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Fluctuations in light transmitted through a plasmonic nanohole-structure provide a way of mapping Raman transitions in nanoscale objects, including single proteins.
Non-invasive, multispectral characterization of integrated photonic circuits paves the way towards optical methodologies ready for industrial applications.
Long-distance secure quantum communication has long been one of the goals of quantum optics research. Ambitions are now growing following the realization of fibre-based links to free-space satellite–ground communication networks.
The demonstration of real-time and non-destructive Doppler-assisted tomography of the internal structure of photonic-crystal fibres could aid the fabrication of high-quality fibres with enhanced performance.
Transformation optics is a modern application of Maxwell's equations offering unprecedented control over the flow of light that exploits spatially customized optical properties and mathematical techniques applied to space-time curvature.
A network of optical parametric oscillators has been harnessed to find solutions to a complex problem in statistical physics that is difficult to solve using numerical computing algorithms.
The optical properties of graphene and emerging two-dimensional materials including transition metal dichalcogenides are reviewed with an emphasis on nanophotonic applications.
Recent developments in probe-based near-field microscopy are reviewed, including techniques for determining the phase, amplitude and separate components of the electric and magnetic field.
Metamaterials enable the tailoring of properties like dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability. Electromagnetic excitations of metamaterial constituents and their interactions are reviewed, as well as promising future directions.
The development of practical blue LEDs required great perseverance by several Japanese scientists who had to learn how to fabricate high-quality films of GaN and effectively dope them to create light-emitting p–n junctions.
The award of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry to the pioneers of various optical schemes capable of achieving super-resolution and single-molecule detection is recognition of a revolution in optical imaging.
Silicon is the material of choice for modern microelectronics, whereas diamond is a luxurious gem. Now, researchers have demonstrated that silicon impurities in diamond can generate indistinguishable single photons — a requirement for quantum photonics and computing.
The demonstration of chalcogenide fibre-based supercontinuum sources that reach beyond a wavelength of ten micrometres is set to have a major impact on spectroscopy and molecular sensing.
Frequency combs based on quantum cascade lasers are a thriving topic of research and offer the attractive vision of more compact and higher performance comb systems for spectroscopy or metrology.
The advent of terahertz spectroscopy schemes that offer single-photon sensitivity, femtosecond time resolution and nanometre spatial resolution is creating new opportunities for investigating ultrafast charge dynamics in semiconductor structures.
Applying the mathematical concept of topology to the wave-vector space of photonics yields exciting opportunities for creating new states of light with useful properties such as unidirectional propagation and the ability to flow around imperfections.
