Latest Industry Analysis
Industry Analysis RSS feedThin-disk lasers on the march
Jan 25, 2010
Trumpf engineers showcase advances in both infrared and visible disk lasers at the Photonics West meeting in San Francisco
Laser vendors seeking the 'next big thing'
Nov 5, 2009
Although the laser micromaterials processing market has taken a clobbering this year, growth is set to return in the medium term, opening up opportunities for laser vendors who are prepared to invest in R&D and new products. Tom Hausken of Strategies Unlimited predicts far-reaching changes across the laser supply chain.
Intel turns to photonics to extend Moore's law
Oct 22, 2009
Intel's Photonics Technology Laboratory in California is showing how optics may one day enable computer-chip designers to overcome the fundamental limitations of electronics. Breck Hitz talks to the lab's director, Mario Paniccia.
Start-ups: is it time for something new?
Oct 8, 2009
With the global economy in the dumps, this looks like no time to be starting a new photonics business. But even now, argues David Nugent of Elucidare, determined innovators can still connect with capital.
China's LED production on a growth trajectory
Aug 24, 2009
As recently as 2002, China imported all of its LED chips. The country now meets half of this demand with domestic production and is making the transition from incandescent bulbs to solid-state lighting. Richard Stevenson catches up with the progress.
Picosecond lasers: the power of cold ablation
Aug 7, 2009
Picosecond lasers are a universal tool for ablating almost any material without the downsides of unwanted thermal side-effects. Bernhard Klimt and colleagues at LUMERA LASER explain how cold ablation has changed the face of micromachining.
LaserFest 2010: it's time to take the laser to the people
Jul 30, 2009
Marking the laser's 50-year journey from the first flash of coherent light, Thomas Baer tells OLE why it's time to celebrate one of the great inventions of the modern age.
In optics, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
Jul 17, 2009
Networking between universities, start-ups and established industry vendors is a key driver of growth within the optics industry.
Direct-diode lasers: they've got the power
Jul 10, 2009
High-power direct-diode lasers have emerged as a competitive option for applications like cladding, welding and heat treating. Stuart Woods of Coherent explains why the basic construction and operation of direct-diode systems translate into low cost-of-ownership.
Twisted optical fibres: it's time to think chiral
Jul 3, 2009
Taking inspiration from the helical-shaped designs found in nature, Chiral Photonics is adding a new twist to optical technologies. Dan Neugroschl, the company's president, tells Marie Freebody about the unique ways in which light interacts with chiral structures.