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Applications of Slow Light in Telecommunications

Robert W. Boyd, Daniel J. Gauthier and Alexander L. Gaeta

Exotic effects such as slow light, fast light and even stored light have been observed in the laboratory. Now, optical scientists are turning their attention toward developing applications of slow light, including controllable optical delay lines, optical buffers and true time delay methods for synthetic aperture radar. more>>

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Ultrabroadband Arbitrary Electromagnetic Waveform Synthesis

Jason D. McKinney, Ingrid S. Lin and Andrew M. Weiner

Recent research leverages femtosecond arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) technology to achieve synthesis of arbitrary voltage waveforms in the range of 1 to 50 GHz. This capability far exceeds the 2 GHz frequency limitation of commercial AWG technologies. more>>

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Using Destructive Optical Interference in Semiconductor Lithography

Marc D. Levenson

Integrated circuits—one of the greatest inventions of the last half of the 20th century—are still made using photolithography, even though their dimensions are now well below the exposure wavelength. Carefully tailored destructive interference is what makes it possible. more>>

Fiber optics link big telescopes, YAG-laser blasts bladder stones, optical design of the human eye

Patricia Daukantas

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Light Touch

Producing Magnification without Lenses

Stephen R. Wilk

Lenses do not appear to have been widely used in antiquity. Yet ancient artisans left behind a plethora of tiny works of art and engravings that could only have been made using magnification. Could “pinhole” technology be responsible? more>>

Optical Entrepreneur

Whose IP is it Anyway?

Joseph E. Gortych

How to negotiate intellectual property rights ownership between businesses and their contractors. more>>

Optics Innovations

Small Business Innovative Research Programs: Thinking Beyond Phase I

Jay Vizgaitis

The U.S. government’s SBIR grant program is a great way for small technology companies in the United States to fund research and development of their innovative ideas. A good SBIR proposal is written not only with the intent of winning a Phase I award, but of going on to the subsequent phases of the program. more>>

The History of OSA

Early OSA Efforts in Optics Education

John N. Howard

How did OSA evolve from a trade association of optical practitioners into a diverse group of scientists with a strong focus on education? more>>