Aberrated LEDs

Highly aberrated imaging of LEDs: A typical DSLR lens is replaced with a misaligned singlet lens. [OPN 2014 Photo Contest]  

—Page E. King, College of Optical Sciences, Tucson, Ariz., USA

31 Oct 2016

Aurora Lights

Brilliant aurora lights south of Australia, photographed from the International Space Station.  

—Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams, NASA

29 Sep 2016

Illuminated by sunlight

Caustics from a glass of water illuminated by sunlight. [OPN 2015 After Image photo contest.]  

—Page E. King, College of Optical Sciences, Tucson, Ariz., USA

31 Aug 2016

​Blood-brain barrier

Blood-brain barrier in a live zebrafish embryo (20x). First Place 2012 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.

—Jennifer L. Peters and Michael R. Taylor, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., USA

29 Jun 2016

Dust Particle

A single dust particle on a tapered nanofiber. 

—Di Chang, University of Calgary, Canada

30 May 2016

Striking patterns

A periodic array of micromirrors, acting as diffraction gratings, forms a striking pattern when illuminated with a laser, showing several orders with varying intensities. 

—Gerald John H. Doblado, National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman

29 Apr 2016

UV light from a dye laser

UV light from a dye laser forms emission patterns in green dye, through a thin metal film on cracked polymethyl methacrylate (imaged with 20× microscope objective in reflection geometry). — Tal Galfsky, City University of New York, USA

28 Mar 2016

Silicon photonics

Silicon photonics wafer containing various WDM optical circuits, with coloration from diffraction of illuminating light. 

—G. de Valicourt and P. Jennevé, Bell Laboratories, Nokia

29 Feb 2016

Spherical Aberrations

A hemispherical lens highlights spherical aberrations. A red laser and a green laser, together with a pair of diffraction gratings, form an array of horizontal and vertical rays. The ray caustic can clearly be seen to the right of the lens. 

—Chris Summitt, College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, USA

28 Jan 2016