Lasers look inside human bones
7/20/2009
Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy could help diagnose bone disease (via optics.org).
3D nanopillars make good photovoltaics
7/17/2009
Devices built on low-cost, flexible substrates show promising light-conversion efficiencies (via optics.org).
Optical transistor breaks size record
7/13/2009
Smallest optical transistor brings all-optical circuits and optical computing a step closer (via optics.org).
Optical spectroscopy identifies responders
7/9/2009
Measuring haemoglobin concentration using optical spectroscopy could provide an early predictor of a tumour's response to chemotherapy (via optics.org).
Sound approach to optical microscopy
7/6/2009
German scientists move well beyond the penetration limits of optical microscopy thanks to a technique that uses the sound of light (via optics.org).
Astrophotonics: measuring up to the universe
7/3/2009
Photonics opens up new era for astronomical instruments (via optics.org).
Lighting to the fore in Obama's energy-efficiency efforts
7/1/2009
A further $50 million investment in solid-state lighting programs was announced, along with a new set of rules covering the efficiency of fluorescent and incandescent lamps (via LEDsmagazine Newsletter).
LEDs making the cut for lightweight surgical headsets
7/1/2009
Using active cooling technology, Cool-View has developed a surgical headlight system that uses a single LED to match the light output of a 350W xenon fiber-optic system (via LEDsmagazine Newsletter).
Report assesses life-cycle sustainability of ultra-efficient lighting
7/1/2009
A report from the UK government shows that LED lighting, and dedicated LED luminaires in particular, will have the lowest life-cycle impact of all ultra-efficient lighting technologies (via LEDsmagazine Newsletter).
QD-LEDs emit over whole visible spectrum
6/25/2009
MIT researchers develop unique structure to make RGB-emitting devices (via optics.org).
Isamu Akasaki awarded Kyoto Prize for LED work
6/19/2009
Blue LED pioneer to receive $500,000 prize from Inamori Foundation for Lifetime Achievement in Advanced Technology(via ledsmagazine.com).
LED replacement lamp market to see high growth rates, says Strategies Unlimited
6/18/2009
Legislation banning inefficient lamps, coupled with customer awareness of the cost of ownership analysis, will create a strong demand for replacement LED lamps (via ledsmagazine.com).
Tuning the gap in graphene
6/16/2009
Results confirm wonder material's potential for future nano-electronics and photonics (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Transparent solar cells
6/16/2009
If solar cells were transparent they could be fitted to windows and building facades. Physical modeling helps in the development of suitable materials for transparent electronics and thus in creating the basis for transparent solar cells (via CORDIS Wire Press Releases).
LED notebook market ramping quickly
6/9/2009
Market analyst says that LED revenues from notebook PCs will surpass $800 million next year (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
USB-based Active Optical Cable Market
Is Forecast to Reach $1.68 Billion by 2013
6/9/2009
Since USB is a single data lane bus technology, the active optical cable designs should enjoy lower-cost structures than the other three bus interfaces examined in the Active Optical Cables: Market Report 2009.
Fibre sensor offers tunnel vision
6/5/2009
Distributed fibre-optic sensing could help railway companies monitor track beds and tunnels for possible collapse (via optics.org).
Going green: Nichia laser hits 515 nm
6/3/2009
Commercial viability of green diodes beckons with devices that boast lifetimes of hundreds of hours (via optics.org).
LEDs get ready to take to the skies
6/1/2009
Photonic quasicrystals and a droop-combating layer can create efficient LEDs with well-directed emission for navigational, taxi and landing lights in aircraft, and backlighting cockpit displays (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Successful launch of SECPhO, the Southern European cluster in optics and photonics
5/24/2009
SECPhO is committed to improve the competitiveness in optics and photonics
Spanish sector by reaching major growth and profitability. The leadership of this initiative is not only propelled by companies but on R+D centres related to this sector.
Data storage enters the 'fifth dimension'
5/22/2009
Optical data storage over one terabit per cubic centimetre possible, say researchers (via optics.org).
Bright white light from organic LEDs
5/21/2009
Physicists switch on energy-efficient light bulb made from organic phosphor (via optics.org).
Optofluidics offers ultrafast switching
5/20/2009
Organic photonic device shapes up for optical communications, computing applications (via optics.org).
UCSB simulations support Auger droop theory
5/20/2009
First principle calculations expose Auger recombination as the predominant cause of LED droop and the green gap, but offer few solutions (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
High volume LED makers reach for the lasers
5/20/2009
A laser scriber system vendor says diamond-tipped tools will become too expensive with increasing substrate sizes (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
On-chip plasmonic trap debuts
5/19/2009
Swiss researchers integrate plasmonic trapping with microfluidics for lab-on-a-chip applications (via optics.org)
Quantum cryptography hits the fast lane
5/19/2009
Toshiba unveils a high-speed photon detector that could pave the way to practical quantum encryption (via optics.org)
Photoacoustics sheds light on brain function
5/19/2009
Photoacoustic microscopy could be used to monitor brain activity non-invasively (via optics.org)
Green laser diode generates record power
5/7/2009
Danish researchers unveil a high-power green laser diode to rival solid-state technologies (via optics.org)
Rolled-up metamaterial could act as hyperlens
5/6/2009
Swiss-roll-like structure could boost resolution of optical microscopes (via optics.org)
Camera snaps at record speed
5/1/2009
A camera that can take photos 1000 times faster than competitors could bring dynamical physics into focus (via optics.org)
Photonic crystals stretch to the UV
4/30/2009
Deep-UV photonic crystals and total optical absorbers are some of the applications for multiwalled nanotube arrays (via optics.org)
LEDs lead way in Taiwan's $1bn energy plan
4/28/2009
Approximately one-tenth of the overall investment looks destined for LED research, with further subsidies to help manufacturers weather the "financial tsunami" (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Reflecting layer boosts LED brightness
4/27/2009
Slipping a SiO2 layer into nitride-on-silicon LEDs boosts their brightness, thanks to a substantial reduction in the substrate absorption, explains a research team from Singapore and Germany (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
On-chip optics: the route to success
4/24/2009
An eight-channel monolithic optical router brings all-optical networks closer (via optics.org)
UV LEDs help to detect counterfeit money
4/20/2009
Seoul Semiconductor has reached an agreement with M-Vision to license patents related to a UV LED-based portable fluorescent forgery detector (via ledsmagazine.com).
Planar regrowth simplifies photonic integration of InP chips
4/20/2009
Photonic integrated circuits are notoriously difficult to make, but the combination of HVPE and MOCVD can substantially simplify the fabrication of monolithic transceivers, routers and waveform generators on an InP platform, says a multinational research team (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Light activates antibacterial coating
4/20/2009
UK researchers unveil a coating that kills bacteria under hospital lighting (via optics.org)
Pulsed-laser debut for optical inspection
4/16/2009
Japanese laser specialists close in on a more reliable light source for optical inspection (via optics.org)
DOE report updates LED research priorities
4/15/2009
Warm-white light, lower costs and a better idea of device lifetimes are near the top of the US wishlist (via optics.org)
Strain tunes quantum-dot LED wavelength
4/14/2009
Lattice relaxation controls indium precipitation in the quantum well, altering the emission of InGaN dice from green to white (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Shedding light on breast cancer
4/13/2009
Optical interrogation could help oncologists individualize treatments for breast cancer (via optics.org).
Lumileds claims double LED brightness
4/8/2009
Philips Lumileds has produced what it says is the highest-extraction-efficiency photonic-crystal LED to date (via optics.org).
Plant growth gets the red light from Showa Denko
4/7/2009
The Japanese LED maker has developed high-performance 660 nm chips that accelerate plant photosynthesis (via ledsmagazine.com).
Soliton laser offers broad tunability
4/7/2009
Femtosecond source's "extremely fast" wavelength tuning could find applications in multiphoton microscopy and optical coherence tomography (via optics.org).
Research boosts efficiency of green, blue OLEDs
4/7/2009
Japanese researchers have reported a 210 lm/W green OLED, while PNNL has boosted the efficiency of blue OLEDs by 25% (via ledsmagazine.com).
Lumileds claims double LED brightness
3/31/2009
Triangular lattices etched directly into thin GaN LEDs come close to matching encapsulants for light extraction, while avoiding their disadvantages (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Two white muti-chip LED emitters reach record lumen efficiency
3/31/2009
An 18 W warm-white emitter achieved an effiency of 77.4 lm/W, while a neutral-white 72 W emitter was measured at 89.8 lm/W, according to NIST reports (via ledsmagazine.com).
DOE selects 14 solid-state lighting projects for funding
3/27/2009
The selections, with a value of $26M, are the 5th round in a series examining high-priority R&D to advance SSL for general illumination (via ledsmagazine.com).
MOCVD-grown InP nanowires hit solar scene
3/17/2009
Hokkaido University and Honda use patterned silica films as a template to deposit 12.3 percent conversion efficiency nanowires (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Can high-brightness LEDs finally break the profit barrier that will enable mass-market deployment of solid-state lighting?
3/15/2009
This report, produced in collaboration with the European Photonics Industry Consortium, highlights ten key technologies that will enable LEDs to become cost-competitive with conventional light sources.
US signs off $25m for LED lighting research
3/13/2009
Omnibus Appropriations Bill also puts Department of Energy in charge of Energy Star specifications for solid-state lighting products (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Holographic storage verges on success
3/13/2009
Holographic technology is on the brink of revolutionizing optical data storage and distribution (via optics.org).
Glass phosphor broadens LEDs for OCT
3/12/2009
Japanese researchers plan to commercialize a low-cost LED lighting system that they say doubles the depth resolution of conventional OCT systems (via optics.org).
Tweezers tap into nanolithography
3/11/2009
Optical nanolithography receives a boost as researchers claim that their new approach is a major step forward in generating arbitrary nanopatterns (via optics.org).
OPTECH Releases Key market Report
3/10/2009
Fiber Lasers 2009: Focus on present and future fiber laser applications and markets.
LEDs discussed in UK parliament, National Geographic
3/10/2009
LED lamps were compared to other technologies in a recent issue of National Geographic magazine, and LED lighting was also discussed by the UK parliament last week (via ledsmagazine.com).
UK cracks GaN-on-silicon LEDs
3/9/2009
GaN-on-silicon LEDs do not have to suffer from high levels of strain that hamper output power (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LED notebooks show late-2008 boom
3/9/2009
Shipments surged 62 per cent in the final quarter of last year, despite a wider slump in the LCD market (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
EPA requests comments on latest Energy Star revision
3/6/2009
The Residential Light Fixtures specification version 4.3 include a minimum light output level for qualifying LED light engines, as well as an upper limit for CCT (via ledsmagazine.com).
Nanotubes get fibre lasers pulsing
3/6/2009
A broadband saturable absorber based on carbon nanotubes can be used with fibre lasers emitting anywhere between 1 and 2 microns (via optics.org).
Evanescent waves raise LED brightness hopes
3/5/2009
Using substrates with V-shaped ridges instead of flat wafers offers 20-fold light extraction improvement (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Fluidic lens sees clearly
3/5/2009
Eye examinations could become faster and much less intrusive thanks to the first fluidic lenses that correct vision (via optics.org).
LED lighting market to exceed $5B by 2012, says report
3/4/2009
Strategies Unlimited believes the LED lighting market will grow by 28% from 2008 to 2012, but many challenges remain (via ledsmagazine.com).
Quantum dots boost solar cell efficiencies
3/2/2009
Hybrid devices could lower cost of solar power (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
OIDA Releases New Green Photonics Market Data
2/27/2009
Green photonics™ market to reach $261B by 2020
French program evaluates LED performance
2/27/2009
A program designed to test LED lighting for indoor illumination aims to promote the optimal use of LEDs in buildings (via optics.org).
Red-shift draws Rohm's GaN lasers to green
2/26/2009
Rohm has unveiled a continuous-wave 499.8 nm laser, claimed to be the longest recorded wavelength yet produced by a GaN diode (via optics.org).
Humble compounds exhibit solar value
2/26/2009
Fool's gold looks a bargain after US researchers point out that it is far cheaper, and can generate more power overall, than today's most successful photovoltaic materials (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Supercontinuum senses multiple gases
2/25/2009
Optics.org speaks to the team pioneering supercontinuum cavity ring-down spectroscopy (via optics.org).
Detecting colour on the nanoscale
2/19/2009
Nanotube-based devices developed by Sandia in the US mimic human vision (via optics.org).
Climate Initiative’s LED streetlight retrofit will save money, improve light in LA
2/19/2009
Over a five-year period, the City of Los Angeles' Bureau of Street Lighting will replace 140,000 existing streetlight fixtures in the city with LED units (via ledsmagazine.com).
LED market heading for a fall of 5% this year
2/19/2009
In his annual HBLED market review and forecast, Bob Steele of Strategies Unlimited said the market grew by 11% in 2008 but is likely to contract by 5% in 2009 (via ledsmagazine.com).
Optical imaging: reading your mind?
2/17/2009
A brain-computer interface based on near-infrared spectroscopy can decode a person's preference from their thoughts alone (via optics.org).
Quantum cascade lasers penetrate the market
2/13/2009
Quantum cascade lasers have opened up a whole host of important applications in the mid-infrared. Marie Freebody speaks to Federico Capasso to find out about the latest progress in the laser's development and the factors that are shaping its commercialization (via optics.org).
Room temp QCL stretches to 3.1 microns
2/13/2009
Short wavelength QCL research gets a boost as a UK team reports a room temperature device emitting at 3.1 microns (via optics.org).
Bouncing atoms take a measure of gravity
2/12/2009
A laser-based technique could lead to the development of precise and compact accelerometers (via optics.org).
Pittsburgh and San Jose looking at LEDs for street lighting
2/9/2009
Two major cities in the USA are considering plans to start converting street lights to LEDs (via ledsmagazine.com).
Nanowire wafer tunes over 200 nm
2/6/2009
Precise fabrication is the key to achieving a nanowire-based laser with a tuning range of 200 nm (via optics.org).
Quantum dot VCSEL reaches 40 Gbit/s
2/4/2009
High-speed single laser could provide a cheaper solution than parallel optics for fibre-optic cabling in data centres (via fibresystems.org).
DOE reports on San Francisco street lighting demo
2/2/2009
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published the report from a demonstration of LED street lighting in San Francisco, California (via ledsmagazine.com).
Japanese development to be lit entirely by LEDs
2/1/2009
A residential development of more than 200 houses in Azabu no Oka, Japan, will use LED fixtures for all its outdoor lighting (via ledsmagazine.com).
Ann Arbor LED streetlights star in web TV program
1/30/2009
A video on ElectricTV.net describes the implementation of LED streetlights in Ann Arbor, Michigan (via ledsmagazine.com).
LEDs unable to replace large fluorescents – yet
1/27/2009
US Department of Energy study concludes that LED-based replacements for 4-foot fluorescent lamps do not emit enough light (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Optical isolators get some company
1/19/2009
A CMOS-compatible design for an optical isolator could allow this component to be integrated in silicon for the first time (via fibresystems.org).
Fraunhofer ISE grabs solar cell world record
1/16/2009
Improved trapping of defects in the buffer layers between junctions is the first step in pushing the European group's conversion efficiency beyond 42 percent (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LEDs, CFLs and the EU bulb ban
1/15/2009
In the light of the EU decision to phase-out incandescent lamps, the LED industry should be proactive and make people aware of the problems with CFLs (via ledsmagazine.com).
Narrow waveguide strengthens optical trap
1/15/2009
Channelling light through a sub-wavelength waveguide is allowing researchers to manipulate the smallest particles to date (via optics.org)
UC Davis' lighting center develops “smart” LED parking lot lights
1/14/2009
The California Lighting Technology Center and industry partners have developed an energy-efficient LED parking lot light with a motion sensor triggering increased brightness (via ledsmagazine.com).
PLDA comments on the European incandescent lamp ban
1/14/2009
The Professional Lighting Designer’s Association argues that the decision to ban incandescent lamps in Europe has not been well thought out (via ledsmagazine.com).
Experiment resolves century-old optics mystery
1/13/2009
After 100 years of conflicting experimental results, a team from China believe that it has finally unravelled the puzzle surrounding the momentum of light (via optics.org)
QCL emits a surprising second beam
1/12/2009
Princeton researchers have discovered an entirely new mechanism of light emission from quantum cascade lasers (via optics.org)
Displays exhibit LED power at CES 2009
1/12/2009
Overall girth - rather than merely image size - and efficiency are now key product statistics due to solid-state backlights, at the huge Las Vegas consumer electronics show (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LED droop-busting method moves nearer fab
1/9/2009
Tailoring the polarization fields in a GaN emitter's active region is now possible without using aluminum, offering an 18 percent boost in high-current light output (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Photovoltaics still set to grow
1/9/2009
Thin-film PV materials are well positioned for the future, despite the global economy (via optics.org)
KBBF crystal gives direct access to DUV
1/7/2009
A laser that tunes across the deep ultraviolet from 175 to 210 nm could suit applications such as spectroscopy and lithography (via optics.org)
Organic semiconductor sources - Hybrid OLEDs combine vapor deposition with solution processing
1/7/2009
Hybrid OLEDs made from polymeric and small-molecule materials combine the advantages of both material classes in one device, simplifying the production of OLEDs (via ledsmagazine.com).
Strain-adjusted LED produces phosphor-free white light
1/6/2009
A strain-adjusted (non-phosphor) LED could become standard if it could be made as efficient as an ordinary white LED, say Chinese researchers (via ledsmagazine.com).
Cylindrical lenses offer many focusing options
1/2/2009
The optics of cylindrical lenses allow their use in applications for which spherical lenses are not suited. CVI Melles Griot has developed the technology for use in several markets (via optics.org)
LEDs Brighten New Year's Eve
12/30/2008
The 2008 New Year's Eve Times Square Ball will be double the size of the 2007 ball and will incorporate more than three times as many LEDs (via photonics.com).
MicroLEDs emit light in programmable patterns
12/26/2008
Arrays of microLEDs can be used in imaging optics, biophotonics and other fields (via optics.org)
OLEDs seek a home in the lighting market
12/26/2008
OLED materials are being developed for solid-state lighting. Michelle Bryner of market analyst NanoMarkets sizes up the potential opportunity for materials and lighting firms (via optics.org)
Laser diodes stretch further into the UV
12/22/2008
Hetero-facet-controlled epitaxial layer overgrowth has extended the emission of Hamamatsu's UV lasers to 336 nm (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Quantum well converter allows white emission
12/19/2008
MBE-grown monolithic LEDs with optically pumped layers promise a straightforward way to eliminate phosphors (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Eyesafe heat capacity laser debuts
12/18/2008
Europe's first solid-state heat-capacity laser is said to be the only one of its kind to emit at an eyesafe wavelength of 1.64 microns (via optics.org)
Ciena demos 'true' 100G transmission
12/17/2008
US vendor Ciena and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have demonstrated what they claim is the first successful 100 Gbit/s transmission over a single wavelength (via fibresystems.org).
DOE releases Phase III of Oakland Demonstration Report on LED street lights
12/17/2008
Energy savings increased by 25% relative to Phase II (LED luminaire wattage dropped from 78 W to 58 W) and by 52% relative to the baseline system (from 121 W to 58 W) (via ledsmagazine.com).
Worldwide OLED revenues up 60% year-to-year in 3Q08, report says
12/15/2008
DisplaySearch report reveals OLEDs still face strong price competition from LCDs (via ledsmagazine.com).
Nature gives photonic crystal fibres a boost
12/12/2008
"optics.org" speaks to the researchers who believe that patterns found in nature could inspire a better class of photonic crystal fibre (via optics.org).
FTTH in Europe: fleshing out the numbers
12/11/2008
Next week the FTTH Council Europe is planning to publish the first detailed statistics about the European FTTH scene (via fibresystems.org).
Nichia claims GaN VCSEL breakthrough
12/10/2008
Researchers at Nichia say they are the first to develop an electrically pumped GaN VCSEL that emits CW at room temperature (via optics.org).
Integrated LED leads to user-friendly SNOM
12/9/2008
Shrinking the optics in a near-field probe could see scanning near-field optical microscopy become a common lab technique (via optics.org).
Nichia claims GaN VCSEL breakthrough
12/8/2008
Removing the sapphire substrate, changing contact layout and using niobium oxide reflectors enables room temperature operation (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Cree embeds phosphors at LED die level
12/3/2008
The chip maker says that blue-emitting GaN die can be converted to broad wavelength white emitters by material deposited in etched trenches (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
BASF and Osram demonstrate 60 lm/W white OLED
11/26/2008
The two German companies have reported the laboratory demonstration of a small panel that emits white light with coordinates close to the Planck curve (via ledsmagazine.com).
Surge in sales of LED-backlit notebook PCs
11/26/2008
DisplaySearch report reveals sudden 63 per cent jump in sales of notebooks featuring LED backlights, with market penetration of the new technology set to double in the coming quarter (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Thermal management ups VECSEL power
11/25/2008
Ursula Keller's group reveals details of a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser that offers a big leap in output power (via optics.org).
Europe leads the way in attosecond research
11/21/2008
Breaking the 100 as barrier and making the first movie of electron motion are just two recent milestones achieved by European researchers. Nadya Anscombe talks to key players in the attosecond community to see what the future holds (via optics.org).
Cree R&D achieves 161 lm/W for high-power LED
11/20/2008
Although not available in production LEDs, this level of performance indicates LED technology has still not reached its peak (via ledsmagazine.com).
Periodic stack tunes into photonics market
11/19/2008
Tuneable optical filters that have been fabricated using a simple nanoimprinting method offer unique advantages for display and lighting applications (via optics.org).
Fraunhofer opens Center for Organic Materials and Electronic Devices in Dresden
11/17/2008
A new facility in Germany aims to develop a domestic manufacturing base for the production of organic LEDs and solar cells (via ledsmagazine.com).
Over 32,000 LEDs will power 2009 Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball
11/17/2008
The new crystal ball, which can produce millions of vibrant colors and billions of patterns, will also be tough enough to withstand New York weather in its new permanent installation (via ledsmagazine.com).
Three universities give LEDs good grades
11/13/2008
Cree Inc. has announced the results of LED lighting installations at three universities (via ledsmagazine.com).
Optical oscilloscope is fit for high-speed studies
11/12/2008
An all-optical oscilloscope beats the resolution of conventional devices by more than a factor of five (via optics.org).
Madrid team sets dual-junction solar record
11/12/2008
Researchers working on lattice-matched III-V solar cells at Madrid's Polytechnic University set a new world-best efficiency mark of 32.6 per cent at over 1000-sun concentration (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Quantum dot VCSELs further chip comms
11/12/2008
High temperature operation lasers have brought 20 Gbit/s optical chip-to-chip data transfer closer, with similar technology being used elsewhere in co-operation with Intel (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LEDs enable energy-efficient microscope for fast tuberculosis detection
11/12/2008
Carl Zeiss has co-developed a rugged, compact LED-excited fluorescence microscope at a low enough running cost to be affordable in poorer countries (via ledsmagazine.com).
Chirping boosts solar cell efficiency
11/11/2008
Chirped silicon reflectors have been integrated into thin-film silicon solar cells for the first time (via optics.org).
Freescale and Samsung collaborate on LED backlights
11/10/2008
Freescale expects that its LED driver ICs will complement Samsung’s advanced LED backlighting technology (via ledsmagazine.com).
Casino saves 2 million kW-hrs with LED retrofit
11/10/2008
Lime Energy's LED retrofit project is expected to deliver energy savings of $200,000 per year to Harrah's Valley Center, CA, casino and resort (via ledsmagazine.com).
LED light shown to reduce face wrinkles
11/10/2008
Researchers in Germany say that LED light applied to the face can be a potential alternative to Botox or cosmetic surgery (via ledsmagazine.com).
DOE releases Gateway demo report on residential LED lighting
11/7/2008
Testing results of LED downlights and undercabinet lighting include energy savings, improved illuminance uniformity and positive builder feedback (via ledsmagazine.com).
LED backlights to grab TV share in 2009
11/7/2008
The potential for super-slim designs will be the key market driver behind LED backlighting of large LCD TVs, predicts the Korean analyst firm Displaybank (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Single laser traps and dissects cells
11/6/2008
Researchers have shown for the first time that a single near-infrared laser can be used to both trap and dissect living cells (via optics.org).
LED backlights could be in 25% of LCD TVs by 2012
11/6/2008
A report by Displaybank says that the use of LED backlights in LCD TVs will start to grow rapidly from 2009 as TV makers introduce slimmer models (via ledsmagazine.com).
III-V solar's largest deals set for 2009 buildout
11/6/2008
Milestones for CPV in Australia and Spain mark the way to continued growth for two firms using compound semiconductor cells next year (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Tiny terahertz spectrometer turns to VECSELs
11/6/2008
Bulky terahertz spectroscopy systems based on ultrafast lasers could be superseded by a miniature design based on a semiconductor source (via optics.org).
'Smart' LEDs could power wireless networks
11/5/2008
An $18.5m US project that aims to develop LEDs that emit information as well as light could see its first commercial applications in the next few years (via fibresystems.org)
LEDs create wireless network using light
11/5/2008
An $18.5m US project that aims to develop LEDs that emit information as well as light could see its first commercial applications in the next few years (via optics.org).
Practical silicon-core optical fibre debuts
11/4/2008
Silicon-core optical fibres that can be mass-manufactured using a conventional fibre-draw process will unite optoelectronics and fibre-optics (via fibresystems.org)
Practical silicon-core optical fibre debuts
11/4/2008
Silicon-core optical fibres that can be mass-manufactured using a conventional fibre-draw process unite optoelectronics and fibre-optics (via optics.org).
LEDs go with the flow in New York City waterfalls
10/30/2008
A series of man-made waterfalls installed around New York Harbor were lit using LED lighting fixtures to simulate the effect of moonlight on the water (via ledsmagazine.com).
CW pump creates visible continuum
10/29/2008
A visible supercontinuum created by a continuous-wave low-power fibre laser could be ideal for spectroscopy, microscopy and optical coherence tomography (via optics.org).
Kodak material boosts OLED performance
10/28/2008
The company, whose OLED wireless picture frame is set to debut late next month, has produced a new green dopant material that enables low-power, long-life OLED displays (via ledsmagazine.com).
Feathered photonic crystal takes off
10/28/2008
Natural photonic crystals found within peacock feathers are being used to tune the optical emission of embedded ZnO nanoparticles (via optics.org).
100-meter-tall LED screen planned for Dubai building
10/28/2008
A UAE development company is planning a 33-story high LED screen on the side of a commercial building in Dubai (via ledsmagazine.com).
Blue LED detects pollutant gas
10/24/2008
Chinese researchers are hoping to commercialize a technique that uses a blue LED to detect nitrogen dioxide cheaply and easily (via optics.org).
Enfis launches world’s brightest LED array
10/23/2008
A demonstration of an output of 12,000 lumens from a single LED array was one of the highlights of Enfis’ recent appearance at the PLASA tradeshow (via ledsmagazine.com).
Chirped fibre delivers short pulses
10/23/2008
A photonic crystal fibre has for the first time been engineered to transmit sub-100 fs pulses over extended distances (via optics.org).
EU ministers seek 2010 bulb ban
10/21/2008
LEDs top the list of proposed acceptable energy-efficient lighting technologies, projected to save Europe 78 TWh/year in energy after incandescents are banned (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
CIP sets thermo-PV efficiency record
10/21/2008
Energy conversion efficiency of 12% could see thermo-photovoltaic devices move into new markets and products (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
LEDs used in cooker hoods and dental lights
10/20/2008
Lower energy consumption, long lifetime and a slimmer sleeker design are key drivers for the replacement of halogen lamps with LEDs in equipment for the kitchen and the dental surgery (via ledsmagazine.com).
Quantum dots pile into 3D photonic crystal
10/17/2008
Researchers embedded quantum dots emitting at 1.5 microns into a 3D photonic crystal for the first time (via optics.org).
Optofluidic microscope shrinks to fit on a chip
10/17/2008
An inexpensive and high-resolution microscope has for the first time been engineered to fit onto a single chip. Marie Freebody speaks to Changhuei Yang of Caltech, US, to find out how the device could benefit applications where portability and low cost are essential (via optics.org).
Sainsbury’s stores adopt Philips LED lighting system for freezers
10/15/2008
Around 15,000 LED lighting modules have been installed in freezers in 350 stores across the UK (via ledsmagazine.com).
External cavity quantum dots see yellow
10/14/2008
Researchers in Germany fabricate quantum dot lasers that produce second harmonics in the yellow-red spectral range (via optics.org).
OLED lighting markets to reach $4.5 B by 2013, says report
10/9/2008
NanoMarkets claims that OLED lighting has made great leaps forward and may soon become a real presence in the backlighting market (via ledsmagazine.com).
DOE report estimates LED savings in niche markets
10/8/2008
A new report says that a complete switch to LED lighting in twelve niche markets could save consumers $22 billion in electricity costs (via ledsmagazine.com).
Innovative laser lines up for optical interconnects
10/8/2008
Innolume wants to exploit wavelength-division multiplexing to enable low-cost, short-reach optical interconnections between line cards and silicon chips (via fibresystems.org)
Center Aims for Smarter LEDs
10/8/2008
A new research center that aims to replace existing lighting with smarter and greener LEDs and integrate them with optical wireless communications has been funded by a five-year, $18.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) (via photonics.com).
IMEC paves the way toward optical sensing foils
10/7/2008
IMEC said with this technique, it will be possible to create foils that sense changes in pressure, and such sensing, skin-like foils could be used for monitoring irregular or moving surfaces, like in robots, pliable machinery, or as an artificial skin (via Electronic News)
A simpler way to test quantum computers
9/29/2008
Quantum computers could be a step closer thanks to a more classical approach to testing optical components (via optics.org).
Toshiba hones UV chips for white LEDs
9/29/2008
The Japanese electronics giant says a new efficiency record for UV emitters, based on technology it has previously used to make blue laser diodes, will help LED lighting (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
BN doping heralds transparent solar cells
9/25/2008
Japanese researchers have invented a doping technique that could bring BN into use as a III-V wide-bandgap semiconductor, and used it to make a solar cell (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Optical mask boosts iris identification
9/25/2008
Iris recognition systems could become faster and more accurate thanks to a carefully designed phase mask, which increases the imaging depth of field (via optics.org).
European PV best suits concentrator modules
9/24/2008
Redesigned contacts have added more than 2 percent to Fraunhofer ISE's conversion efficiency, with optimal performance at solar concentrations used in commercial systems (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
VCSEL shrinks position sensor
9/24/2008
Combining a VCSEL and a photodetector array creates a compact and highly accurate position sensor (via optics.org).
2008 Lighting for Tomorrow LED winners announced
9/16/2008
Thirty-two companies submitted LED entries, four of which were recognized in the Near-term Applications category and three in other application categories (via ledsmagazine.com).
Display LED wins PLASA Innovation Award for digiFLEX
9/16/2008
The highly flexible LED display module can be curved around pre-formed metal surfaces (via ledsmagazine.com).
Nine LED streetlights to undergo year-long test in US suburb
9/16/2008
Xcel Energy has installed prototype LED streetlights in a neighborhood in Brooklyn Park, MN, to test their ability to survive harsh weather, provide adequate light, and please the residents (via ledsmagazine.com).
Doped InGaN barriers attack LED droop
9/15/2008
US researchers are combating high-current LED efficiency loss with magnesium-doped InGaN barriers in the active region (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Hospital lighting project draws LEDs into public sector
9/12/2008
A hospital trust in the UK is to participate in a government initiative to hasten the market entry of innovative and sustainable technologies, including LED lighting (via ledsmagazine.com).
Photonic textiles are a perfect fit
9/5/2008
A glove incorporating plastic optical fibre is ideal for autonomously monitoring vital health statistics such as blood oxygenation (via optics.org).
LED backlights enhance TV performance
9/3/2008
Sony and Philips have introduced LCD TVs with LED backlights that use local dimming technology, while Sony has also unveiled a 9.9-mm thick, 40-inch LCD with white LED edge-lighting (via ledsmagazine.com).
Laser emits tunable blue light
9/3/2008
A solid-state laser that offers practical output powers and a tuning range of 425 to 489 nm is unveiled by researchers in Spain (via optics.org).
Indium controls GaN nanowire laser emission
9/1/2008
Harvard resarchers have increased the complexity of nanowire structures, producing light between 365 and 494 nm (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
SLM boosts microscope resolution
8/28/2008
Researchers have extended the resolution of a wide-field microscope beyond the diffraction limit to image cells in finer detail (via optics.org).
VCSEL extends its reach to detect CO
8/27/2008
Carbon monoxide can now be detected by vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, thanks to a design that pushes emission out to 2.3 microns (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Quantum dot laser emits twin peaks
8/26/2008
A quantum dot laser that emits at 1543 and 1571 nm simultaneously is the first in a new generation of dual-wavelength self-modelocked sources (via optics.org).
New York architect firm, LSG to build prototype LED streetlights
8/26/2008
Under a $1.175M contract, OVI and LSG will produce and test 6 LED prototype streetlights for New York City (via ledsmagazine.com).
Nanosphere-coated LEDs emit white light
8/26/2008
Chinese researchers have found that adding an opal-like layer of fluorescent nanospheres to blue LEDs gives uniform white-light emission (via optics.org).
LED market predicted to grow 20+ percent/year, says Rubicon CEO
8/22/2008
At Rubicon Technology's recent 2Q08 earnings conference call with industry analysts, the company's president and CEO discussed the future of the LED market (via ledsmagazine.com).
Market research indicates increasing use of HB-LEDs in lighting
8/22/2008
In a new report, Strategies Unlimited says the 2007 market for HB LEDs used in lighting applications reached $337M, up from $205M in 2006 (via ledsmagazine.com).
New study says OLED efficiency is less than previously reported
8/17/2008
The study's findings hint that OLEDs would convert no more than 25% of electricity into light, contrary to earlier estimates of up to 63% (via ledsmagazine.com).
In-fibre Bragg grating taps spinal pressure
8/14/2008
Canadian researchers have unveiled a tiny fibre Bragg grating that could replace conventional spinal disc pressure sensors with a less invasive alternative (via optics.org).
Optofluidic microscope shrinks to fit on a chip
8/12/2008
A low-cost and high-resolution microscope has for the first time been engineered to fit onto a single chip (via optics.org).
Cheaper LEDs by Growing Gallium Nitride on Silicon
8/7/2008
Researchers at Purdue University are using a technique called nano-hetero-epitaxy to grow light-emitting diodes on bases of silicon, which could pave the way for cheaper LED lighting. They say they’ve come up with a better way to grow gallium nitride-based LEDs—essential to white lighting—on top of silicon rather than sapphire (via IEEE Spoectrum)
Silicon Camera Mimics Eye
8/6/2008
The human eye's ability to use a curved surface to capture images has stumped research groups trying to reproduce it for the last 20 years. But now engineers report they have solved the problem by using stretchable optoelectronics to create a working eye-like camera (via Biophotonics.com)
Plasmons put laser light on the straight and narrow
8/5/2008
A semiconductor laser that has been engineered to emit a narrow beam of light without the use of additional lenses could help to reduce the cost of optical systems (via optics.org).
VCSELs shape up for high data rates
8/5/2008
An 850 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser capable of achieving data rates of up to 25 Gbit/s makes its debut (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Rubicon: LED production nearing 6-inch mark
8/5/2008
The sapphire substrate maker highlights that larger wafer sizes and Taiwanese LCD manufacturers are beginning to make their mark on the LED industry (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
VCSELs shape up for high data rates
8/4/2008
Researchers in Sweden unveil an 850 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser capable of achieving data rates of up to 25 Gbit/s (via fibresystems.org).
Zero-indium laser hits UV record
8/1/2008
By growing AlGaN sideways from angled seed crystals, Hamamatsu Photonics has cut non-radiative recombination while providing a suitable bandgap for UV lasing (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Large LED displays appear in Liverpool and Times Square
7/31/2008
Europe's largest commercial LED screen has been unveiled in Liverpool, UK, while two new giant LED displays will add to the ambience in Times Square, New York (via ledsmagazine.com).
All-polymer lasers move closer to mass production
7/28/2008
High-throughput roll-to-roll production methods have been used to make a surface-emitting DBR source (via optics.org).
VCSELs head farther into the infrared
7/28/2008
Sometimes it's very difficult to take a successful device and replicate it in another materials system. The GaAs VCSEL is a case in point: although it has been a great commercial success, transferring the design to longer wavelengths has been fraught with difficulty (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
DOE quality program and lifecycle study will boost SSL acceptance
7/25/2008
Two new efforts, a voluntary product labeling program and a lifecycle study for solid-state lighting, will help to accelerate the introduction and acceptance of LED-based lighting (via ledsmagazine.com).
Asia dominates global FTTH rankings
7/24/2008
The three FTTH Councils released the second update to their global fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) rankings at the FTTH Council Asia Pacific Conference in Kuala Lumpur (via fibresystems.org).
Photonic chip chases terabit processing
7/23/2008
Researchers have demonstrated error-free demultiplexing of a 640 Gbit/s optical signal using a planar waveguide made from chalcogenide glass (via fibresystems.org).
Lasers guide neuron growth
7/21/2008
optics.org speaks to researchers trying to get to grips with how lasers influence neuron growth (via optics.org).
Osram reports 155 lm and 136 lm/W from R&D LED
7/21/2008
Osram is claiming a record for luminous flux and efficacy from an LED driven at 350 mA (via ledsmagazine.com).
Multi-faced LEDs introduce more color
7/21/2008
Color-converting phosphors hamper the efficiencies of commercial white LEDs. But this can be avoided by switching to quantum-well growth on multiple facets, say Mitsuru Funato and Yoichi Kawakami from Kyoto University (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
UV laser builds structures atom by atom
7/18/2008
A 326 nm laser system is the latest tool for researchers trying to create precise 3D nanostructures via atomic nanofabrication (via optics.org).
BT to invest £1.5bn in next-generation access
7/16/2008
What a difference a year makes. In 2007, UK incumbent BT said that the unfavourable regulatory regime and the ongoing cost of rolling out its core network transformation project, 21CN, made investment in a national fibre-to-the-home rollout unlikely. This week the operator announced a plan to spend £1.5 billion (€1.9 billion) on a next-generation fibre access network that will bring headline speeds of 40 Mbit/s to 10 million homes by 2012 (via fibersystems.org).
Simulations question Lumileds’ droop theory
7/15/2008
Complex calculations reveal that Auger recombination is not responsible for the decrease in LED efficacy at higher drive currents, in contrast to the findings of a Philips Lumileds team (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Thin-film dyes boost solar cells
7/15/2008
Light-capturing dyes have enabled researchers in the US to increase the power output of solar cells by up to ten times (via optics.org).
New Jersey utility to evaluate LED street lighting
7/15/2008
PSE&G is partnering with four cities in New Jersey to evaluate LED lamps for effectiveness and energy savings (via ledsmagazine.com).
Honeywell provides LED lighting for Airbus wingtips
7/15/2008
Honeywell has signed an $80 million contract to supply LED navigation lights to the Airbus A320 family of aircraft (via ledsmagazine.com).
Slowing terahertz promises all-optical processing
7/14/2008
On-chip integration of optical circuits, optical data storage and ultrafast optical communications are the ultimate goal of researchers developing a metallic grating to slow down terahertz waves (via optics.org).
Ultrafast technology shifts to wafer scale
7/11/2008
Combining a saturable absorber and a gain section in a single semiconductor structure could lead to a new generation of compact ultrafast lasers. Jacqueline Hewett talks to ultrafast pioneer Ursula Keller of ETH Zurich, Switzerland, to find out about her latest idea (via optics.org).
RIKEN makes record bug-busting UV LED
7/11/2008
Teaming with Matsushita Electric Works, the Japanese research institute has revolutionized InAlGaN LED design to make the highest output power device in the 280 nm region (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Coating traps more light in solar cells
7/10/2008
Solar cells could be made thinner and more efficient thanks to a light-trapping coating designed by researchers in Germany (via optics.org).
Polarization-matching combats LED droop
7/10/2008
Switching to a polarization matched GaInN/AlGaInN active region combats droop and improves LED efficacy at high currents, according to researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Samsung Electro-Mechanics (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Osram explores the route to high-performance greens
7/7/2008
Why are green LEDs so inefficient? Is it the result of poor carrier injection, high Auger loss, strong internal fields, or simply poor material quality, asks Osram's Matthias Peter (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Water-core PCF creates broad spectrum
7/7/2008
optics.org speaks to the research team that claims it has created the first supercontinuum in a water-core photonic crystal fibre (via optics.org).
Buried photonic crystals boost LED emission
7/7/2008
Deeply entrenched silica lattices hold the key to producing photonic crystal LEDs that maintain electrical performance while improving light extraction, say South Korean scientists (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Laser pulses target individual cancer cells
7/4/2008
An image-guided femtosecond laser is allowing surgeons to remove individual cancer cells while adjacent cells remain intact (via optics.org).
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).
Chirped fibre laser drills faster
7/2/2008
Researchers in Germany have engineered a fibre laser system with a high repetition rate that is allowing them to drill holes in metal faster than ever before (via optics.org).
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).
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 biophotonics.com).
Nanotweezers trap tiny objects
7/1/2008
An optical tweezer has for the first time been engineered to move nanometre-sized particles.
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)
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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)
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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.
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).
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 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.
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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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).
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).
Single chip houses spectroscopy setup
6/15/2007
Miniaturizing spectroscopy onto a single chip is allowing researchers to study atoms in a portable device.
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.
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).
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).
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).
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.
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).
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).
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).
Opel concept car sports Osram LEDs
5/16/2007
Opel produces a concept car with external lighting provided solely by Osram LEDs.
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).
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).
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).
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
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)
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)
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).
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).
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.
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)
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)
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 conventional devices in commercial applications (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Fibre to...wherever makes best economic sense
1/29/2007
The exponential thirst for bandwidth has led the broadband industry to a fork in the road. Carriers can take the simplest road and see the steady, steep incline of the past level out for good, or take the fibre road and climb further to meet growing bandwidth demands. Alcatel's Jean-Pierre Lartigue explains (via optics.org).
Large-size LED backlight market to triple in 2007
1/25/2007
Representing only a tiny niche in the wider market for LCD backlights, sales of LED-based units will nevertheless grow at a rapid pace between now and 2009, says a new report from DisplaySearch (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Fiber optics heading for every home
1/24/2007
By 2010 every tenth broadband household will be connected with the Internet via optical cable, according to a new report from Fraunhofer ISI in Karlsruhe, Germany. "Internetisation" of telecommunications is also set to continue (Fraunhofer report)
Lumileds tops white LED brightness contest
1/24/2007
Another week; another record: Philips Lumileds claims that its high-power white LEDs can now deliver a record 115 lumens per Watt - and that commercial products will appear soon (via compoundsemicondutor.net).
High density optical storage on a single pulse
1/22/2007
New technique developed at the University of Rochester stores and retrieves an entire digital image from a single photon pulse. (via optics.org).
Lexus first carmaker to deploy LED headlamps
1/22/2007
The luxury car manufacturer is introducing the first series production vehicle to feature LED-based headlamps this spring (via optics.org).
Nanotubes light up solar cells
1/19/2007
Researchers in the UK have made a new type of hybrid electrode from multiwalled carbon nanotubes and indium-tin oxide that could be used for solar cell applications (via optics.org).
Tropical beetle has the brightest whites
1/19/2007
The secret behind the brilliant white shell of a peculiar tropical beetle is an unusual, aperiodic structure, according to physicists from the UK (via optics.org).
ZnO nanowires promise more efficient LEDs
1/17/2007
The demonstration of zinc-oxide nanowires with p-type conductivity could pave the way for LEDs that are cheaper and more efficient than those based on gallium nitride (via optics.org).
Light squeezes through nano coax
1/11/2007
Physicists in the US have created the first nanoscale coaxial cables for the transmission of light (via optics.org).
Optical access: is cost still the sticking point?
1/5/2007
Roy Rubenstein investigates why some geographical regions are so far ahead when it comes to FTTH deployment.
Solar bikini generates power while you sunbathe
1/5/2007
At last, an end to the twin miseries of flat iPod battery and warm beer at the beach: a swimsuit that converts sunshine into electricity (via optics.org)
Faster, cheaper route to solar cells... and more
1/3/2007
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Suss MicroTec have developed a nano-imprinting stepper that paves the way for improved production of technologies such as solar cells (via optics.org)
IBM chip breakthough 'buffers' optical signal
12/22/2006
Self-styled "milestone" is an optical device that delays light transmission on silicon; improves potential for all-optical computing (via optics.org)
Photovoltaics take a heavy load off soldiers
12/21/2006
A US consortium is aiming to smash the solar-cell efficiency record with a radical design that uses a lateral architecture and a dispersive concentrator. If they are successful, soldiers will be freed from the burden of carrying a 20 lb load of spare batteries (via optics.org)
Siemens transmits 'record' 107 Gbit/s on one fiber
12/21/2006
Siemens researchers achieve transmission rates of 107 Gbit/s on a single fiber channel using purely electric processing in transmitter and receiver (via optics.org)
'Next-gen' photonic crystal fiber project launches in Europe
12/19/2006
The NextGenPCF consortium launches a pan-European R&D project worth Euro 12.2m to develop new types of photonic crystal fibers. (via optics.org)
Collaboration hails non-polar GaN LED advance
12/18/2006
A Japanese-US collaboration headed up by University of California, Santa Barbara researchers says that it has set a new world best for the efficiency of LEDs based on non-polar and semi-polar GaN (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Solar cell efficiency boosted to 40%
12/12/2006
A team of engineers at solar cell manufacturer Spectrolab has produced a photovoltaic system with a record-breaking conversion efficiency of 40.7% (via optics.org)
Blue laser regulates 'super-accurate' atomic clock
12/12/2006
A highly stable blue laser provides the key to controlling the most precise "ticks" ever recorded in a strontium-based atomic clock (via optics.org)
Photonic crystal yields ultrafast all-optical switch
12/9/2006
Scientists at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) talk to optics.org about the commercial opportunities for their prototype all-optical switch (via optics.org)
Seoul's single-die source packs 240 lumen punch
12/5/2006
A Korean LED maker claims to have launched the world's brightest single-die white LED light source (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
100Gbit Ethernet demonstrated on 4000km live network
12/2/2006
Higher speed Ethernet is now required to support increasing demands of IP network. (via optics.org)
Gain in nanowires boosts on-chip photonics
12/2/2006
Researchers at Oregon State University tell optics.org about a new method that, in theory, would allow the speed of optical signals in nanoscale wires to be controlled from ultraslow to beyond the speed of light (via optics.org)
Photonics reveals cardiac threat
12/2/2006
Data from a near-infrared spectroscopy system could help to identify patients who are at greatest risk of a heart attack. (via optics.org)
Fiber laser improves micro-crack repairs
12/2/2006
Laser welding of microcracks is an established technique but a new fiber laser-based process from Germany gives such repairs an unprecedented degree of accuracy. (via optics.org)
High-brightness LEDs find applications galore
12/2/2006
Knowing the exact requirements of an application and understanding performance characteristics will help you to avoid common pitfalls when purchasing high-brightness LEDs. Mike Godwin and Gunnar Klick look at the technology and its inherent trade-offs (via optics.org)
WDM market sales hit $900 million per quarter
11/30/2006
On the back of strong sales in Europe, wave division multiplexing technologies are booming, says analyst Dell'Oro. (via optics.org)
Fiber-optic connector and splice market enjoys dramatic growth
11/30/2006
Growth set to continue as copper networks' capacity is exceeded; US market value to triple to $1.6 billion by 2010; fastest regional growth in Japan/Pacific rim. (via optics.org)
2006: a boom year for enterprise optical networks
11/30/2006
This year, 2006, will come to be seen as a "banner" year for enterprise deployment of optical networks, says analyst IDC. (via optics.org)
Scientists exploit insect wings to make lens coatings
11/25/2006
Scientists from Peking University, China, talk to optics.org about how the intricate wings of cicadas can be used to replicate nanostructures that function as anti-reflective coatings (via optics.org)
New driver makes low-cost OLED displays bigger
11/25/2006
Cambridge Display Technology’s Total Matrix Addressing could increase the size of passive-matrix OLED displays to 10 inches.
Global Optoelectronics Industry Market Report & Forecast
11/20/2006
This year's report includes over 400 pages of market data and forecasts, including chapters on solar cells, sensors, displays, LEDs, communications, and medical applications.
Wal-Mart goes green with Gelcore chips
11/20/2006
Replacing fluorescent tubes with LEDs in its refrigerator display lights throughout 500 US stores is expected to shave $2.6 million off the retailer's annual electricity bill (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Japanese start-up touts GaN-on-silicon LED
11/20/2006
Kyoto-based Shimei Semiconductor is reportedly planning to begin shipping GaN-on-silicon blue LEDs in April 2007 (via compoundsemicondutor.net)
Ultrafast laser installed at Cardiff University
11/17/2006
The Manufacturing Engineering Centre, at the University of Cardiff, Wales, UK, has installed a laser-based, ultrafast micro machining system (via optics.org)
White emitting LED chips hit 138 lm/W
11/15/2006
Nichia has developed LEDs with indium tin oxide contacts that can deliver an efficacy of 138 lm/W and an output of 402 lumens at 2A.
Nichia's white-emitting LED chips hit 138 lm/W
11/14/2006
Nichia has developed LEDs with indium tin oxide contacts that can deliver an efficacy of 138 lm/W and an output of 402 lumens at 2A.
Cascaded photonic crystal offers directional emission
11/14/2006
Computer modelling reveals that a simple photonic crystal structure could be an effective way of coupling light into optical fibers, ridge waveguides and lenses (via optics.org)
Photovoltaics take a load off soldiers
11/14/2006
A US consortium is aiming to smash the solar-cell efficiency record with a radical design that uses a lateral architecture and a dispersive concentrator. If they are successful, soldiers will be freed from a 20 lb load of spare batteries. (via Compound Semiconductor.net)
'Optical' bandage treats - and cures - several skin cancers
11/3/2006
The relationship between sunlight and skin cancer is well known. But the cause can become the treatment. A Scottish physics professor and dermatology consultant have developed a new way of treating melanomas with "light bandages" (via optics.org)
Another transmission record on the data highway
10/28/2006
No speed limit yet, say researchers at Berlin's HHI, as they transmit data at 2.56 Tbit/s through single fibre (via optics.org)
Photon 'fusion' boosts solar cell performance
10/24/2006
Scientists have manipulated light - such as sunlight - to combine the photons' energy with particular wavelengths. Previously only possible with high-energy density laser light, the process could pave the way for more efficient solar cells.
14 Tbit/s transmitted over single fiber
10/19/2006
NTT demonstrates "world's highest" optical transmission capacity - equivalent to 140 digital high definition movies delivered in one second (via optics.org).
'Super screen' takes TV viewer to the stadium
10/19/2006
Hot on the heels of hosting the football World Cup, a novel projection technique from Germany gives the highest resolution ever live images, and seems to take viewers closer than ever before to a live event (via optics.org)
LEDs offer attractive alternatives
10/17/2006
Laser Focus World has a FOCUS ON-section on HB LEDs in its September issue. You can find out more about why HB-LEDs are an attractive alternative to many existing sources in current applications as well as in some innovative novel opportunities by following the links (via Laser Focus World)
AlGaAs standard to make industry 'more efficient'
10/17/2006
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued its first reference compound semiconductor alloy - a small square of AlGaAs (via Compound semiconductor.net)
Eye scan shows first sign of Alzheimer's disease
10/9/2006
Scanning the lens of a human eye with infrared laser light can reveal the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease in a matter of seconds, according to US start-up Neuroptix. Matthew Peach speaks to the firm's chief executive officer, Paul Hartung, about the technology.
Scientists make switchable microlenses in a single-step
10/3/2006
Microencapsulation is a simple and effective way of mass producing arrays of tiny spherical lenses say experts in Asia (via optics.org).
Fashion designer selects Philips' photonic fabric to light up catwalk
10/2/2006
For her new fashion collection, the acclaimed German fashion designer Anke Loh has chosen to use the innovative light-emitting fabric from Philips called Lumalive textiles. Lumalive textiles contain LEDs that display full color moving images on clothing. The collection was launched in September in Chicago at a special fashion show. (via Laser Focus World)
Excimer lasers provide unique processing ability
9/29/2006
An excimer laser's high-power ultraviolet emission enables applications in research, micromanufacturing and biomedicine. Rainer Paetzel and Ruediger Hack provide an introduction to the technology and review key factors that potential buyers should consider.
Fiber optics makes airplanes safer
9/29/2006
Researchers in the US have devised an optical on/off switch that could be safer and more reliable than electrical controls in airplane cockpits (via optics.org).
Report reveals high-power LED innovation
9/29/2006
A new series of LED Quarterly Insights reports, produced by the publishers of optics.org, kicks off with an in-depth analysis of the latest advances in high-power LEDs (via optics.org).
LCD recycling project: green and valuable
9/20/2006
A project to extract the materials from redundant liquid crystal displays is expected not only to make these materials safe, but also to recycle millions of dollars worth of valuable chemicals (via optics.org).
Intel claims silicon laser revolution
9/18/2006
Using a wafer-bonding technique, chip giant Intel creates a hybrid InP-silicon laser that it believes will drive silicon photonics into widespread use within supercomputer and data center architectures.
Superlens microscope gets up close
9/15/2006
Researchers have obtained the first direct near-field optical images using a so-called superlens made of negative refractive index metamaterials. The development could enhance near-field microscopy. (via optics.org)
Cell-piercing laser lets DNA in
9/15/2006
Researchers in the UK have found the optimum conditions for using a laser to create a hole that allows molecules such as DNA to be introduced into biological cells (via optics.org).
Research reveals how blue LEDs emit light
9/14/2006
A new understanding of the mechanism behind blue LED luminescence could lead to the development of revolutionary new families of light emitters.
Is consolidation the answer for photonics industry?
9/7/2006
Tom Hausken of Strategies Unlimited believes that the photonics industry is fundamentally fragmented. Here, he outlines the problems facing a market full of niche players and offers his opinions on the future (via fibers.org)
NMR goes optical
9/7/2006
A novel laser-based technique for NMR could lead to real-time two-dimensional imaging of samples, with a resolution limited only by light diffraction (via optics.org)
Infrared sommelier robot helps choose wine
9/4/2006
A robot being developed in Japan uses infrared spectroscopy to "taste" wine and food (via optics.org)
Blue laser disc to allow 200GB capacity
9/4/2006
Media pioneer TDK achieves "massive" capabilities for high definition blue laser technology.
High output RGB sources promise laser TV 'by 2007'
9/1/2006
Novalux says its new 750 mW red "Necsel" laser and 3 W green and blue models are paving the way for laser projection TV (via optics.org)
'Lumalive' textile presents variable LED display
8/29/2006
A novel display-embedded textile from Philips Research can turn clothes into walking dynamic advertisements.
'See-through' silver could boost LEDs
8/24/2006
Physicists in the UK have discovered that thin films of silver - a normally opaque material - can be made highly transparent by sandwiching them bewteen zinc-selenide-coated glass blocks. (via optics.org)
Users can now keep close eye on VCSEL arrays
8/22/2006
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are commonly used as interconnects in 10 Gbit/s local-area networks, but with 40 Gbit/s line rates looming on the horizon, multichannel networks are becoming an attractive option. (via fibers.org)
Microscopy sheds light on organic solar cells
8/18/2006
Organic photovoltaic cells promise cheaper solar power, but researchers still need to work out how to improve their efficiency. (via optics.org)
Industrial laser market lifts diode sales in Japan
8/8/2006
According to Yano Research Institute, the economic recovery in Japan is helping to drive up sales of high-power laser machining equipment, including laser diodes. (via Compound Semiconductor News)
Miniature lens mimics the human eye
8/7/2006
Researchers at the University of Winsconsin-Madison, US , have developed an artificial microlens that can focus without the need for external control. According to the team, the self-focusing lens could be used in imaging, displays and medical diagnostics (via optics.org)
$1.9m development cash for "whispering" lasers
8/7/2006
A team led by Qinetiq will develop new types of mid-infrared lasers for healthcare applications under a project funded by the UK government. (via Compound Semiconductor News)
Brightest LEDs are rough around the edges
8/7/2006
By simply roughening the front and back surfaces, a Taiwanese team have tapped nearly three times more light from GaN-based LEDs.
$6 million US project plans silicon-based laser in five years
8/2/2006
A holy grail of the silicon semiconductor industry is to develop a silicon-based laser, which is exactly what this MIT-based project intends to achieve. (via optics.org)
Nanoetching makes LEDs brighter
7/28/2006
Applications ranging from medical imaging to home cinema projectors could benefit from a nanoetching technique that promises to radically enhance LED brightness (via optics.org)
Silicon photonics enters the broadband age
7/22/2006
US researchers have built a broadband light amplifier on a silicon chip that can process large numbers of wavelengths at the same time.
Photodetecting fibers enable easier optical imaging
7/22/2006
Researchers in the US have exploited polymer photodetecting fibers to demonstrate a simpler way to measure optical fields.
Shedding light on biomaterials
7/22/2006
Researchers in Germany believe that the ability of some biomaterials to guide light is due to light scattering, and not fiber-optic effects as previously thought.
Silicon photonics solves its "fundamental problem"
7/22/2006
The prospect of on-chip optical interconnects comes one step closer as researchers achieve continuous optical amplification in silicon without the need for input electrical power.
Environmentally friendly fiber takes on medical role
7/22/2006
Scientists in Canada develop a biodegradable fiber with optical,
microfluidic and drug release properties.
LED breakthrough highlights AlN promise
7/18/2006
The availability of 2 inch aluminum nitride substrates and the development of an LED that is based on doped epilayers of the same material marks the dawn of a new era in III-N technology (via Compound Semiconductor News)
Lumileds takes to the road in new applications
7/18/2006
Philips-owned Lumileds has made some impressive inroads into cars made by Jaguar, Porsche, Audi and Lexus. (via Compound Semiconductor News)
Photonic chips see light at the end of the tunnel
7/13/2006
Photonic microchips are one step closer to emulating their
electronic counterparts now that researchers at Cornell
University, New York, have produced a broadband light amplifier
on a silicon chip. The device, which relies on microscopic
waveguides rather than wires, will help pave the way to super-
fast transmission on silicon.
Market for 10G modules set to top USB 4.2bn in 2011
7/13/2006
The market for 10 Gbit/s transponder and transceiver modules
used in data and telecom networks will top USD 4.2bn in 2011.
That's the conclusion of the latest report from US analyst CIR
Sol-gel-based VOA delivers all-optical control
7/13/2006
Variable optical attenuators (VOAs) are used extensively for
WDM channel power equalization and optical receiver protection.
Common types of VOAs employ MEMS, thermo-optic Mach-Zehnder
interferometric (MZI) structures or liquid-crystal devices.
Now, US researchers have come up with an all-optical-controlled
VOA based on a photochromic sol-gel material.
Microstructured fibers tackle bandwidth bottlenecks
7/1/2006
Microstructured "holey" fiber could be ideal for tackling the looming
bandwidth problems associated with electrical interconnects, according to a
team from UK defense and security firm QinetiQ.
Power-over-fibre drives remote data exchange
7/1/2006
Photonic Power provides an all-fibre solution that enhances power and data
transmission of remote sensing devices. Mort Cohen explains why
power-over-fibre is an attractive alternative to batteries and bulky copper
cabling when operating in harsh environments.
Patterned mid-IR source lowers cost of gas detection
7/1/2006
Vehicle exhaust monitoring and fire rescue operations could benefit from an
affordable, surface-structured PbSe chip that operates at 25 degC and emits
more than 2 mW in the mid-infrared.
Broadband detector bound for Mercury
7/1/2006
French firm Sofradir is developing a single detector sensitive over a 1900
nm wavelength range and capable of withstanding the harsh conditions around
Mercury.
Diode laser offers 'almost infinite' modulation capability
7/1/2006
Laser developer Omicron Laserage, based in Rodgau, Germany, announced at
last week's Optatec show in Frankfurt that it has created "what no other
manufacturer has achieved".
UCLA Engineering announces another silicon photonics breakthrough
6/30/2006
Building on a series of recent breakthroughs in silicon photonics, researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a novel approach to silicon devices that combines light amplification with a photovoltaic effect. (via Laser Focus World)
Quantum-dot laser delivers broadband operation
6/29/2006
Ioffe Institute spin-out NL Nanosemiconductor develops a
quantum-dot laser that can operate over a 25nm wavelength range
while retaining singlemode operation
Polycrystalline germanium gives silicon NIR capability
6/29/2006
Near-infrared (NIR) waveguide photodetectors constructed from
polycrystalline germanium (poly-Ge) employing a low-cost
fabrication method have been unveiled by researchers in Italy.
LAUNCH OF EPoSS
6/26/2006
One of this years most prominent events in the field of micro- and nanosystems is the official launch of the new European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration, EPoSS.
Plastic fiber promises ubiquitous optical access
6/22/2006
Plastic optical fiber could provide a low-cost and easy-to-
install solution for fiber-to-the-home networks. Alessandro
Nocivelli of Luceat explains how a new European consortium is
developing the technology needed to deliver real broadband to
consumers.
Nexans optical cables wire up northern Norway
6/22/2006
French cabling specialist Nexans has bagged a deal to supply
fiber-optic cables to Bredband Finnmark. The cables will be
used to develop a fiber-optic telecom network throughout
Finnmark, the northernmost county in Norway.
CRN gets spun out as an independent network
6/22/2006
The Cambridge-MIT Institute has incorporated its
Communications Research Network (CRN) as a not-for-profit
limited company, two years after its initial launch. BT and
Fujitsu are the CRN's first founder members
Latest new products
6/22/2006
Amplification system provides terawatt peak power (Jun 22)
Allwavelength products cover entire CWDM range (Jun 21)
WDMs line up for erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (Jun 20)
Broadband lasers exploit quantum dot technology (Jun 7)
Carrier Ethernet demarcation device reveals QoS (Jun 6)
Photonics Cluster Netherlands has been founded
5/3/2006
On May 23, 2006 the Photonics Cluster Netherlands has been founded, an initiative of the Dutch Association for Photonics (NVvF). The mission of the Photonics Cluster Netherlands is to strengthen the photonics knowledge and expertise in the Netherlands and Belgium and to stimulate education in photonics. The Cluster will function as a bridge between companies (SME's) and education / research institutes.
Laser droplet welding tool HEAD, Germany
7/4/2005
The laser droplet welding process was developed in cooperation with network partners at the Bavarian Laser Center. In this innovative process, a thin metal wire is melted by means of laser pulses. The very small metal droplet which forms can be used, among other things, to combine incompatible materials with each other.
The perfect laser for microprocessing
6/28/2005
Chemists have an important role to play in the emerging fields of nanophotonics and biophotonics and the learning curve to enter them is not as high as is generally believed, according to Paras N. Prasad, Ph.D., SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry in the University at Buffalo's College of Arts and Sciences.
New EUV lithography process
6/21/2005
PhotonAix members developed a new EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography process. This technique is suitable for manufacturing exceptionally small semiconductor structures, which are in demand for the chips used in ever more powerful PCs.
ZnO/GaN hybrid shows green LED promise
9/3/1980
Low-temperature growth of n-ZnO above the active layer is the latest approach to improve the performance of green LEDs and fill the “green gap” (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Faster networks will drive InP integration
1/23/1980
The trend to data rates beyond 10 Gb/s will demand increased chip complexity and earn active optical component makers over $1 billion annually by 2016, according to industry analyst CIR (via compoundsemiconductor.net).
Photonic crystal resonator catches light pulses
Dynamically confining light in volumes smaller than the wavelength is an important step towards the complete control of light (via optics.org).
Clinton Climate Initiative embraces LEDs
An organization addressing climate change has created a purchasing consortium to increase the market demand for energy-efficient products including LED lighting (via LEDs Magazine).
Axiom unveils high efficacy white LED channel letter modules
Axiom Power Corp says that its white LED modules for channel letter lighting, using very high efficacy Nichia LEDs, match the pricing of neon systems (via LEDs Magazine).
UK invests £5m in silicon photonics
Silicon photonics could benefit from a research partnership between UK academia and industrial allies Intel and QinetiQ (via optics.org).
Barco to install six additional LED screens for 2008 Olympic Games
Beijing will install at least 14 LED screens from Barco for live broadcasting of the Olympics (via LEDs Magazine).
LED headlamp from Hella to appear on Cadilla
Hella has developed a full-LED headlamp for the Cadillac Escalade Platinum, using an array of free-form glass projection lenses (via LEDs Magazine).
Simulations shine light on optical wire
US researchers believe that tiny optical versions of capacitors, resistors and inductors can be made by adjusting the size, shape and composition of sub-wavelength nanoparticles (via optics.org).
Trapped rainbow promises all-optical processing
All-optical computers and ultrafast optical communications are the ultimate goal of a computer analysis that combines slow light with metamaterials (via optics.org).
Sony begins selling world's first OLED TV
For around $1800 you can buy an 11-inch OLED TV from Sony, but you'd better be quick (via LEDs Magazine).
