Laser Technology

In an advance for frequency combs, Alireza Marandi, a professor of electrical engineering and applied physics at Caltech, and his team recently created a nanophotonic device to produce a broad range of laser light frequencies with ultrahigh efficiency on a microchip. How did they pull it off? By combining dispersion engineering—shaping the way different wavelengths […]

In mid 2025, Amazon crossed a milestone that would have seemed like science fiction a decade ago: One million autonomous robots are deployed across its logistics operations. It’s a staggering figure—one that illustrates how far automation has come and how quickly it’s spreading. Meanwhile, lawmakers are considering the first federal frameworks for robotics and autonomous

In this episode of Photonics Hot List: Pinhole imaging, one of the world’s oldest image-creating approaches, could someday revolutionize next-generation imaging, thanks to developments by researchers at East China Normal University. Space-based laser communications developer Cailabs is now set to expand, metasurface innovator Metalenz will soon expand its product and patent portfolio, and Lattice Materials

Frequency combs generate spectra with discreet and equally spaced lines—akin to a comb’s teeth. “In short, frequency combs can be viewed as rulers of frequency,” says Qing Hu, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, who led the group’s work. Until now, designing frequency combs with the bandwidth required for mass-producible remote

In this episode of Photonics Hot List: Understanding the human gut nervous system and ultimately treating conditions within it could someday be as simple as swallowing a pill. Researchers at NYU have developed a miniaturized ingestible device that delivers targeted light stimulation to the gastrointestinal tract. A new optoelectronic device that combines OLEDs and holographic metasurfaces

A paradigm shift for active nanophotonics What does this work mean for the field of nanophotonics and photonic integrated circuits (PICs), optical computers, and quantum comms? “We believe our ‘temporal symmetry breaking’ concept is a paradigm shift for active nanophotonics,” says Tittl. “Traditionally, researchers tuned resonators by altering the material, which often introduces unwanted energy loss.

In this episode of Photonics Hot List: A combination of optical coherence tomorgraphy (OCT) imaging technology and new AI algorithms could soon make it possible for doctors to predict recurrent heart attacks. Mojo Vision is taking another step closer to commercializing its groundbreaking technology, while LightSolver makes its own breakthrough involving partial differential equations and

In this episode, Justine Murphy talks with Jeroen Hoet, cofounder and CEO of eyeo, a new Netherlands-based startup that’s working to revolutionize imaging. Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics and optics. Join us as we bring you the latest news and insights from the forefront of the

Photonics is experiencing a boom many of us have hoped for. From self-driving car light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to fiber-optic networks and medical imaging, optical technologies are taking on bigger roles than ever. But as photonics goes mainstream, it’s hitting a wall. It must deliver ultrahigh-performance at unprecedented low cost—all under intense time pressure.

In this edition of Following the Photons, host Justine Murphy delves into the market sectors of the photonics industry, with statistics, projections, and expert insight. Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics and optics. Join us as we bring you the latest news and insights from the forefront