Light & Laser Blog

It seems silly to think about regulating laser pointers but as the idiots who aim them at aircraft proliferate, it begins to seem like a legitimate question. Laser pointers can't blind pilots, but they can distract them or affect their visibility at a critical time, putting hundreds of people's lives at stake. Do you think we need to take steps? How strict should the laws be?

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Invisibility cloaks aren't just the stuff of fiction. Computer simulations by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign engineers show that concentric rings of silicon photonic crystals can provide optical cloaking, tuned by adjusting ring width and spacing. The effect is currently 2D; extending it to 3D requires concentric silicon shells.

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Light & Laser, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Light & Laser today.

Quantum dots allow scientists to disable sections of DNA, monitoring the process through fluorescence. In theory, short interference RNA (siRNA) can silence sections of DNA but the negative charges of RNA typically prevent it from penetrating cell walls. The scientists first surround the quantum dots with a proton-absorbing polymeric coating, then bind it to the siRNA. When attached to the dots, the siRNA is able to cross the barrier and disable the DNA string without toxic effects.

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After the Cold War ended, applications like medical and semiconductor fabrication supplanted defense as the top markets for photonics. With security being a major concern and the high-tech military forming the force of the future, do you think that security and defense will remain top markets for photonics for the forseeable future?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Light & Laser, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Light & Laser today.

We hear lots about how solid state lighting is the wave of the future, but the technology presents issues of cost, cooling, efficiency and form factors. Experts estimate that the technology will need to drop 10% from its 2005 cost to get a serious foothold in the market. Will it happen?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Light & Laser, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Light & Laser today.