This is the syndication feed for Photonics Spectra. https://www.photonics.com/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:27:16 GMT Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:01:00 GMT 1800
Current water desalination techniques are energy intensive, require re- and post-water treatment, and leave behind a concentrated saltwater byproduct. This byproduct, known as brine, wreaks havoc on sea life when deposited back into the ocean by raising the salt level and lowering oxygen in the water.

Researchers developed a solar-powered desalination device featuring laser-etched superwicking black metal (in hand, right). Unlike existing solar desalination systems (in hand, left), the design prevents salt and mineral buildup from clogging the surface. Courtesy of the University of Rochester/J. Adam Fenster. To combat the issue, researchers in the laboratory of Chunlei Guo at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Self-Cleaning-Solar-Based-Method-Streamlines/p5/a72307 A72307 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:01:00 GMT
The news follows Meta’s $6 billion deal with Corning earlier this year, and Corning’s partnership with NVIDIA formalized last month.

The agreement with Corning is in addition to Amazon’s plans, announced last year, to invest $10 billion in North Carolina to expand cloud computing infrastructure. Through the newly signed agreement, Amazon will...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Corning-and-Amazon-Strike-Multibillion-Dollar/p5/a72309 A72309 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
An advanced 3D microscopy technique from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) could significantly improve imaging speed and reduce samples’ exposure to light, while maintaining a high image quality.

Conventional multiphoton microscopy (MPM) can effectively penetrate deep tissue, but its axial scanning rate is slow, and it is affected by high cumulative light exposure that can damage biological samples. These drawbacks make it difficult to monitor fast biological dynamics or conduct long-term observations using MPM.

To overcome these limitations, the researchers developed AIMED, short for Arbitrary Illumination Microscopy with Encoded Depth. AIMED provides a flexible, efficient, plug-in solution for 3D imaging of neuronal...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Microscopy-Method-Speeds-Delivery-of-3D-Images/p5/a72304 A72304 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Optical storage solutions, which offer high density at low cost, could help meet the burgeoning demand for additional data storage and multilevel encryption. Phase-change photonic materials and hydrogels are emerging as affordable, high-speed materials suitable for building optical storage.

A hybrid device from the University of California San Diego, made with phase-change materials and gels, could provide an optical platform for secure data storage, anti-counterfeiting labels, interactive displays, and environmental sensing.
Illustration of the optical device with the bottom layer of antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) and top layer of azido-grafted carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-N3). The UCSD Tritons logo appears at low humidity levels,...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Optical-Device-Reveals-and-Conceals-Information/p5/a72305 A72305 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
A new method for manufacturing perovskite photovoltaics at industrial scale could signify an important advance for renewable energy sources. The method uses a fast, solvent-free vacuum process to enable high-throughput fabrication of single-junction perovskite solar cells (SJ PSCs) and two-terminal (2T) perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs). It is the result of a joint development effort by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Valencia.

Perovskite-silicon TSCs combine two semiconductors that leverage different regions of the solar spectrum. The upper, perovskite layer absorbs mostly high-energy (short-wavelength) light, while the bottom, silicon layer absorbs primarily low-energy...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/High-Throughput-Process-Enables-Scalable/p5/a72303 A72303 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Oriole Networks is continuing to make progress in its collaboration with AMD, in support of the U.K.’s Advanced Research & Innovation Agency (ARIA) Scaling Inference Lab. In current work that brings together Oriole’s photonic networking system and AMD Instinct GPUs and AMD EPYC CPUs, the partners have unveiled plans to demonstrate how next-generation network fabrics address the growing performance, latency, and energy constraints of AI infrastructure. As part of the collaboration, which has been underway for over a year, Oriole is set to deploy the world’s first pure photonic AI network at scale, built to supercharge AI performance at the system level by providing the lowest possible latency.
Oriole Network’s...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Oriole-Networks-To-Deploy-AI-System-Powered-by/p5/a72302 A72302 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Hamamatsu Photonics and its subsidiary, NKT Photonics, entered into a memorandum of understanding with Yaqumo, a developer of neutral-atom quantum computers. The companies will collaborate on the R&D and industrialization of advanced photonic systems for cold-atom-based quantum computing. In addition, the three companies aim to establish a global supply chain to support these efforts.

Representatives from Hamamatsu, NKT Photonics, Yaqumo, and the governments of Denmark and Japan gathered to formalize the cooperation. (From left) Jingo Kikukawa, director-general of the Innovation and Environment Bureau at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Tadashi Maruno; president of Hamamatsu Photonics; Kazuhiro Nakashoji, CEO of...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Hamamatsu-Photonics-NKT-Photonics-Yaqumo/p5/a72300 A72300 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Quantx Labs' technology platform represents a major advance in how precisely time can be measured, the company said. Its optical atomic clocks are up to 10 to 100× more stable than existing systems, while also being smaller, portable, and more robust. This step change enables critical systems such as GPS and navigation, advanced...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Atomic-Clock-Developer-Quantx-Labs-Secures/p5/a72301 A72301 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Quantinuum granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 4.2 million shares of its Class A common stock to cover over-allotments at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

The offering is expected to close today, subject to customary closing conditions.

Last year, Quantinuum secured approximately $600 million in funding, led by Honeywell, while attracting NVIDIA’s NVentures venture capital and...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Quantinuum-Makes-Nasdaq-Debut/p5/a72299 A72299 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Researchers have developed an optical microscopy technique that uses a single ultracold atom trapped in optical tweezers as a camera. Called the "Atom Camera," the technique visualizes not only light intensity distributions but also polarization distributions. It has a high spatial resolution below 100 nm.

Its developers, led by assistant professor Takafumi Tomita at the Institute for Molecular Science at the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (Japan), expect the method to be useful in quantum computing and other emerging quantum technologies. In the work, a single atom trapped by an optical tweezer was successfully utilized as a scanning probe to image the fine structures of intensity and polarization distributions of light...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Single-Atom-Used-to-Image-Below-Diffraction-Limit/p5/a72297 A72297 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Laser systems operating in the 2-μm wavelength range open diverse opportunities in medical technology, agriculture, and plastics processing. In the Eurostars project DECOMP, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) has developed novel fiber optic components that overcome previous technical barriers.

Thulium-doped fiber lasers operate at a wavelength of ~2 μm, making them particularly well-suited for applications where conventional lasers reach their limits. However, commercially available laser sources that simultaneously offer high beam quality, sufficient laser power, and the necessary reliability in quasi-continuous-wave operation at power levels around 1 kW have been lacking.
Fiber optic components based on specialty fibers,...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Fiber-Optic-Components-Enable-2-m-Thulium-Fiber/p5/a72298 A72298 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
According to SEALSQ, the acquisition is a defining step in the evolution of SEALSQ’s quantum sovereign vertical stack, the company’s "root-to qubit" architecture encompassing the full spectrum of quantum technology from quantum-resistant semiconductors to orbital space infrastructure. The acquisition further represents an acceleration of the Quantum Orbital Space Cloud (QOSC) program, which is SEALSQ’s flagship initiative to deploy quantum-secure infrastructure across low Earth orbit and beyond. The...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/SEALSQ-Acquires-Miraex-SA/p5/a72296 A72296 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Oxxius, a designer, developer, and manufacturer of high-performance lasers and combiners, appointed Scott Gibbs general manager. Gibbs has expertise in operations, manufacturing, engineering, and management. He previously served as director of operations at IBM’s photomask facility. Additionally, Gibbs worked as director of engineering at GLOBALFOUNDRIES and spent seven years at Chroma Technology Corp. as manufacturing and quality engineering manager.
Scott Gibbs. Courtesy of Oxxius.
MASSY, France — Quandela, a photonic quantum computing company, appointed Cyril Dujardin COO, Michel Zecri vice president of industrialization and Michel Paulin chairman of the board. Dujardin has more than 25 years of experience in deeptech,...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Oxxius-Appoints-General-Manager-People-in-the/p5/a72293 A72293 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Quantum Optics Jena, the Germany-based quantum optics and photonics research hub, is leading an initiative to combine integrated photonics and quantum communications to enhance the cybersecurity of German ICT fiber networks, particularly for data centers and campus networks. The three-year collaborative project "Photonically Integrated Polarisation Analysis Module with Single-Photon Processing," or "PIC-PAM," will specifically work to make quantum-secure communications smaller, cheaper, and easier to deploy by integrating core quantum key distribution (QKD) functions into compact modules.

The project is supported and co-financed by the German State of Thüringen and the European Union, and include contributions from AIM Micro...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/European-Consortium-Aims-to-Miniaturize-QKD-Tech/p5/a72294 A72294 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
AI is no longer a niche computational domain; it has become a defining force reshaping global digital infrastructure. From large language models to real-time inference at the edge, AI workloads are pushing data centers beyond traditional design limits.

As a result, the underlying architecture of compute, memory, and networking is undergoing rapid transformation. While much of the public focus has been on GPUs and accelerators, a slightly less-visible but equally critical enabler sits at the core of this shift: advanced laser and photonics technologies.

The bandwidth challenge

AI foundation model training and inference are entering the giga-scale era. These workloads are fundamentally different from conventional cloud...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Photonics-is-Pacing-AIs-Prolific-Growth/p5/a72170 A72170 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:51:00 GMT
Modern AI technology has found its way into the Byzantine Empire, unlocking the ability to decipher medieval Greek. This language bridged the transition between ancient Greek and modern Greek, spanning the era from 600 to 1500 A.D. This new ability to understand these ancient texts can help us to better understand historical facts and culture, offering new insights into that age. Since medieval Greek is difficult to read, an AI optical character recognition (OCR) engine was used to decipher the language. Finally, we can read a firsthand account of the Siege of Thessalonica (good for Ottoman Empire enthusiasts).

Just like deciphering your doctor’s handwriting can feel like it requires some sort of cryptex, trying to read medieval...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/AI-goes-medieval-on-translating/p5/a72275 A72275 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:29:00 GMT
Photonics is expanding by all the most obvious measures. The number and diversity of technologies driving growth in this field have reached an all-time high, and emerging markets are booming, leading to increased interest in photonics globally as well as sustained momentum in key geographic and technology hotbeds.

But in contrast to the broader-than-ever swath of technologies and markets that are now influencing photonics’ growth, the road that corporations must travel to ascend to the top of the industry remains rather narrow. Consequently, many leading photonics firms have shared histories.

Lumentum and Coherent are this industry’s most obvious examples. Independent of NVIDIA’s $2 billion investment in each...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/The-road-less-traveled/p5/a72268 A72268 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:17:00 GMT
Glass remains the preferred material for most optical mirrors today. But for specialized applications, beryllium, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, silicon, and other materials and alloys are finding expanded use. Optical designers and engineers select the preferred mirror substrate based on the target application, as well as the design complexities of the component to be fabricated. These complexities, combined with considerations for the size and environment (such as temperature extremes) of the optic, make determining the optimal substrate as consequential in the design stage as in the ultimate application.

It is also imperative to select a mirror and housing, or mount, with a similar coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). This...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Beryllium-Offers-a-Far-Reaching-Alternative-to/p5/a72176 A72176 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
A technology created by a team Heriot-Watt University is set to upend one of the most stubborn chokepoints in modern engineering. The scientists have developed a laser-based process that builds alignment directly into optical glass components, removing the painstaking manual calibration that currently accounts for more than half of all photonics production costs.

FreeForm Photonics, A Heriot-Watt spinout is working to commercialize the technology. The researchers and affiliated company believe the solution delivers a manufacturing pathway that is faster, cheaper, and precise to sub-micron tolerances, a scale far smaller than the width of a human hair. It also removes the complexity that has long made photonics systems prohibitively...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Scottish-Firm-Seeks-to-Commercialize-Laser/p5/a72291 A72291 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT
Founded by ASML alumni and Ph.D. physicists CEO Christina Porter and CTO Sietse van der Post, Invisix has developed a high-throughput metrology alternative using a soft x-ray light source. The technology overcomes a critical bottleneck: As semiconductor devices become increasingly complex, optical measurement tools can no longer see inside.

Invisix’s system uses high harmonic generation (HHG) to excite noble-gas atoms into a high-energy state. The...]]> https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Invisix-ASML-Spinout-Raises-23M-to-Advance/p5/a72290 A72290 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT