January 2015 Issue
Feature Articles
2015: The International Year of Light
Born of a chance remark, the United Nations’ 12-month celebration of light-based technology and art aims for a global impact at all levels of society.
by Patricia DaukantasOptical Lattice Clocks
A new breed of atomic clock—the “ticking” of which comes from transitions in millions of cooled atoms, trapped in optical standing waves created by tightly focused lasers—is pushing scientific timekeeping to previously unknown frontiers of precision.
by Christopher W. Oates and Andrew D. Ludlow“Smartphone Science” in Eye Care and Medicine
The smartphone is beginning to offer low-cost competition for some expensive medical diagnostics, particularly in areas where access to funds, medical professionals and equipment is scarce.
by Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan, John Zelek and Annette McBrideDepartments and Columns
Scatterings
Headliners, policy news, industry updates and book reviews.
Optics and Photonics for the Developing World
Rebecca Richards-Kortum and Jennifer Carns discuss how new light technologies could improve health care in low-resource settings.
What Does the Future Hold for the OSA Foundation?
Optics & Photonics News had an opportunity to talk with Alexander Sawchuk, the new chair of the OSA Foundation board, about his vision for the future.
Expanding the Reach of Optics and Photonics
Optics & Photonics News spoke with Lluis Torner about his photonics outreach efforts and involvement with IYL.
Photonics Production in 2014: A Mixed Bag
Global photonics production advanced at a stronger rate than the broad economy last year, and looks poised for another good showing in 2015. But the regional details paint a more nuanced picture.
OSA’s Student Chapters: Outreach for the Science of Light
The society’s dedicated, worldwide network of student volunteers is a peerless resource in spreading the word about optics and photonics.
![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)
