News & Comment

Photonics does not just mean optics performed at the chip-scale or below, at least not by the definition we use at Nature Photonics. Our September issue showcases research from some large-scale facilities, demonstrating the broad range of topics that the journal considers.

Previously regarded as a laboratory method for the characterization of metal alloys, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is now showing great potential for field-based environmental monitoring and biohazard analysis.

Protecting your eyes is of course important when using lasers. The good news is that safety eyewear is becoming increasingly comfortable and stylish. Neil Savage reports.

What are the origins of slow-light research and where is the field heading? Nature Photonics spoke to Robert Boyd to find out.

In optical networks of the future, the ability to slow and store light pulses to optimize the flow of data is likely to become indispensable. To celebrate the importance of the topic, this issue has a special focus dedicated to slow light.

The extreme speed at which light moves, and the fact that photons do not tend to interact with transparent matter, is of enormous benefit to mankind. It allows us to see deep into the Universe and to transmit data over long distances in optical fibres. So, why slow light down?

Liquid-crystal displays are hugely successful in today's world, but their back-light transmission efficiency is relatively small. Nature Photonics spoke to Anna Pyayt, who, with colleagues at Microsoft, has devised a display approach that could offer improved light efficiency at lower cost.

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

Slow-light effects in ultracold atom clouds known as Bose–Einstein condensates offer rich opportunities for storing and processing optical signals.

Photonics research features heavily in the 2008 Prince of Asturias Awards, where its role in benefiting the environment and combating poverty is celebrated.

Conventional optical technologies store data on the surface of a recording medium. Two-photon technology, which relies on overlapping light beams, can be used for three-dimensional multilayer storage and promises capacities of up to 10 Tbyte on a DVD-size disk.

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

Holographic data storage is poised to change the way we write and retrieve data forever. After many years of developing appropriate recording media and optical read–write architectures, this promising technology is now moving to the market.