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By applying a magnetic field to an atomic vapour, it is shown that the large bandwidth of off-resonance slow-light media can be combined with the Faraday effect to realize a high-bandwidth dispersive probe for atomic systems. This will open up the possibility of probing atomic dynamics on a nanosecond timescale.
Imaging through a nonlinear medium can be difficult because signals distort as they propagate through it owing to intensity-dependent phase changes. Here, digital reconstruction of optical spatial beams propagating in a nonlinear medium is presented, which could help the understanding of coupled-wave dynamics and suggest new image-processing techniques.
Using a near-field transducer with efficient optical energy transfer, researchers demonstrate proof-of-principle heat-assisted magnetic recording with multi-track data density of ∼375 Tb m−2.
A silicon–organic hybrid slot waveguide with a strong optical nonlinearity is demonstrated to perform ultrafast all-optical demultiplexing of high-bit-rate data streams. The approach could form the basis of compact high-speed optical processing units for future communication networks.
Photoacoustic imaging, using laser light to stimulate the emission of ultrasonic waves from tissue inside the human body, potentially offers a route to far deeper imaging than possible with conventional optical techniques, reports Duncan Graham-Rowe.
Powerful lightning strikes pose a significant threat to buildings and people, but imagine if it were possible to control and direct them with a laser beam. Nature Photonics spoke to Jérôme Kasparian, a researcher from the University of Geneva and co-ordinator of the Teramobile project, about the idea.
The high-resolution imaging of individual colour centres in diamond using stimulated emission depletion microscopy is set to offer new insights into the physics underlying solid-state light emitters.
LEDs are receiving great interest as candidates for next-generation lighting because they promise to reduce energy consumption enormously. However, to be a feasible solution their quantum efficiency needs to improve. Now, it seems that the incorporation of photonic crystals may be an answer.
A transition between strong and weak coupling regimes in a polariton diode microcavity yields optically controlled switching of current. Researchers show bistable cycles for optical powers two to three orders of magnitude less than typical schemes.
It has now been shown that twisting the orientation of layers in a metamaterial provides a new way of tailoring their electromagnetic properties. Nature Photonics spoke to Harald Giessen and Na Liu from the University of Stuttgart about the idea.
By carefully optimizing the properties of a waveguide made from a highly nonlinear glass, Australian researchers have achieved record optical nonlinearity and put it to use in a broadband radiofrequency spectrum analyser. The work could ultimately lead to improved all-optical signal processing.
Researchers in South Korea and the Netherlands have demonstrated that the enhancement of the electric field of terahertz radiation inside a nano-slit continues to grow, even when the slit becomes narrower than the skin depth of the material.
Spatial control of the phase and amplitude of a laser beam is useful for applications ranging from imaging and holography to interferometry and optical tweezers, reports Neil Savage.
Given that universities and companies have such different needs, is it appropriate for them to have partnerships, and if so, is some form of regulation required?
Blue light-emitting diodes with a light extraction efficiency of 73% are reported. The InGaN–GaN devices use a photonic-crystal structure for superior optical mode control; their performance has been characterized experimentally and modelled theoretically.
