This issue - pv

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.204

Full Text - This issue | PDF (170 KB) - This issue

Nature's guiding light - p639

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.205

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded for research inspired by jellyfish. This is a reminder that the natural world continues to hint at solutions to modern technological dilemmas, and that when it comes to simple and effective solutions, nature is usually well ahead of man.

Full Text - Nature's guiding light | PDF (149 KB) - Nature's guiding light

A new route for silk - pp641 - 643

Fiorenzo G. Omenetto & David L. Kaplan

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.207

Famous for its use in clothing since early times, silk is now finding a new application as a useful biocompatible material in photonic devices. Thin films, diffraction gratings and organic photonic crystals are just a few of the exciting possibilities.

Full Text - A new route for silk | PDF (656 KB) - A new route for silk

Terahertz-emitting silicon needles, an entangled-photon detector, cavity-tuning nanotubes, single-photon modulation, and more - pp644 - 645

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.206

Full Text - Terahertz-emitting silicon needles, an entangled-photon detector, cavity-tuning nanotubes, single-photon modulation, and more | PDF (195 KB) - Terahertz-emitting silicon needles, an entangled-photon detector, cavity-tuning nanotubes, single-photon modulation, and more

Optical fibres: The chirp reloaded - pp647 - 648

Goëry Genty

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.210

By introducing a radial chirp in the dimension of the cells surrounding the central core, researchers now demonstrate a low-dispersion photonic-crystal fibre that could overcome the long-standing problem of ultrashort-pulse delivery.

Full Text - Optical fibresThe chirp reloaded | PDF (453 KB) - Optical fibresThe chirp reloaded

Photovoltaics: The two sides of solar energy - pp648 - 649

Juan Bisquert

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.212

A bifacial dye-sensitized solar cell that can efficiently generate electricity when illuminated from either side may help bring down the cost of solar energy production.

Full Text - PhotovoltaicsThe two sides of solar energy | PDF (4,737 KB) - PhotovoltaicsThe two sides of solar energy

Photonic-bandgap fibre: Colour-tunable textiles - p650

Rachel Won

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.208

Full Text - Photonic-bandgap fibreColour-tunable textiles | PDF (223 KB) - Photonic-bandgap fibreColour-tunable textiles

Photonic crystals: Photons and electrons confined - pp650 - 651

Erik C. Nelson & Paul V. Braun

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.209

Researchers have demonstrated the first photonic-crystal system with light emitters that experience three-dimensional photonic and electronic confinement.

Full Text - Photonic crystalsPhotons and electrons confined | PDF (605 KB) - Photonic crystalsPhotons and electrons confined

Optical trapping: Riding along an Airy beam - pp652 - 653

Demetrios N. Christodoulides

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.211

The ability of Airy light beams to transport microparticles along curved, self-healed paths may lead to useful applications in biology and colloidal science.

Full Text - Optical trappingRiding along an Airy beam | PDF (481 KB) - Optical trappingRiding along an Airy beam

Optically mediated particle clearing using Airy wavepackets - pp675 - 678

Jörg Baumgartl, Michael Mazilu & Kishan Dholakia

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.201

Scientists exploit the use of Airy beams — an unusual class of optical waves — in optical manipulation. The beam can be used to transport particles along curved paths without moving the light beam, a technique that seems poised for many microfluidic applications especially in the biological sciences.

Abstract - | Full Text - Optically mediated particle clearing using Airy wavepackets | PDF (548 KB) - Optically mediated particle clearing using Airy wavepackets | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Fundamental optical physics

See also: News and Views by Christodoulides

A chirped photonic-crystal fibre - pp679 - 683

Julia S. Skibina, Rumen Iliew, Jens Bethge, Martin Bock, Dorit Fischer, Valentin I. Beloglasov, Reiner Wedell & Günter Steinmeyer

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.203

Hollow-core photonic-crystal fibres enable confinement of light on a much tighter scale than is possible with conventional fibre. But dispersion makes it difficult to transmit very short, sub 100 fs, pulses over long distances. A chirped structure could offer a solution.

Abstract - | Full Text - A chirped photonic-crystal fibre | PDF (502 KB) - A chirped photonic-crystal fibre | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Fibre optics and optical communications | Novel materials and engineered structures

See also: News and Views by Genty

Organic plasmon-emitting diode - pp684 - 687

D.M. Koller, A. Hohenau, H. Ditlbacher, N. Galler, F. Reil, F.R. Aussenegg, A. Leitner, E.J.W. List & J.R. Krenn

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.200

An organic LED that acts as an electrically driven source of surface plasmons is reported. The device generates a freely propagating beam of surface plasmons and has potential applications in integrated organic photonics and sensing.

Abstract - | Full Text - Organic plasmon-emitting diode | PDF (719 KB) - Organic plasmon-emitting diode

Subject Category: Plasmonics

Coupling of quantum-dot light emission with a three-dimensional photonic-crystal nanocavity - pp688 - 692

Kanna Aoki, Denis Guimard, Masao Nishioka, Masahiro Nomura, Satoshi Iwamoto & Yasuhiko Arakawa

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.202

Tiny optical cavities can influence spontaneous emission of light from atoms and their artificial equivalent, quantum dots. In the past, two–dimensional photonic crystals have been used to create such cavities for quantum dots, now a three–dimensional structure enables full confinement of light in all directions.

Abstract - | Full Text - Coupling of quantum-dot light emission with a three-dimensional photonic-crystal nanocavity | PDF (513 KB) - Coupling of quantum-dot light emission with a three-dimensional photonic-crystal nanocavity | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Novel materials and engineered structures

See also: News and Views by Nelson & Braun

Bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells based on an ionic liquid electrolyte - pp693 - 698

Seigo Ito, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Pascal Comte, Paul Liska, Daibin Kuang & Michael Grätzel

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.224

Low-cost, efficient solar cells are sought as an alternative to silicon photovoltaics. Here a dye-based bifacial solar cell that is capable of efficient generation of electricity for light incident on either its front or rear face is demonstrated.

Abstract - | Full Text - Bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells based on an ionic liquid electrolyte | PDF (292 KB) - Bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells based on an ionic liquid electrolyte

Subject Category: Solar energy and photovoltaic technology

See also: News and Views by Bisquert

A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group - pp699 - 700

Full Text - A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group | PDF (212 KB) - A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group

Airy's arc of surprise - p702

Interview with Kishan Dholakia

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.223

The demonstration that Airy beams can transport small particles along curved paths of light may lead to a wealth of new applications in optical micromanipulation. Nature Photonics spoke to Kishan Dholakia from the University of St Andrews in Scotland about the idea.

Full Text - Airy's arc of surprise | PDF (137 KB) - Airy's arc of surprise