You imagine a clock to be different - yet the optical table with its many complicated set-ups really is one. Optical clocks like the strontium clock in the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig could be the atomic clocks of the future; some of them though are already ten times more precise and stable than the best primary caesium atomic clocks.

Because the new device, called a "spaser," is the first of its kind to emit visible light, it represents a critical component for possible future technologies based on "nanophotonic" circuitry, said Vladimir Shalaev, the Robert and Anne Burnett Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University.

A new type of optical particle trap can be used to manipulate bacteria, viruses and other particles on a chip as part of an integrated optofluidic platform. The optical trap is the latest innovation from researchers at the Jack Baskin School of Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who are developing new sensor technology for biomedical analysis and other applications.

A novel technique* under development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) uses a relatively inexpensive optical microscope to quickly and cheaply analyze nanoscale dimensions with nanoscale measurement sensitivity.

Lenses in optical devices are kept in place by adhesives. This can cause problems when the microscopes and cameras are employed inside a vacuum, as the adhesives may release gases that contaminate the lenses. One alternative is to solder them instead.

SURFnet, a global leader in advanced network research, is enhancing the collaborative powers of academics at universities and higher education institutions in The Netherlands using a Nortel intelligent optical solution. The network powers the showcase StarPlane project which utilises pure optical technology to deliver on-demand computing power.

Nanoscale devices present a unique challenge to any optical technology — there’s just not enough room for light to travel in a straight line.

JDSU has taken a color-generating cue from nature. The company, a leading enabler of broadband and optical innovation, introduced ChromaFlair® ColorShift Glitter, a new color-shifting flake that gives paints, coatings, plastics, textiles and packaging the ability to exhibit a wide range of hues when viewed from different angles.