Feature Articles

Optics in Forensics: Separating Science from Fiction

In recent years, forensic science has been glamorized in prime-time television and movies. Beyond the special-effects magic, new optical technologies are making their way into the crime lab—as quickly as budgets and trial judges will allow.

by Patricia Daukantas
Welcome to the Wonderful World of 3D: Parallax Barrier Experiments Part IV

The first two installments in this four-part series explored the history and principles of 3D imaging, and the third included anaglyph experiments. This fourth and final article provides instructions for parallax barrier experiments.

by Keigo Iizuka
Non-Uniform Color Scales: The Artwork of Kristin Quinn

What is the color of amber? Iron ore? Pollen? How can wind and water be suggested? Kristin Quinn, daughter of former OSA Executive Director Jarus Quinn, explores such questions every day through her dynamic artwork.

by Kristin Quinn
Surface Plasmon Polaritons on Metallic Surfaces

Recent advances in nano-fabrication have enabled a host of nano-photonic experiments involving subwavelength metallic structures. This activity has, in turn, reawakened interest in surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Here, numerical simulations are used to verify the detailed structure of long-range SPPs.

by Masud Mansuripur, Armis R. Zakharian and Jerome V. Moloney

Departments and Columns

Optics Innovations
Concentrating on Low-Cost Solar Technology

Soliant Energy probes an unlikely source for inspiration: its customers.

Policy Matters
Science and Competitiveness: The Whole World is Worrying

American scientists who are concerned about their nation’s long-term prospects in science and economic competitiveness can take comfort from this fact: There is equal concern from the world science community.

The History of OSA
OSA Meetings in the 1970s and 1980s

Too big? Too small? Too many? Too few? Throughout the 1970s and ’80s, OSA worked to get its meeting mix just right.

Conversations in Optics
OPN Talks with Alan J. Heeger

Our conversation with Alan J. Heeger, Nobel Prize Winner and CLEO/QELS Plenary Speaker.

Scatterings
Slow Light Pulses Carry Information

Two-dimensional images can be delayed without destroying the information they carry—even at such low light levels that each pulse averages less than one photon.

Scatterings
Unusual Beetles Display Brilliant Whiteness

A type of beetle from southeastern Asia could teach scientists how to make delicate yet bright display screens.

Scatterings
Did You Know?

UCSB researchers created the first such laser diodes by growing the diodes on a different side of a gallium nitride crystal


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Also in this Issue

Book Reviews
Book Reviews

Letters
Letters

After Image
After Image

OSA Today
OSA Today

OSA Foundation
The OSA Foundation

With your support, the OSA Foundation exceeded its 2006 fundraising goal and supplied resources to a variety of outreach programs.

President's Message
President’s Message