Light Pulse Speed Record Set
7/2/2008
Researchers have set a new record in ultrafast metrology, producing the first light pulses lasting only 80 attoseconds (a billionth of a billionth of a second) (via photonics.com).
Cannes: candid talk on migration strategies
7/2/2008
The future of the optical networking industry, like the weather at IIR's WDM & Next Generation Networking conference in Cannes, appears to be bright and sunny. For operators it's just a question of how to get there (via fiberssystems.org).
LED standards published in the US
7/1/2008
Two standards relating to LED chromaticity and photometric measurements have already been published in 2008, and more are in the pipeline (via LEDsmagazine.com).
'Excitonic integrated circuit' is a first
6/30/2008
Device used excitons to switch beams of light (via compoundsemiconductor.net)
Philips claims first with office building entirely lit using LEDs
6/26/2008
Philips Lighting France will light an office building in Paris using LED fixtures to achieve both functional and decorative lighting (via ledsmagazine.com).
Tiny green laser targets mobile projectors
6/26/2008
Researchers in Korea believe that their tiny green laser ticks all the boxes for mobile projection applications (via optics.org).
High-power SLED delivers broad spectrum
6/24/2008
A superluminescent LED has for the first time been engineered to exhibit high output power as well as a broadband emission spectrum (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Texas supermarket chain to use GE LED refrigerated display lighting
6/24/2008
United Supermarkets has replaced Lumation LED lighting in 47 stores to save $633,000 in energy and maintenance costs (via ledsmagazine.com).
40G: it's time for a reality check
6/24/2008
The mood here in Cannes at IIR's WDM & Next Generation Networking conference is definitely upbeat, but there's one topic where carriers are sounding a note of caution: 40G (via fiberssystems.org).
Osram Opto unveils LED street lamp project in mainland China
6/23/2008
Shenzhen SED Industry Co.'s light fixtures containing Osram LEDs will illuminate roads in Shenzhen High-Tech Industrial Park (via ledsmagazine.com).
Partnerships show prototypes for LED-based home projectors and tactile displays
6/23/2008
Luminus and TI have created lamp-free projectors, and Osram Opto and Design Dash Ltd. have developed image projection and IR technology for reconfigurable tactile displays (via ledsmagazine.com).
Fraunhofer cooperation speeds roll-to-roll fabrication of OLEDs and solar cells
6/22/2008
Two Fraunhofer institutes have joined forces in the development of a technology for an organic device roll-to-roll production process (via ledsmagazine.com).
Toshiba reviews lighting business with emphasis on LEDs
6/19/2008
Toshiba plans to stop production of filament lamps in 2010 and move towards eco-friendly lighting (via ledsmagazine.com)
Universal Display pushes white OLEDs to 100 lm/W
6/19/2008
Made using the company's phosphorescent OLED technology and with the help of a DOE grant (via ledsmagazine.com)
Dilute nitride closes in on telecom demands
6/18/2008
Perfect annealing conditions hold the key to fabricating room-temperature singlemode GaInNAs lasers operating at 1.5 microns (via optics.org).
Patterned polymers boost OLED efficiency
6/13/2008
The efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) could be boosted by 40% thanks to a nanoimprinting lithography technique (via optics.org).
Thin-disk laser yields energetic femtosecond pulses
6/12/2008
A thin-disk laser has for the first time been engineered to achieve pulse energies greater than 10µJ without the need for external amplification (via optics.org).
Dilute nitride closes in on telecom demands
6/12/2008
Perfect annealing conditions hold the key to fabricating room-temperature single-mode GaInNAs lasers operating at 1.5 microns (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Driving current crucial in blue diode failures
6/12/2008
An extensive analysis of blue laser diode degradation has found that control of crystal quality is the key to making the devices more reliable (via optics.org).
Close-packed array improves LED output
6/10/2008
Etching a photonic crystal structure onto the surface of an LED boosts light emission intensity by a factor of three (via optics.org).
Defects targeted for InGaN laser improvement
6/9/2008
Better control of crystal quality is "strictly necessary" to improve blue laser diode reliability, finds an extensive study by laser manufacturer Panasonic and a team at the University of Padova (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Compound cells double solar electricity yield
6/6/2008
Best-ever system efficiency figures bode well for Concentrix Solar’s larger upcoming solar power plant deployments and factory opening (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
ZnO allows m-plane GaN growth on sapphire
6/5/2008
Using a closely lattice-matched buffer, Chinese researchers have demonstrated HVPE growth of non-polar GaN epilayers on economical substrates (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Polaritons promise more efficient lasers
6/5/2008
Particles that are 'half-matter and half-light' could lead to the development of low-power ultrafast lasers, says a team of researchers from Crete (via fibresystems.org).
Cavity soliton laser brings all-optical processing closer
6/3/2008
A CW or pulsed laser that can be switched on and off using light pulses could play an important role in future photonic systems (via optics.org).
Chip makers chase the Sun as competition hots up
6/2/2008
The rush to invest in and develop clean energy technologies has witnessed unprecedented interest in III-V solar cells for concentrating photovoltaics (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
US Invests in Solar
5/31/2008
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced that it will invest up to $13.7 million over three years in 11 university-led solar photovoltaic technology projects. This investment is part of the Solar America Initiative that was begun in 2006, the goal of which is to make solar cost-competitive with other forms of energy by 2015 and to install photovoltaic systems that can produce 5 to 10 GW of electricity in the US by 2015 and 70 to 100 GW by 2030 (via Photonics Spectra)..
Sun Microsystems to Develop On-Chip Optical Networks
5/31/2008
The US Department of Defense has awarded Sun Microsystems Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., $44.29 million to develop computer microchip interconnectivity through on-chip optical networks enabled by silicon photonics and by the company’s proximity communications technology (via Photonics Spectra).
Laser sets heart beating to a new rhythm
5/30/2008
Researchers in Japan have created a femtosecond laser pacemaker (via optics.org).
Terahertz laser emits at room temperature
5/29/2008
A quantum cascade laser that emits terahertz radiation at room temperature opens up applications in biological imaging and security screening (via optics.org).
Water boosts laser ablation efficiency
5/23/2008
An ablation technique that fires nanosecond pulses onto a sample with a layer of water on its surface could aid laser processing of metals (via optics.org).
Fibre delivers self-healing Bessel beam
5/21/2008
A fibre-based source of near-ideal Bessel beams will be crucial for applications that require remote beam delivery as well as diffraction-free propagation (via optics.org).
Femtosecond laser delivers breakthrough performance
5/19/2008
A Ti:Sa laser that emits sub-50 fs pulses at repetition rates of 10 GHz offers unique advantages for applications in spectroscopy (via optics.org).
Moore's Law for Photovoltaics Takes Hold
5/16/2008
Specialists in solar energy got together in San Diego to discuss how photovoltaics can be improved to achieve commercial success. Three positive developments have now emerged (providing a sort of "Moore's Law" for solar power) that could lead to the elusive goal of grid parity (via IEEE Spectrum).
Radiohead tour goes bulb-free with i-Pix LED fixtures
5/15/2008
For its current world tour, rock band Radiohead has chosen to use only LED fixtures for stage lighting (via LEDs Magazine).
Medical imaging via mobile phone
5/15/2008
Medical images that can be uploaded onto a mobile phone and transmitted to health professionals for analysis could help make diagnosis and treatment more accessible (via optics.org).
LED Lasers Cost Less
5/8/2008
Plastic lasers that convert light from LEDs and can be tuned to every color of the rainbow can be created at a fraction of the cost of existing technologies, said the physicists who developed them at the University of St. Andrews (via photonics.com)
Solder Bumping Improves Lens
5/7/2008
A solder technique used in electronics manufacturing is proving useful in keeping optical device lenses clear and in place when they are used inside a vacuum (via photonics.com)
Virgin Media lights up 40G with Nortel
5/7/2008
When Nortel unveiled its 40 Gbit/s strategy and products back in March, it also named UK carrier Neos Networks and Danish service provider TDC as customers, but a third customer has managed to steal the limelight by being first to actually deploy Nortel's 40 Gbit/s equipment (via fibresystems.org).
Pulse-driven LEDs have higher apparent brightness
5/5/2008
Human perception studies by a Japanese university indicate that pulse-driven LEDs appear up to twice as bright (via LEDs Magazine).
Nitride LED pumps polymer laser
5/2/2008
A polymer laser that is pumped by an LED could provide a low-cost and compact source of visible light (via optics.org).
Nitride LED pumps polymer laser
5/2/2008
A polymer laser that is pumped by an LED could provide a low-cost and compact source of visible light (via optics.org).
Pico-projectors featured at upcoming Projection Summit
5/1/2008
Pico-projector systems, many using LED light sources, are expected to be a major feature of the consumer electronics marketplace by 2012 (via LEDs Magazine).
Smoothing process boosts green LED output
5/1/2008
The secret to reducing out-diffusion of indium from quantum wells is adding an extra trimethylindium-ammonia step during epiwafer growth (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Study finds US consumers warming to LEDs for energy-efficient lighting
5/1/2008
A new study says 87% of consumers would be willing to try LED technology for some or all of their home lighting (via LEDs Magazine).
LED-illuminated gas station sees higher traffic and reduced costs
4/30/2008
The Better Day BP gas station and convenience store in Racine, Wisconsin, is the first to feature all-exterior LED lighting, writes Kevin Orth (via LEDs Magazine).
An alternate way of driving LEDs
4/30/2008
Several lighting manufacturers have recently incorporated AC-driven LEDs into their lighting fixtures. Tim Whitaker looks at this emerging technology (via LEDs Magazine).
UK hospital installs LEDs to save energy costs and improve illumination
4/28/2008
Norfolk and Norwich U. Hospital will save GBP1600 pounds annually by replacing the halogen lights in its atrium with PuraLED luminaires (via LEDs Magazine).
EU laser team readies cancer surgical strike
4/25/2008
Backed by industry and the European Commission, the 'Brighter' project is delivering powerful 635 and 650 nm diodes for medical applications as the first of its many goals (via optics.org).
Nav-comm develops new LED lighting systems for emergency vehicles
4/25/2008
The Russian Police and Emergency Services are among the latest entities buying the UK-made light bars, which have a lower profile and higher efficiency than traditional lighting systems (via LEDs Magazine).
GaN VCSEL delivers electrically pumped lasing
4/24/2008
GaN VCSELs are now producing electrically pumped lasing thanks to superlattice structures in the n-type mirror and indium tin oxide coating of the aperture (via optics.org).
OLED encapsulation method reduces water intrusion
4/24/2008
Georgia Tech researchers have replaced the glass enclosure with a thin-film barrier formed by a less expensive conventional deposition method (via LEDs Magazine).
London looking for LEDs lights in Trafalgar Square fountains
4/17/2008
The Greater London Authority is looking for a contractor to replace the lighting system in the Trafalgar Square fountains with a new high specification LED lighting system (via LEDs Magazine).
Light+Building tradeshow breaks records in Frankfurt
4/17/2008
Light+Building had a big leap in visitor numbers this year, a strong emphasis of energy efficiency, and of course plenty of LEDs (via LEDs Magazine).
Infrared spectroscopy detects Alzheimer's
4/16/2008
An optical technique for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in living patients has been proposed by researchers in the US (via optics.org).
AlInN mirrors spur VCSEL progress
4/15/2008
Electrically pumped GaN VCSELs are just round the corner, thanks to the development of AlInN-based distributed Bragg mirrors and ring-shaped intracavity contacts (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Positive predictions for laser market
4/14/2008
"The world optoelectronics market will surpass $1.2 trillion by 2017." That's the staggering prediction made by Steve Anderson, chief editor of Laser Focus World (LFW) in Photonics Europe Industry perspectives seminar (via optics.org).
Robo-pet
4/14/2008
Ever wanted a pet, but without the hassle of training or cleaning up after it? Well 'Probo' could be for you!
This robotic companion has an artificial optical skin, which can detect touch and respond accordingly. Probo is so clever that it can differentiate between different types of touching such as tickling, poking, slapping and petting and reacts with the appropriate facial expressions and noises (via optics.org).
Plastic perfection
4/14/2008
Yasuhiro Koike believes in the optical properties of plastics and, judging by the number of people who came to hear his plenary discussion, he's not alone in his view (via optics.org).
LED brightness doubles in a flash
4/9/2008
A researcher from Ehime University in Japan hopes that pulsed LED operation, which fools us into thinking that we’re looking at brighter light, can be used in residential lighting (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Spliced fibres yield sensitive strain sensor
4/9/2008
The spherical microbubble formed when a single-mode fibre is spliced to a hollow-core photonic crystal fibre produces a high-precision strain sensor (via optics.org).
Osram and lighting designer Ingo Maurer unveil OLED table lamp
4/8/2008
The limited-edition table lamp shows the potential of using OLEDs as flexible or transparent light sources with a uniform light-generating surface (via LEDs Magazine).
Fluidic lens allows universal imaging
4/4/2008
An imaging device combining a fluidic lens with a set of fixed glass lenses can operate as a camera and as a microscope (via optics.org).
Novel thin films target device applications
4/4/2008
A new class of optical thin-film materials enables the refractive index to be tuned to extremely low values. E Fred Schubert and colleagues believe that this capability could have important applications in real-world devices, including solar cells and LEDs (via optics.org).
III-V solar cell firms target 150 mm substrates
4/4/2008
Emcore and Spectrolab are planning to manufacture cells on larger germanium wafers to help meet the anticipated growth of GaAs-based solar power generation.
Antenna directs light emission for first time
4/3/2008
An optical antenna that redirects the light emitted by nearby molecules could benefit sensing and analytical applications (via optics.org).
Novel cascade structure aims for shorter wavelengths
4/2/2008
A quantum cascade laser operating in the near infrared could be on the cards, thanks to research that has shown electroluminescence from an unusual combination of materials (via optics.org).
Graphene makes for better optical displays
3/31/2008
The cost and quality of LCDs could be improved by replacing conventional indium tin oxide electrodes with graphene (via optics.org).
Silicon chip processes single photons
3/28/2008
The first single-chip logic gate capable of processing individual photons represents an important step towards practical quantum computers (via optics.org).
Computer giants embrace on-chip optics
3/27/2008
Competition is mounting in the race to use light rather than electronics to transfer information in next-generation supercomputers (via optics.org).
Photon research breaks new boundaries
3/26/2008
Three independent research groups have demonstrated how the quantum nature of individual photons could boost the performance of both imaging and data transmission systems (via optics.org).
Warmer whites top DOE's wish list
3/25/2008
The research focus on high-performance LEDs will now shift towards more warm-white LED and high-efficacy luminaire development, says a US Department of Energy report (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Thin-disk lasers set new benchmarks
3/20/2008
Two separate research groups have unveiled thin-disk lasers that push the performance boundaries of both pulsed and continuous-wave laser sources (via optics.org).
Giant optics gives telescope a wider view
3/19/2008
The world's most powerful wide-angle survey telescope uses a huge two-in-one mirror to become the widest, fastest and deepest eye of the new digital age (via optics.org).
$20 DVD head images graphite terraces
3/18/2008
Optical chips that are commonly found in DVD players could pave the way for low-cost atomic force microscopy (via optics.org).
Osram reports warm-white OLED with 46 lm/W efficiency
3/18/2008
As part of the OPAL research project, Osram has simultaneously achieved long lifetime and high efficiency (via LEDs Magazine).
Solar dish breaks 20-year efficiency record
3/17/2008
A honeycomb structure of highly accurate and reflective mirrors boosts conversion of sunlight to electricity to beyond 31% (via optics.org).
Groovy nitrides could light up silicon
3/17/2008
Devising a monolithic approach to making a silicon light source has been fraught with difficulty, but the fabrication of lattice-matched GaNAsP lasers on CMOS-compatible substrates is showing a great deal of promise, according to Wolfgang Stolz from the University of Marburg and NAsP III/V (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
GE demonstrates OLEDs manufactured by roll-to-roll process
3/13/2008
A manufacturing process similar to that used for newspaper printing could eventually result in low-cost, commercially viable OLED lighting (via LEDs Magazine).
Global market for OLED displays to exceed US $4.5 billion by 2010
3/13/2008
The global Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display industry is anticipated to experience stupendous growth in the coming five years according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc (via LEDs Magazine).
LED displays prominent in Olympic Games venues
3/13/2008
Shenzhen Sansun Hi-Tech Co., Ltd has supplied four LED screens to the main stadium and the aquatic center for the Beijing Games (via LEDs Magazine).
Intel extends silicon lasers to 1850nm
3/11/2008
Intel's optical engineers have notched up another first: a cascaded Raman laser built in silicon that they believe could be used in gas sensing applications (via optics.org).
Picosecond pulses sort real jewels from fakes
3/10/2008
A new laser technique could spot counterfeit gemstones without damaging the material (via optics.org).
Nanowires brighten up organic LEDs
3/7/2008
Organic LEDs that use gold nanowires to boost light-emitting efficiency show promise for future lighting and display technology (via optics.org).
IBM takes on-chip interconnects to light speed
3/7/2008
As IBM's prototype optical interconnect technology hits the headlines, optics.org spoke to IBM researcher Clint Schow to find out what's really under the bonnet (via optics.org).
Prize fund provides $20 m incentive to develop efficient LED lamps
3/6/2008
The new energy bill contains details of the Bright Tomorrow Lighting prizes totaling $20 million, to encourage US companies to develop efficient LED lamps to replace 60 W incandescents and PAR-38 halogens (via LEDs Magazine).
Tunable laser deluge drives down prices
3/4/2008
The recent raft of announcements about the latest tunable laser releases should come with a health warning, as excessive competition in this market segment may stunt its growth (via fibersystems.org).
Europe invests in TEIN3
3/3/2008
Collaboration between researchers in the Asia-Pacific region and their peers across the globe has been extended by an €18 million investment in the new TEIN3 high speed research and education network from the European Union and its Asian partners (via fibersystems.org).
2007: a good year for optical
3/3/2008
Sales of optical network hardware are up for the 4th consecutive year, nearing $13.9 billion worldwide in 2007, a 19% jump from 2006, says Infonetics Research in its latest Optical Network Hardware report (via fibersystems.org).
OFC/NFOEC report part 1: 40G
3/3/2008
To find the buzz at the Optical Fiber Communications/ National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (OFC/NFOEC) in San Diego last week then look no further than 40 Gbit/s optical components (via fibersystems.org).
Novel research boosts solar cell efficiency
3/3/2008
Solar panels that combine the ubiquity and low cost of silicon-based solar cells with the high efficiencies associated with more expensive compound semiconductor technologies could be in production within three years (via optics.org).
Experiments locate light source in silicon nanocrystals
3/2/2008
A long-standing controversy surrounding the source of light emission in silicon nanostructures has been settled by new experiments in high magnetic fields (via optics.org).
Study reveals true cost of fibre access
2/29/2008
TNO, the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, has developed a model to evaluate the lifetime costs of large-scale fibre-to-the-home deployments that will help operators and investors plan their network roll-outs more effectively (via fibersystems.org).
Power record falls as laser emits 300 TW
2/28/2008
The most intense laser in the world could improve radiation treatment of cancer and shed new light on ultra fast light-matter interactions (via optics.org).
Optics pioneer honoured
2/28/2008
Alcatel-Lucent today announced that Bob Tkach, director of Transmission Systems research at Bell Labs, received the 22nd John Tyndall Award, the highest recognition in the optical telecommunications community, during a ceremony at the OFC/NFOEC conference in San Diego, California (via fibersystems.org).
Scientists prevent quantum dots from "blinking"
2/27/2008
Quantum dots can be made to emit single photons more efficiently and reliably by using a new method to suppress quantum dot "blinking" (via optics.org).
Infinera unveils photonic roadmap
2/26/2008
Infinera is out to prove that it won’t be left behind when the industry makes the move to 40 or 100 Gbit/s (via fibersystems.org).
Seoul LED delivers 900 lm maximum at 10 watts
2/26/2008
The new Z-Power P7 Series single LED package has significantly higher light output than a 60 W incandescent lamp (via LEDs Magazine).
Record cell sets IMEC's III-V solar agenda
2/26/2008
Scientists at the European research center hope to make the most of industry-leading germanium junctions, and intend to deploy an unusual cell design to do so (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
New applications speed LED market recovery
2/25/2008
Now much less reliant on mobile phone backlighting, the market for high-brightness LEDs is bouncing back from two years of sluggish growth (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LED market to grow by 12% in 2008
2/20/2008
Strategies Unlimited predicts that the LED industry is emerging from a slow growth phase, and that the total market size in 2012 will exceed $11bn (via LEDs Magazine).
Blue lasers to emerge intact from format war
2/19/2008
Analyst Asif Anwar remains confident in the impressive growth rates he's predicted for GaN laser diode sales, even if the triumph of Blu-ray leads to a change in Sony and Nichia's ongoing relationship (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Ultrafast fibre lasers offer flexible solutions
2/15/2008
One of today's most active research areas is exploiting ultrafast fibre lasers that produce picosecond or femtosecond pulses. Frank Lison and Thomas Renner of TOPTICA provide a back-to-basics look at the technology and review the emerging applications that could benefit (via optics.org).
Laser turns aluminium into gold-coloured aluminium
2/14/2008
A femtosecond laser process can create a variety of colours on a metal surface, and could lead to control of material's optical properties from UV to terahertz (via optics.org).
Bringing optical technology to the seismograph
2/12/2008
The University of Kent at Canterbury applied its expertise in advanced optics to develop a new generation of sensors to measure seismic activity.
Four-pronged attack promises ultra-high efficiency lighting
2/11/2008
Ultra-high efficacy white-light sources can be built by carefully mixing efficient blue, green, yellow and red LEDs, say Sandia National Laboratories researchers. Richard Stevenson investigates (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
InP removal sharpens airplane vision
2/6/2008
Etching back the epiwafer substrate stretches InGaAs light detection from the infra-red into the visible region, which could prove critical for imaging LED landing lights (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Efficient white OLED emits clearly
2/5/2008
High quality light has been produced by a white OLED using a novel three emission layer structure (via optics.org).
New process boosts fiber production
1/25/2008
A hollow-core optical fiber that can be produced in a day instead of a week suffers no loss in quality according to UK researchers (via optics.org).
Incentives needed for LED streetlight adoption
1/24/2008
Oakland study finds that, at current prices, it could take as long as 26 years for LED streetlights to deliver a return on investment through energy savings(via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LED lenses make eyes light up
1/21/2008
Contact lenses with imprinted LEDs could benefit drivers, pilots, or patients with impaired vision (via optics.org).
LED trio dominate the automotive sector
1/17/2008
Osram, Nichia and Lumileds have a combined share exceeding 50% of the global LED market, according to a report from IMS (via LEDs Magazine).
PC-SEL emits blue-violet for first time
1/17/2008
A short wavelength surface-emitting laser could help Japanese researchers to develop next-generation information storage devices (via optics.org).
Bookham LED multiplexing module targets biomedical market
1/16/2008
Using novel multiplexing filters, Bookham's LED module can combine up to six wavelengths in the visible range (via LEDs Magazine).
LED backlights enable Apple's ultra-thin notebook
1/16/2008
Apple's latest notebook with an LED-backlit screen tapers to a thickness of just 4 mm (via LEDs Magazine).
An answer to LED droop?
1/14/2008
A major obstacle to solid-state lighting is so-called "droop" - the way that the efficiency falls at high drive currents. Its origins were unclear: until a recent spate of papers appeared, that is… (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
DARPA kicks off green laser project
1/9/2008
Non-polar GaN substrates and low-defect crystal growth will have an important part to play in powerful, practical green laser diodes (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
US Energy Bill powers up LED lighting
1/8/2008
A new law will help the US Department of Energy improve understanding across the solid-state lighting industry, which could bring benefits far beyond the $20M competition that will be the first outcome.
Team develops tiny optical switch
1/7/2008
What could be the world's smallest optical switch has been made by a team of researchers at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
Osram transparent OLED offers high efficacy
12/17/2007
Osram Opto Semiconductors has developed a high-performance, transparent white OLED, that is transparent either when on or off (via LEDs Magazine).
Optical system stores light as sound
12/14/2007
A new technique for storing light pulses as sound waves could improve the performance of optical communications networks (via optics.org).
Silicon waveguide cleans up optical signals
12/13/2007
US scientists have unveiled a centimetre-sized silicon chip that can regenerate optical signals transmitted through an optical fiber (via optics.org).
Nanolasers boost data storage
12/12/2007
US researchers have made a nanolaser that could enable data to be stored with a density of 10 Tbit per square inch (via optics.org).
IBM unveils tiny silicon modulator
12/11/2007
IBM's silicon optical modulator is one hundred times smaller than previous devices, which could enable high-density optical integration in silicon (via optics.org).
Tunable bandgap heralds new photonic devices
12/6/2007
A new semiconductor material with a tunable bandgap could allow precise control over the wavelength of light emitted by a laser (via optics.org).
The team from OSRAM and Fraunhofer IOF win the German Future Prize 2007
12/6/2007
The German Future Prize for 2007 was awarded specifically for thin-film chip technology and its application in the Ostar family of LEDs
Optical hardware market hits a new high
12/4/2007
2007 revenues are the highest for the market since the crash in 2001, says Infonetics (via fibersystems.org).
OLEDs: Osram transparent OLED offers high efficacy
12/4/2007
Osram Opto Semiconductors has developed a high-performance, transparent white OLED, that is transparent either when on or off (via LEDs Magazine).
OLED project unveils see-through displays
11/30/2007
Transparent and non-transparent OLED signage devices have been developed for automotive applications (via optics.org).
Silicon Photonics: Challenges and Future
11/29/2007
The report examines the emphasis on silicon photonics today as a potential optical interconnect solution and addresses the issues and technology paths being pursued.
Cascaded VCSELs beat bandwidth record
11/29/2007
A direct modulation bandwidth of 66 GHz has been achieved from two daisy-chained VCSELs, and the principle could be scaled up to reach over 100 GHz (via optics.org).
Microstructured fiber boosts ultrafast photonics
11/28/2007
The photonic crystal fiber produces ultrafast pulses at low powers and across a broad spectral range, as well as breaking new conceptual ground in photonics (via optics.org).
Berlin gains new semiconductor nanophotonics center
11/28/2007
German research on novel optoelectronic devices and nanostructures is reinforced by a new Center of Excellence funded by the country's National Science Foundation (via optics.org).
Researchers see 100 Gbit/s future for copper
11/23/2007
Copper could still give fibre a run for its money in future home and enterprise networks if predictions by US researchers turn out to be correct (via fibersystems.org).
Production Cadillac sports full LED headlamp
11/23/2007
Next summer, the cavernous Cadillac Escalade Platinum will become the first series production sports utility vehicle to feature a full LED headlamp (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
A four-core fiber-optic sensor
11/14/2007
A novel design senses curvature, twisting angle, and temperature gradient in a single optical fiber for structure monitoring (via SPIE Newsroom).
Osram's LEDs light up Canadian sidewalks
11/12/2007
LEDs are lighting the streets of Banff in Canada as part of a pilot project with Osram (via optics.org).
Tunable gel senses surroundings
11/6/2007
Colorimetric sensors could benefit from research into photonic gels that can be tuned across the entire visible spectrum (via optics.org).
Novaled reports 35 lm/W and 100,000 hours from white OLED
11/6/2007
Further progress has been reported by Novaled in the development of white OLEDs for lighting (via LEDs Magazine).
Creative Technology scores at Rugby World Cup
11/5/2007
A giant rugby ball composed of multiple LED panels was the showpiece of the hospitality area in a Paris rugby stadium (via LEDs Magazine).
Fiber laser sales to surpass $240 million in 2007
11/2/2007
Sheet metal cutting and micro applications lead the growth in the fiber laser market, according to the latest report from Strategies Unlimited (via optics.org).
White LEDs offer radio-free wireless option
11/2/2007
A photonic alternative to wireless networking could offer data rates of up to 100 Mbit/s in an unlicensed part of the spectrum (via optics.org).
Cree installs LED lighting in all its facilities
11/2/2007
As part of its LED Workplace initiative, Cree will convert all of the lighting at its facilities to LED lighting. Part of the project has been completed, and energy usage has been cut by 48% (via LEDs Magazine).
LED safety and the evolution of international standards
10/19/2007
For the purposes of LED safety analysis, newer standards use lamp-based rather than laser-based criteria. However, with continued improvements in LED performance, safety standards for LED are still evolving, according to Neil Haigh and Geoff Archenhold (via LEDs Magazine).
Liquid-core fibers improve sensor sensitivity
10/18/2007
New research is improving the performance of sensors based on fluid-core optical fibers, while also making them easier to fabricate (via optics.org).
Tunable VCSEL includes intracavity microlens
10/12/2007
Fabricating microlenses directly on to the top of a VCSEL's gain structure creates a versatile single-mode source (via optics.org).
Sony launches ultra-thin OLED TV
10/5/2007
The first commercially available OLED TV could be the first step towards a new generation of ultra-thin screens (via optics.org).
Daktronics installs world's largest HD display for Kansas City Royals
10/4/2007
The Kansas City Royals and Daktronics announced today that the world's largest high definition (HD) LED video display will be installed at Kauffman Stadium prior to the start of the 2008 Major League Baseball season (via LEDs Magazine).
Sony announces OLED TV launch in December
10/4/2007
Sony will seed the OLED TV market with an 11-inch model priced at around $1700 (via LEDs Magazine).
Mitsubishi Electric unveils 140-inch indoor LED display
10/4/2007
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced today a new 140-inch full-color LED display for indoor-use, called Resolia (via LEDs Magazine).
LED lights could provide Michigan with a greener Christmas
10/1/2007
A company selling LED holiday lights wants the State of Michigan to adopt LEDs for its Christmas tree (via LEDs Magazine).
Carmanah lights up Big Apple with LED street signs
9/28/2007
New York City is to install energy-efficient internally illuminated LED street signs.
Flat-panel display spans entire color range
9/27/2007
A reflective flat-panel display that exhibits color tuning across the entire visible spectrum could be a valuable power saver (via optics.org)
LEDs lights to span the Hudson River
9/25/2007
LEDs will replace conventional lighting on the George Washington bridge and the Holland Tunnel (via LEDs Magazine).
Vertical emission opens new doors for VCSELs
9/21/2007
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers have long been associated with the datacom market but as Karlheinz Gulden of Bookham explains, the laser's unique emission properties are now proving useful in applications such as optical mice and atomic clocks.
Nitride LEDs get brighter with transparent ZnO contacts
9/19/2007
LED manufacturers can boost chip performance by up to 30% if they replace ITO contacts with those based on ZnO, says Structured Materials Industries' Gary Tompa.
Cree breaks efficacy records for power LEDs
9/13/2007
R&D measurements verified by NIST show that Cree has developed LEDs driven at 350 mA that have efficacies of 129 lm/W and 99 lm/W for cool and warm white, respectively (via LEDs Magazine).
Optical networking enjoys best quarter sales in six years
9/12/2007
Investment in metro-WDM equipment spending up by 51% in year to mid-2007, reports analyst Ovum-RHK. North American wireline capex dips while spending on mobile infrastructure outperforms fixed (via fibers.org).
JDSU shows off ‘transmitter-on-a-chip’
9/7/2007
JDSU demonstrates the integration of tunable lasers and modulators on a single InP die, drawing on more than a decade of experience researching photonic integrated circuits (via fibers.org).
Pulsed hybrid laser looks good for fiber-optics
9/4/2007
A mode-locked silicon evanescent laser could lead to high-speed data transmission (via fibers.org).
Optical active cable exploits CMOS photonics
9/4/2007
A new 40 Gbit/s cable is paving the way for CMOS photonics to be used in consumer products (via fibers.org).
Osram supplies LEDs for street lights, unveils new Dragon
9/3/2007
Osram LEDs have been used in solar-powered streetlights in two Austrian towns, and a new version of the Golden Dragon has been unveiled with 20- or 40-degree optics (via LEDs Magazine).
Supercontinuum sources head for medical market
8/31/2007
Many biomedical applications are now benefiting from the unique optical properties of supercontinuum fibre lasers (via optics.org)
Supercontinuum sources head for medical market
8/31/2007
Many biomedical applications are now benefiting from the unique optical properties of supercontinuum fibre lasers (via optics.org)
Banknotes boost ultraviolet LED firm's cash flow
8/30/2007
Japanese company Nitride Semiconductor is doing good business replacing conventional UV bulbs with GaN LEDs, but for further growth, it's looking beyond money (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Pulsed hybrid laser looks good for fiber-optics
8/29/2007
A mode-locked silicon evanescent laser could lead to high-speed data transmission
Optical inspection spots defective ball bearings
8/29/2007
Illumination by ring light could be the best way to see potentially dangerous flaws in ball bearings (via optics.org)
EU permit lights the way for first all-LED headlamp
8/24/2007
Audi is to bring full LED headlamp units, featuring Lumileds’ Luxeon LEDs, to the road in its “brand icon” R8 (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Verizon Center to install first true HD indoor LED scoreboard
8/22/2007
High-definition video using 6-mm pitch LED screens will be installed in the Washinton DC arena by ANC Sports and Mitsubishi Electric (via LEDs Magazine).
LED sales for large backlight units to hit $1bn by 2012
8/21/2007
As the market for LEDs used in handset backlights hits saturation point, larger-scale applications will represent a billion dollar market by 2012, predicts IMS Research.
Silicon photonics goes organic
8/21/2007
A combination of organic semiconductors and silicon photonics results in a hybrid red surface-emitting laser (via optics.org).
Welland is Well Lit with LED street lighting
8/20/2007
The City of Welland, Ontario is undertaking a pilot program to evaluate LED street lighting, which could possibly lead to the installation of more than 6500 luminaires in future (via LEDs Magazine).
LED backlight set for strong market growth
8/17/2007
LEDs light sources, driver ICs and ambient light sensors will all be in demand as new backlighting applications emerge (via LEDs Magazine).
LED bulbs create star-scape in LA's Ernst & Young Plaza
8/9/2007
LED lighting has created an attractive decorative feature and saved tens of thousands of dollars for the building owner.
Lessons to be learned from LED product recall
8/9/2007
The LED lighting industry should react positively to news that an LED lighting product has been recalled due to a fire risk in the circuit board (via LEDs Magazine).
LED Incapacitator is latest weapon in crowd control
8/7/2007
An LED light developed by Intelligent Optical Systems is intended to disorientation and nausea.
Multimode fiber acts as a sensitive strain sensor
8/6/2007
Interference of higher order modes produces a strain sensitivity almost twice that of sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (via optics.org).
FTTH survey reveals 'leaders and laggards'
8/6/2007
Asia leads the world in fiber-to-the-home penetration according to joint report by world's three FTTH councils. Scandinavian trio in second place (via fibers.org).
Hospital LED lighting scheme is easy on the eye
8/5/2007
A unique LED-based lighting scheme at Moorfield Eye Hospital makes subtle and interesting use of colors, and is considerate to occupants.
Lighting fixtures market to exceed $94 billion by 2010
8/1/2007
According to a new report by Global Industry Analysts, shipments of fluorescent and other non-incandescent portable fixtures, such as those using LED light sources, are expected to witness gains in the coming years (via LEDs Magazine).
Sumitomo Chemical to acquire OLED specialist CDT
8/1/2007
The acquisition of Cambridge Display Technology will enable Sumitomo Chemical to accelerate development of large OLED displays (via LEDs Magazine).
Osram Opto puts OLED focus on lighting applications
7/30/2007
Osram Opto Semiconductors will cease production of OLED passive-matrix displays and focus on OLED lighting products (via LEDs Magazine).
Alliance for GaN LEDs nets £1.7m UK grant
7/30/2007
A nine-way collaboration named NoveLELs will bring universities together with companies from aerospace, III-V and solid-state lighting to develop new technologies for aircraft and general lighting applications (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Electro-optical lenses focus lasers in two dimensions
7/26/2007
The ability to focus laser light in two dimensions could herald a new era of high-speed optical storage and retrieval (via optics.org).
The world's first 40G silicon laser modulator
7/25/2007
Researchers at Intel's Photonics Technology Lab have developed a laser modulator that encodes optical data at 40 Gbit/s (via optics.org).
Tandem design sets new efficiency record for plastic solar cells
7/24/2007
Linking two organic solar cells with different absorption characteristics allows a wider range of the spectrum to be used (via optics.org).
Ge-free solar cell seizes unconcentrated record
7/23/2007
Academics move closer to the pivotal 50 percent efficiency level, improving the performance of the inverted metamorphic multi-junction approach (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Nichia accelerates 150 lm/W LED production
7/20/2007
Moving faster than originally planned from demonstrations in the lab, the GaN pioneer firm looks set to claim the commercial lead in HB-LED efficacy within months (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Smallest cw nanolaser operates at room temperature
7/18/2007
Photonic chips are set to benefit from the first highly efficient room-temperature nanolaser to demonstrate continuous wave operation (via optics.org).
UK OLED project targets replacement conventional lighting
7/13/2007
The UK government is providing funding for a project to develop OLED lighting technologies, with a long-term view of enabling high-volume manufacturing (via LEDs Magazine).
UK academics make single-photon GaN source
7/10/2007
Quantum dot devices from an inter-university collaboration provide a means of creating practical blue light for photon counting (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Avago aims for auto with robust AlInGaP chips
7/6/2007
LED lighting for automotive applications gets a boost with new AlInGaP-based packages from Avago, and Osram says it is sampling its improved five-chip LED for use in headlamps – although volume production remains 18 months away (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Lasers focus on materials processing at the smallest scale
7/6/2007
A recent workshop highlighted innovative optical techniques for micro- and nanomachining (via optics.org).
Nanotubes shine brightly in batches
7/5/2007
Large batches of fluorescent nanotubes have been produced which shine brightly enough for nanoscale medical applications (via optics.org).
Ledon and Lexedis illuminate BMW museum with LEDs
7/5/2007
Zumtobel Group companies Ledon and Lexedis are installing LED backlighting for a glass facade covering 3000 square meters (via LED Magazine)
Holey foils enter lighting market
7/5/2007
Researchers from Illinois are developing flat, flexible plasma lamps that they hope will surpass the efficiency of fluorescent lighting (via optics.org).
Organic LEDs brighten up
7/4/2007
Magnetic nanoparticles could boost the efficiency of an organic
light-emitting device by more than 30%, say US researchers (via optics.org).
Nanowire laser enables sub-wavelength imaging
7/4/2007
US scientists have incorporated a nanowire laser into a prototype microscope that could enable biological samples to be imaged with sub-wavelength resolution (via optics.org).
Marks & Spencer selects NuaLight's LED lighting system
7/4/2007
LED lighting from NuaLight is being installed in temperature-controlled food display cases in Marks & Spencer stores in the UK and Ireland (via LED Magazine)
Osram Opto chips narrow green gap
7/3/2007
Laboratory chips from the German company lead the way in the green wavelengths, whilst red devices reach higher levels of output and efficiency (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Genesis concert backdrop uses 9 million LEDs
7/3/2007
Phil Collins and his mates have pulled out all the stops on their comeback tour, with a massive LED stage backdrop (via LED Magazine)
Quantum dot detector images at room temperature
7/2/2007
High speed, high operating temperature applications could benefit from research into quantum-dot infrared photodetectors (via optics.org).
Lumileds chips shine light for world's poorest
6/26/2007
A non-profit pilot project is using LEDs and CIGS solar cells to provide light in remote communities, and hoping to extend the concept to other electronic devices (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LED transceivers bring plastic optical fiber home
6/25/2007
Firecomms' resonant cavity LEDs are the subject of two new deals, including the first licensing agreement for a user-friendly, do-it-yourself, plastic optical fiber technology (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
$20 million LED prizes promise “Bright Tomorrow”
6/19/2007
Multi-million dollar prizes for LED replacements of the 60 W bulb and a 150 lm/W fixture could be awarded if the US senate passes a bill currently under debate (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Diodes come in high and wide at Laser show
6/19/2007
Alfalight, JDSU and nLight vie for attention with their new product releases at the Laser – World of Photonics show in Munich this week, promising wider operational temperature ranges, higher power and brighter diodes (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Narrowband detector helps spot airborne toxins
6/15/2007
A UV photodetector with a bandwidth of only 6 nm could allow real-time detection of biological and chemical agents.
Single chip houses spectroscopy setup
6/15/2007
Miniaturizing spectroscopy onto a single chip is allowing researchers to study atoms in a portable device.
Dual-resonator VCSEL delivers higher bandwidths
6/12/2007
A laser configuration known as a composite-resonator vertical-cavity laser (CRVCL) could offer the key to high-speed optoelectronics (via optics.org).
Bookham challenges YAGs with diode laser
6/11/2007
The latest product to come from the company's Swiss laser-making operation stakes its claim on an area of the spectrum not usually addressed by semiconductor lasers (via compoundsemicondutor.net).
Skin cancers revealed by laser light
6/11/2007
A non-invasive laser scan offers a unique insight into the characteristic biochemistry of a developing skin cancer (via optics.org).
Active fiber emits radially-polarized beam
6/11/2007
High-power radially-polarized fiber lasers are a step closer thanks to researchers in Japan (via optics.org).
1Gbit/s transmitted on plastic fiber
6/11/2007
Siemens Corporate Technology has achieved gigabit data rates on "plastic" cable (via fibers.org).
UK funds Filtronic in GaN-on-silicon LED project
6/7/2007
The UK government finally sits up and takes notice of the potential of solid-state lighting, backing a consortium including GaAs wafer manufacturer Filtronic, Qinetiq and Cambridge University to develop GaN emitters based on 6 inch silicon substrates (via compoundsemicondutor.net).
Entangled photons cross 144 km free-space link
6/4/2007
A team of researchers from across Europe has sent an entanglement-based quantum key over a 144 km free-space link (via optics.org).
Transmission module market to hit $13.4 billion by 2012
6/4/2007
The market for telecommunications and datacom optical transmission modules will grow to $13.4 billion by 2012, says a new market report (via fibers.org).
Photon sieves benefit space telescopes
6/1/2007
Future large space-based telescopes could benefit from photon sieves containing trillions of holes to gather and focus light (via optics.org).
Hybrid waveguide brings photonic integrated circuits closer
5/31/2007
A photodetector utilizing a silicon waveguide could be incorporated into power monitors or preamplified receivers (via optics.org).
UCSD spin-off bags $3m for dilute-nitride LEDs
5/29/2007
Layers of InGaNP material are the key to brighter, cheaper high-brightness red LEDs, claims Quanlight, a spin-out of the University of California, San Diego (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
NASA funds multijunction solar propulsion project
5/29/2007
US solar power specialist Entech wins a NASA contract to develop an advanced solar array that could one day be used to propel space cargo between the Earth and the Moon.
Negative refraction gets natural
5/23/2007
Physicists in Germany claim to have found the first naturally occurring material that has a negative, rather than a positive, refractive index (via optics.org).
Beetles inspire tunable micromirrors
5/23/2007
The unusual outer shell of a South American beetle, which can control both the polarization and wavelength of reflected light, could lead to a new breed of tunable micromirrors (via optics.org).
LIBS comes on strong
5/22/2007
Technology Watch from LaserFocusWorld focuses on Spectroscopy.
Novel laser powers high-speed OCT scanner
5/21/2007
A new laser source has enabled US and German researchers to build an OCT scanner that is ten times faster than commercial versions (via optics.org).
US invests a further $13.3 m in solid-state lighting
5/18/2007
Cree, Sandia National Labs, and the University of California, Santa Barbara spin-out Inlustra Corporation are among the winners of the Department of Energy’s third funding round for solid state lighting (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
NASA approves new telescope technologies
5/17/2007
Lightweight cryogenic mirrors and a wavefront sensing system are just two of the ten new technologies that NASA will deploy on the James Webb Space Telescope (via optics.org).
From ink to optics, study of particle mixtures yields fundamental insights
5/16/2007
Since the invention of ink over 3,000 years ago, people have exploited the unique properties of colloids, in which particles of one substance are suspended in another. Now, Princeton University chemical engineers have answered a fundamental question about these mixtures in work that may have wide-ranging practical applications, including the manufacturing of medicines and optical fibers (via Laser Focus World).
New look for optical data storage
5/16/2007
The first optical memory element to be made from a single gallium nanoparticle could compete with DVD and hard disks (via optics.org).
Opel concept car sports Osram LEDs
5/16/2007
Opel produces a concept car with external lighting provided solely by Osram LEDs.
LED handset flash revenue to near triple by 2011
5/15/2007
Sales of LEDs for the flash in camera phones will soar over the next few years, according to Strategy Analytics, but total revenue for LEDs from the handset market will decline due to the falling price of LEDs for backlights (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Sharp heads $2.4 million photonic LED program
5/14/2007
A UK partnership between Sharp Laboratories Europe, the University of Glasgow, the Institute of Photonics, and Mesophotonics has just kicked-off a $2.4 million project to build ultra-bright photonic LEDs for LCD backlights Sharp heads $2.4 million photonic LED program (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Single quantum dot lowers lasing threshold
5/3/2007
Applications such as telecommunications and optical computing could benefit from a quantum dot laser with a lasing threshold of 500 nW (via optics.org).
Massive power boost for non-polar GaN LEDs
5/1/2007
Thanks in no small part to improved substrate material, the Santa Barbara team working on non-polar GaN has produced a blue-violet LED with record output power and an external quantum efficiency of 41 percent at a very high drive current (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
InP stretches Japanese backbone to 40 Gbps
5/1/2007
Yokogawa and Fujitsu combine their efforts to roll out InP transistors that enable vast increases in the range of high-speed optical networks
3D photovoltaics promise smaller, cheaper solar cells
4/30/2007
Drawing inspiration from the way that skyscrapers trap heat in a city like Manhattan, US engineers have designed a photovoltaic array that promises smaller and more versatile solar cells (via optics.org).
Photonic crystal laser achieves greater sensitivity
4/30/2007
An electrically pumped photonic-crystal laser with improved tuning sensitivity could be used for free-space communications (via optics.org).
BT reviews fiber installation policy as copper prices rise
4/24/2007
With the price of copper cabling going up, fibre optic is now cheaper to install in new buildings, claims chief engineer of BT Openreach
Sony ramps monthly GaN laser volumes to 1.7m
4/23/2007
Already reckoned to be the world's biggest volume manufacturer of semiconductor lasers, Sony readies for mass production of high-power devices used in high-definition DVD recorders (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
SET develops the shortest-wavelength LEDs on the market
4/19/2007
GaN specialist Sensor Electonic Technology (SET) from Columbia, South Carolina, has developed 247nm UV LEDs using its proprietary migration-enhanced MOCVD growth technology (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Lasers sort spheres by size
4/19/2007
Researchers in the UK use optical tweezers to sort four different sizes of particles (via optics.org)
Tiny 'nanolamp' lights up
4/13/2007
An interdisciplinary team of researchers in the US has built one of the smallest organic light-emitting devices to date (via optics.org).
Microstructured fiber creates simple interferometer
4/13/2007
A side effect of fusion splicing is put to good use to make an optical strain sensor only a few centimeters in length (via optics.org).
Fiber sector set for real growth, analysts agree
4/13/2007
Three newly-published market reports point to a resurgent optical communications sector, with fusion splicers, free space optics and 40G technologies all preparing for take off (via fibers.org)
Optical microphone sounds promising
4/12/2007
An optical microphone based on a fiber laser has many applications in defence.
Optical space communications links demonstrated
4/10/2007
An experimental satellite has demonstrated accurate inter-satellite and satellite-to-ground optical communications using a near-infrared laser.
World's main standard for laser classification and safety updated
4/6/2007
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has just issued a revised edition of the world's main standard for laser classification and safety. This second edition of IEC 60825-1 replaces the first edition published in 1993 (via Laser Focus World)
Tunable lasers to star in fibre-optic 'mini-boom'
4/5/2007
CIR's latest analysis of the future market for optical components predicts that sales of tunable lasers will grow rapidly to reach almost $1 billion by 2012 (via optics.org).
Buffer layer brings optical integration one step closer
4/4/2007
Japanese researchers have for the first time propagated infrared light through an optical crystal film on a silicon substrate, bringing closer the prospect of integrating electrical and optical processing functions in a single communications device (via optics.org).
Electron tunnelling seen in real time
4/4/2007
The strong electric field from an intense laser pulse can cause electrons to "tunnel" away from an atom in just one billion-billionth of a second. Now physicists in Germany are the first to observe this well-known quantum-mechanical process as it proceeds in real time. (Nature 446 627).
Buffer layer brings optical integration one step closer
4/4/2007
Japanese researchers have for the first time propagated infrared light through an optical crystal film on a silicon substrate, bringing closer the prospect of integrating electrical and optical processing functions in a single communications device (via optics.org).
Racetrack laser pushes silicon photonics to the next level
4/3/2007
Hybrid AlGaInAs-silicon laser specialist Alexander Fang talks with optics.org about how developers are addressing manufacturing issues (via optics.org).
Racetrack laser pushes silicon photonics to the next level
4/3/2007
Hybrid AlGaInAs-silicon laser specialist Alexander Fang talks with optics.org about how developers are addressing manufacturing issues (via optics.org).
IBM researchers demonstrate 'world's fastest' optical chipset
3/26/2007
Prototype 160 Gbit/s technology points to new era of data sharing and "instant" movie downloads (via optics.org).
Lasers etch sub-micron structures into sapphire
3/21/2007
Micro-optic and microfluidic applications could benefit from a laser-based patterning technique being developed in Germany and Greece (via optics.org).
LED-on-glass firm claims emission breakthrough
3/19/2007
BluGlass, the Australian company that is developing low-cost GaN deposition for LED applications, says that it has observed "short-lived" light emission from structures grown on glass (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Microlenses improve fiber coupling efficiencies
3/15/2007
Coupling light from a 980 nm high-power diode laser into a single mode fiber can be done more efficiently by forming a microlens at the end of the fiber, say researchers in Taiwan (via optics.org).
Physicists watch the "birth, life and death of a photon"
3/15/2007
Physicists in France are the first to watch single photons appear spontaneously, live a brief life, and then vanish into thin air (via optics.org).
Meshed surface extracts more light
3/15/2007
A textured polymer film that suits both large and small emitters can enhance the outcoupling efficiency of an OLED by 46% say its inventors (via optics.org).
Sharp readies blue laser for mass production
3/14/2007
One of the world's key volume suppliers of red and infrared laser diodes reveals that its high-power blue emitter is about to enter mass production (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Nanohole array brings light into focus
3/12/2007
Optical physicists in the UK and Spain have fabricated an array of nanoholes that can focus light into a spot that is smaller than the wavelength of light used (via optics.org)
Global FTTH shipments up 58% in 2006
3/9/2007
Market analysts at Dittberner predict a 50% growth in global FTTH shipments for 2007.
Nanorods make "ideal" anti-reflection coatings
3/2/2007
Physicists in the US claim to have created the first thin optical film with a refractive index close to that of air.
Intel demonstrates 30Gbit/s all-silicon optical modulator
3/1/2007
Ansheng Liu, principal engineer at Intel's Photonics Technology Lab, talks to optics.org about the company's latest high-speed silicon modulator.
Top-emitting OLED performance boosted
2/23/2007
Novaled claims to have achieved "groundbreaking" results in lifetime, voltage and efficiency of top-emitting RGB stacks with its PIN OLED technology. Lifetimes for blue OLEDs are up to 16,000 hours, for red and green up to 100,000 hours at an initial brightness of 500 cd/m2 (via optics.org)
Hybrid integration enables 14 Tbit/s transmission over 160 km of optical fiber
2/20/2007
Fiber-optic “hero” experiments are alive and well: researchers at NTT (Tokyo, Japan) have transmitted data at a 14 Tbit/s rate over a single 160-km-long optical fiber.
Ultrathin lens may boost resolution in miniature digital cameras
2/20/2007
Engineers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have built a powerful yet ultrathin digital camera by folding up the telephoto lens (via Laser Focus World)
Showa Denko to build 4-inch GaN LED fab
2/20/2007
Claiming a new deposition process suitable for 4-inch GaN epiwafers, Japanese chemicals giant Showa Denko is building a facility to mass manufacture blue LEDs (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Osram LED breaks the kilolumen barrier
2/19/2007
Osram Opto Semiconductors has developed a cold-white LED based on six individual chips that produces more than 1000 lm (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Fiber to eclipse copper in 'structured cabling systems' by 2008
2/16/2007
In a major industry shift, fiber-cabling shipments will exceed those of copper by 2008, according to a market forecast.
IPHOBAC is seeking a new partner
2/16/2007
The IPHOBAC project is currently seeking for a new partner and has recently published an open call.
Optical network component market to hit $2.7 billion by 2011
2/15/2007
Component market to grow at average rate of 3.5% per year, driven by business decentralization and growing demand for high-rate communications.
Philips Lumileds solves LED efficacy "droop"
2/14/2007
Philips Lumileds develops an undisclosed technology that enables LEDs to maintain their efficacy at high drive currents (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
mPOF includes internal biosensor
2/14/2007
Researchers in Denmark unveil a fiber-optic biosensor made from a microstructure polymer optical fiber (mPOF) that features internal localized sensing regions (via optics.org)
Cree customer touts lamp to rival 65-Watt bulbs
2/7/2007
LED Lighting Fixtures, whose CEO Neal Hunter was previously at Cree, says that a "revolutionary" new LED-based down light will change the lighting industry (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
FTTH: Europe must open its eyes
2/6/2007
With Japan racing ahead on FTTH build outs, Hartwig Tauber of the FTTH Council Europe outlines the deployment status in Europe todayand proposes some reasons for Europe's apparent ambivalence.
Nakamura group flaunts non-polar GaN laser
1/30/2007
The University of California, Santa Barbara team working on non-polar GaN materials says that its 405 nm laser diode could soon be challenging conventi