This issue - pv

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.281

Full Text - This issue | PDF (193 KB) - This issue

Birthday celebrations - p61

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.282

As Nature Photonics enters its second year, we take a look back at some of the highlights of 2007.

Full Text - Birthday celebrations | PDF (253 KB) - Birthday celebrations

Photons protect privacy - pp62 - 63

Duncan Graham-Rowe

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.283

The idea of using quantum optics to protect the transmission of sensitive data is becoming a commercial reality and starting to be deployed. Duncan Graham-Rowe takes a look at recent progress in quantum cryptography.

Full Text - Photons protect privacy | PDF (229 KB) - Photons protect privacy

Faster all-optical switching, dynamic droplets, a refractometer on a chip, and more - pp64 - 65

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.284

Full Text - Faster all-optical switching, dynamic droplets, a refractometer on a chip, and more | PDF (243 KB) - Faster all-optical switching, dynamic droplets, a refractometer on a chip, and more

Extreme-ultraviolet lasers: From tiny seeds to coherent beams - pp67 - 68

John Costello

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.285

The demonstration of a laboratory-scale, fully coherent extreme-UV laser opens up a whole plethora of applications in ultrashort-wavelength imaging, microscopy and the probing of matter.

Full Text - Extreme-ultraviolet lasersFrom tiny seeds to coherent beams | PDF (285 KB) - Extreme-ultraviolet lasersFrom tiny seeds to coherent beams

Terahertz spectroscopy: RIKEN database goes live - p68

Oliver Graydon

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.292

Full Text - Terahertz spectroscopyRIKEN database goes live | PDF (192 KB) - Terahertz spectroscopyRIKEN database goes live

Optoelectronic tweezers: Organizing nanowires - pp69 - 70

John A. Rogers

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.286

An optoelectronic method for sorting nanowires of different compositions and assembling them into reconfigurable arrays could be important for creating future nanodevices.

Full Text - Optoelectronic tweezersOrganizing nanowires | PDF (1,079 KB) - Optoelectronic tweezersOrganizing nanowires

Optical frequency generation: A route to new combs - p70

Amber Jenkins

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.291

Full Text - Optical frequency generationA route to new combs | PDF (187 KB) - Optical frequency generationA route to new combs

Medical imaging: Retracing random paths - pp71 - 72

Eric Lantz

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.289

Diffuse scattering can prevent high-resolution imaging in thick biological media. Researchers have now shown that such scattering can be completely cancelled by optical phase conjugation, opening the path to a new generation of medical imaging techniques.

Full Text - Medical imagingRetracing random paths | PDF (285 KB) - Medical imagingRetracing random paths

Solar cells: Slicing and dicing photons - pp72 - 73

Randy Ellingson

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.288

Solar cells take advantage of our most abundant source of energy, the Sun. A technique that improves the conversion of photons to electrons could potentially lead to a dramatic improvement in device efficiency.

Full Text - Solar cellsSlicing and dicing photons | PDF (207 KB) - Solar cellsSlicing and dicing photons

Light and matter interactions: Going with the grain - pp73 - 74

Chris B. Schaffer

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.287

Non-reciprocal optical phenomena — effects that depend on the direction of light propagation — are rare. Researchers have now observed non-reciprocal material modification when moving a beam of ultrashort light pulses through a lithium niobate crystal.

Full Text - Light and matter interactionsGoing with the grain | PDF (401 KB) - Light and matter interactionsGoing with the grain

Slow light: Anderson localization of slow light - pp75 - 76

Z. Valy Vardeny & Ajay Nahata

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.290

Chains of coupled resonators are capable of dramatically slowing the speed of light. When all the resonators are identical light can, in principle, be stopped altogether. However, disorder causes light to move at a finite speed and to be localized over a few resonators.

Full Text - Slow lightAnderson localization of slow light | PDF (212 KB) - Slow lightAnderson localization of slow light

Cavities lead the way - p76

Marko Loncar

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.26

Full Text - Cavities lead the way | PDF (118 KB) - Cavities lead the way

Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes based on group three nitrides - pp77 - 84

Asif Khan, Krishnan Balakrishnan & Tom Katona

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.293

Abstract - Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes based on group three nitrides | Full Text - Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes based on group three nitrides | PDF (1,132 KB) - Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes based on group three nitrides

Dynamic manipulation and separation of individual semiconducting and metallic nanowires - pp86 - 89

Arash Jamshidi, Peter J. Pauzauskie, P. James Schuck, Aaron T. Ohta, Pei-Yu Chiou, Jeffrey Chou, Peidong Yang & Ming C. Wu

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.277

Abstract - Dynamic manipulation and separation of individual semiconducting and metallic nanowires | Full Text - Dynamic manipulation and separation of individual semiconducting and metallic nanowires | PDF (542 KB) - Dynamic manipulation and separation of individual semiconducting and metallic nanowires | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Optoelectronic devices and components | Nanophotonics

See also: News and Views by Rogers

Localization in silicon nanophotonic slow-light waveguides - pp90 - 93

Shayan Mookherjea, Jung S. Park, Shun-Hui Yang & Prabhakar R. Bandaru

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.278

Abstract - Localization in silicon nanophotonic slow-light waveguides | Full Text - Localization in silicon nanophotonic slow-light waveguides | PDF (987 KB) - Localization in silicon nanophotonic slow-light waveguides | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Fundamental optical physics | Novel materials and engineered structures

See also: News and Views by Vardeny & Nahata

Phase-coherent, injection-seeded, table-top soft-X-ray lasers at 18.9 nm and 13.9 nm - pp94 - 98

Y. Wang, E. Granados, F. Pedaci, D. Alessi, B. Luther, M. Berrill & J. J. Rocca

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.280

Abstract - Phase-coherent, injection-seeded, table-top soft-X-ray lasers at 18.9 nm and 13.9 nm | Full Text - Phase-coherent, injection-seeded, table-top soft-X-ray lasers at 18.9 nm and 13.9 nm | PDF (367 KB) - Phase-coherent, injection-seeded, table-top soft-X-ray lasers at 18.9 nm and 13.9 nm | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Lasers, LEDs and light sources

See also: News and Views by Costello

Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing - pp99 - 104

Weijia Yang, Peter G. Kazansky & Yuri P. Svirko

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.276

Abstract - Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing | Full Text - Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing | PDF (551 KB) - Non-reciprocal ultrafast laser writing

Subject Categories: Fundamental optical physics | Ultrafast photonics

See also: News and Views by Schaffer

Space-separated quantum cutting with silicon nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications - pp105 - 109

D. Timmerman, I. Izeddin, P. Stallinga, I. N. Yassievich & T. Gregorkiewicz

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.279

Abstract - Space-separated quantum cutting with silicon nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications | Full Text - Space-separated quantum cutting with silicon nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications | PDF (210 KB) - Space-separated quantum cutting with silicon nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Fundamental optical physics

See also: News and Views by Ellingson

Optical phase conjugation for turbidity suppression in biological samples - pp110 - 115

Zahid Yaqoob, Demetri Psaltis, Michael S. Feld & Changhuei Yang

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.297

Abstract - Optical phase conjugation for turbidity suppression in biological samples | Full Text - Optical phase conjugation for turbidity suppression in biological samples | PDF (382 KB) - Optical phase conjugation for turbidity suppression in biological samples | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Imaging and sensing | Fundamental optical physics | Biophotonics

See also: News and Views by Lantz

A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group. - pp116 - 117

Full Text - A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group. | PDF (254 KB) - A round-up of recent papers in the field of photonics published by the physical sciences division of the Nature Publishing Group.

Vibration isolation - pp118 - 119

Neil Savage

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.295

Sensitive optical experiments and high-resolution microscopes often need to be mounted on vibration-control platforms to avoid unwanted disturbances to measurements. Neil Savage describes a selection of products designed for the task.

Full Text - Vibration isolation | PDF (201 KB) - Vibration isolation

Chopping up photons - p122

Interview with Tom Gregorkiewicz

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2007.296

Conventional solar cells lose most of the Sun's energy as heat. Nature Photonics spoke to Tom Gregorkiewicz at the University of Amsterdam about his group's latest work, which may lead to cheap and efficient silicon solar cells by harnessing some of the lost energy.

Full Text - Chopping up photons | PDF (188 KB) - Chopping up photons