postigo, Volker Sorger and Fengnian Xia, hosts of OSA’s incubator meeting, “Nanophotonic Devices: Beyond Classical Limits.”
Finding a Voice for Photonics
International efforts to promote awareness—and funding—reflect different regional approaches and priorities.
![An artist’s rendering of a pulse of circularly polarized light hitting a 2D semiconductor. [Illustration by S. Alvey / University of Michigan]](https://opnmedia.blob.core.windows.net/$web/opn/media/images/articles/2025/0125/departments/202501-cover-web.jpg?ext=.jpg)
