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Are you at #FiO26 on this #InternationalCoffeeDay? Visit the Riverside Court from 10:00 – 10:30 ET and enjoy a cup of coffee with your colleagues. Caffeine and conversations await you. ☕ 😌

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Optica @optica.org · 2h

TODAY is the final day of #FiO26! There is still plenty to see at the technical conference. You can find sessions covering #optics in #medicine, biology, vision, #quantum and color, optical computing, extreme light and more. Pictured: Speakers, attendees and the Optica Member Lounge at FiO.

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Optica @optica.org · 3h

An Affo(el)gato...? A Catpuccino or a Café Meowcha? Today we celebrate #coffee. The coffee we serve at Optica meetings, coffee in #science, coffee in your coffee, and, we hope, coffee in an Opticat mug. Learn more about coffee's role in #optics and #photonics: bit.ly/4xOCRDA

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Optica @optica.org · 29/09/2026

💡Optica is pleased to announce the results of the 2027 Optica Elections: bit.ly/4xMXSOZ Peter Delfyett (@ucf.bsky.social) will serve as 2027 Optica VP. Sterling Backus (@thorlabs.bsky.social) & Frédérique Vanholsbeeck (@aucklanduni.bsky.social) will serve as 2027-2029 Directors at Large.

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Optica @optica.org · 29/09/2026

Hey #FiO26 attendees! 👋 Stop by the Optica Member Lounge at the Galleria to recharge and connect with our #community. On 29 and 30 September, you can get a complimentary professional headshot, perfect for your LinkedIn profile, professional bio or company page!

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Dr. SkySkull @drskyskull.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I hit quantum information processing! Will do Eberly session this afternoon.

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Optics & Photonics News @optica-opn.org · 24/09/2026

Solar cells struggle to charge underwater deeper than 10 meters because longer wavelengths of light attenuate. Now, researchers have developed perovskite solar cells with wide band gaps customized to the blue-green spectrum seen underwater, overcoming this limitation. bit.ly/3T2cHPB 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

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Optica @optica.org · 28/09/2026

#FiO26 has begun! 🤩 What are you attending today? Today, 28 September, you can find sessions covering #SpaceOptics, #quantum information processing, deep learning and more. Make sure you stop for a coffee break at Riverside Court to chat with your colleagues!

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Optica @optica.org · 23/09/2026

This handheld mid-infrared imaging spectrometer can produce high-res chemical maps of a sample without stains or labels. bit.ly/4hrtymV The #technology provides information comparable to larger laboratory systems and could one day help surgeons assess tumors during #surgery. #Medsky 💡 🧪

Photothermal MIRSI images of cervical cancer (rows A and B) and ovarian cancer (rows C and D) acquired the handheld instrument (Column III) closely match the corresponding data from a benchtop system (Column IV). Column I shows H&E-stained histology images and Column II confocal scanning images of adjacent tissue sections that provide morphological contrast but lack biochemical specificity. Scale bars are 200 𝜇m.

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MarcosLab UR @marcoslabur.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Four Edgar D #Tillyer Awardees at the #OpticaFallVisionMeeting in Rochester, @optica.org. Left➡️right: David Williams, Susana Marcos, Eero Simoncelli & Beau Watson, @cvsuor.bsky.social @urengineering.bsky.social#NYU @flatironinstitute.org #apple @eerosim.bsky.social @marcoslabur.bsky.social #vision🥇

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Optica @optica.org · 25/09/2026

Probe light from a visible (red) diode laser and pump light from a modulated QCL are coupled into optical fibers and delivered to a flexible, handheld imager (blue dashed box). The beams combine at a short-pass dichroic mirror, and an off-axis parabolic mirror focuses them onto the sample. 💡⚛️🧪

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Optica @optica.org · 23/09/2026

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Optica @optica.org · 22/09/2026

Students and early #career professionals shape the future of optics. With programs like the Career Accelerator, Women Scholars and more, the Optica Foundation empowers #students with the means and opportunities to turn their dreams into reality. #Donate here and make an impact: bit.ly/4xi3gcw

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Optica @optica.org · 22/09/2026

Congrats on the publication! 🙌

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Richard Aguiar @aguiarphys.uk · 21/09/2026

Our @optica.org paper on Spatio-spectral beam generation is out! If you would like to learn more about using rubidium vapour cells and structured light to create correlations between frequency, polarisation and spatial degrees of freedom check it out! doi.org/10.1364/OPTI...

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Optica Publishing Group @opg.optica.org · 17/09/2026

An Editors' Pick via #OPG_JOSA_B: Focused-beam optical potentials for cold atoms near an atom chip bit.ly/4yxADJr #ImagingSystems #GaussianBeams💡⚛️

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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 15/09/2026

This starry view of the nearby star-forming region IC 348 sits just 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Perseus. Cold clouds of molecular hydrogen gas collapse to form new stars, creating glowing, sculpted scenes like this one. (1/5) 🧵 🔭

A star-forming region. The left two thirds is blanketed in thick clouds of green and yellow gas and dust that form swirling patterns. Some of the gas is spread into thin, thread-like wisps. The right third shows a black background speckled with stars and multi-colored dots that are distant galaxies. Bright stars are scattered throughout the clouds, with the densest cluster situated in the center. Each is crowned with six long spikes and two shorter spikes created by the optics of the telescope’s mirrors. In the upper right, a couple of hidden stars blast out long, glowing jets of material that glow in blue.

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Optica @optica.org · 16/09/2026

When asked about the Optica Foundation's mission, 2026 Optica President Gisele Bennett put it clearly: “We’re here to support the community as a whole.” Until 30 September, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Support the next generation of #photonics: bit.ly/4xSYzY7

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Optica Publishing Group @opg.optica.org · 14/09/2026

Great research depends on great peer review. During #PeerReviewWeek, we recognize our 2026 Outstanding Reviewers for their expertise, thoughtful feedback, and dedication to advancing the optics and photonics field. Thank you for making a difference. bit.ly/46HfXUf

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Optica @optica.org · 14/09/2026

Happy #PeerReviewWeek! Peer review is the backbone of @opg.optica.org, and ensures that our portfolio maintains a high quality of research. It transforms a paper from draft to publication, with a team of experts reviewing the research each step of the way: bit.ly/46SEMMm #Highered #Academicsky

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Optics & Photonics News @optica-opn.org · 14/09/2026

Image of the Week: Psyche Approaches Mars This composite photo shows the crescent of Mars grow as NASA’s Psyche spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist from 2 to 15 May 2026. Read more here: bit.ly/3Uj2QCf

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Optica @optica.org · 14/09/2026

Public policy needs #scientists and engineers, like you. The Optica/MRS Congressional Fellowship brings your early career in science to the U.S. federal workforce; where you can make an impact on #PublicPolicy. Get started in science #policy and apply by 04 December: bit.ly/3HdaxGk #SciCom

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Optica @optica.org · 04/09/2026

A fabrication platform could enable flexible, transparent next-generation #photonic chips: bit.ly/461EeUb The scalable process opens routes for advanced microchips that could be used in #health monitors or transparent #AR displays that fit the curve of a pilot’s helmet. #OPG_Optica

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Optica @optica.org · 04/09/2026

There's only one week left to vote in the #OpticaElections! Your input is essential in deciding how Optica will better serve the optics community at every stage of your career. Check your Optica email for a message sent on 22 June with instructions on accessing your ballot!

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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 02/09/2026

Meet Saturn’s decagon, seen in recent images from Hubble. The new 10-sided atmospheric wave at the planet’s southern pole resembles the famous hexagon at the Saturn’s northern pole, but is also distinct: news.stsci.edu/4g9Gm1U

Side-by-side comparison of two views of the gas giant Saturn, labeled “August 29, 2025” at the top left corner. At left is a straight-on view of Saturn, a globe with pale yellow horizontal bands at the equator and orange and pink at the mid-latitudes. Some bands towards the north and south pole have a light blue hue. There are prominent horizontal rings circling at the equator. At right, labeled “Saturn’s south pole,” the south-polar view of Saturn shows concentric bands in its atmosphere, mostly tan and orange, surrounding a dark central region that has a 10-sided outline. A small, dashed circle at the very center of the pole with an “X” inside denotes missing data.

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AIP Publishing @aip-publishing.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Congratulations to Andrés Montoya-Castillo, University of Colorado Boulder, winner of the 2025 JCP Best Theoretical Paper by an Emerging Investigator Award. Read his award-winning paper and the 2025 JCP Emerging Investigators Special Collection: aippub.org/4zLa3hk @amcdynamics.bsky.social

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

This tiny optical imaging probe, designed for OCT imaging inside the brain's blood vessels, could one day be used to acquire detailed information about vascular disease and devices such as stents implanted in the brain. bit.ly/4yotbR9 💡🧪#medsky #neuroscience

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Physics World @physicsworld.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Looking for your first job? Don't know where to start? Need some tips? Physics World brings you our ultimate guide for starting out on your career as a physicist, whether it's in academia, engineering, quantum, finance, industry, nuclear, teaching, IT or medical. 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/from-stude...

physicsworld.com

From student to scientist – how to build a career with physics – Physics World

Tushna Commissariat and Matin Durrani guide physics students through the maze of career options

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Optica @optica.org · 01/09/2026

🧪 ⚛️ A new system could help locate hidden methane emissions that contribute to #ClimateChange and pose safety risks. By mounting dual-comb spectroscopy on a moving vehicle, #photonics researchers solved an environmental noise problem in gas measurements. Read more: bit.ly/4gwkhec

The system is pictured, mounted on top of a white car.

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Optica @optica.org · 01/09/2026

🧪 ⚛️ Requiring no pre-deployed hardware at the field site and maintaining near-laboratory-grade detection accuracy while in motion, the compact system could help cities and industries quantify hard-to-detect greenhouse gas emissions and provide data to support emissions-reduction policies.

The red trace in (a) indicates the 47 km driving route from ECNU to Laogang Town (LT). (b) shows the route of the on-campus field tests, with A-G showing various buildings on campus. A controlled natural-gas leakage patrol measurement was conducted near point D (green segment). (c) is a photograph of the vehicle-based system during outdoor measurements. (d) shows the dual-comb spectroscopy system and open gas cell installed on the vehicle roof, fully exposed to ambient air. (e) shows the beam spots observed on one side of the Herriott gas cell.

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Optica @optica.org · 01/09/2026

🧪 ⚛️ "SUVs equipped with our spectroscopy system could cruise residential streets day and night. If an underground gas pipeline has a methane leak, the system could capture the concentration of the gas, record the GPS coordinates and notify maintenance crews,” said research team leader Wenxue Li.

A close up of the dual-comb spectroscopy system and open gas cell installed on the vehicle roof, fully exposed to ambient air.

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Optica @optica.org · 01/09/2026

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Optica @optica.org · 01/09/2026

Measuring just 0.55 mm in diameter, a new micro OCT probe from researchers in China could give doctors a 360° view inside tiny, winding brain arteries to visualize stents & plaque! 📖 Read the full study in #OPG_BOEx: bit.ly/4y3mYtB #Optics #MedTech #Neuroscience

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Physics World @physicsworld.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The use of sunlight to generate pairs of entangled photons could potentially enable scaling of quantum technologies without the major energy cost. 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/researcher...

physicsworld.com

Researchers harness sunlight to generate quantum entanglement – Physics World

Sunlight may provide an energy-efficient alternative to lasers used in quantum computing

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

Research performed by a team from the Medical School of Nanjing University and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

The researchers used the probe to produce 2D and #3D OCT images of several increasingly complex samples, including the fine vein network of a magnolia leaf, a vascular stent positioned in a middle cerebral artery model and an ex vivo porcine blood vessel. #OCT #Technology #Medicine #NeuroScience

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

The team used a full-scale human cerebrovascular model to evaluate the OCT probe's navigation from the femoral artery to the middle cerebral artery. This video shows a 3D OCT visualization of an ex vivo porcine vessel acquired with the piezoelectric-driven micro-optical probe. #biology #medicine

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

Working like a microscopic rotating camera, a tiny optical fiber carries near-IR light to a miniature angled lens at the center of the probe. Instead of rotating the entire catheter, only this tiny lens at the catheter tip rotates and can collect complete 360-degree cross-sectional images. 🧪

The experimental setup, pictured here, uses a full-scale human cerebrovascular model to evaluate navigation of the miniature OCT probe from the femoral artery to the middle cerebral artery.

Cross-sectional OCT image of a vascular stent acquired with the piezoelectric-driven micro-optical probe, demonstrating full 360° circumferential imaging.

Cross-sectional OCT image of an excised human atherosclerotic plaque acquired with the piezoelectric-driven micro-optical probe, demonstrating visualization of plaque structure and tissue features.

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Optica @optica.org · 28/08/2026

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Optica @optica.org · 27/08/2026

Researchers at @ox.ac.uk have demonstrated the first wireless Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system in the "solar-blind" UV-C band. The system enables high-speed quantum links even in direct sunlight. Read more: bit.ly/4wABjwt #QuantumTech #Optics #Cybersecurity

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Optica @optica.org · 26/08/2026

The team reconstructed Gaussian & Laguerre–Gaussian pulse shapes, captured pulse durations & fine temporal structure, while showing information storage lasting on the order of tens of picoseconds. This figure shows light intensity obtained by some experimental groups. #Lasers #Technology #OPG_AO

Fig. 2. Light intensity obtained by some experimental groups.

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Optica @optica.org · 26/08/2026

Researchers created a way to store and retrieve the spatial & temporal features of an intense ultrashort laser pulse using a plasma hologram formed in air. The development can enable the design & performance evaluation of robust underwater optical communication systems. bit.ly/4i8Ka4G 💡⚛️

Fig. 1. Underwater vortex beam communication system.

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Optica @optica.org · 25/08/2026

Can you take a 3D photo without a camera? 📸⚡ To end #WorldPhotographyWeek2026, explore how single-pixel detectors and structured light enable "camera-free 3D dual photography" in @OpticaWorldwide Optics Express: Read the full paper: bit.ly/45pOXr5 #Optics #Imaging

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Optica @optica.org · 25/08/2026

One month left to vote! Your input is essential to deciding how the Society will continue to evolve and better serve the optics community through all stages of your career. Check your Optica email for a message sent on 22 June for instructions on how to access your ballot!

Text reads "OPTICA Election for 2027 Offices." A button labeled "VOTE" with a clicking hand icon is on the right.

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Thorlabs, Inc. @thorlabs.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

💡 Travel "light" and don't let the dog eat your homework this school year! Wishing students and educators a year filled with discovery and growth. If your journey includes quantum, photonics, optics, or engineering, we’d love to be part of it. Follow our page for resources and inspiration.

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Optica @optica.org · 24/08/2026

Image credit: Apollo 16 Far UV Camera, G. Carruthers, NASA

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Optica @optica.org · 24/08/2026

In 1972, NASA's Apollo 16 mission took a far-UV #photograph of Earth. The original black-and-white picture was printed three times on Agfacontour film, each recording one light level. The three light levels were then colored blue (dimmest), green (next brightest) and red (brightest). 🔭#astrophoto

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Optica @optica.org · 20/08/2026

Researchers at CSIR have developed stacked RGB holographic gratings for full-color AR displays. The prism-free design improves brightness and energy efficiency for lighter, longer-lasting AR glasses. Read more here: bit.ly/4x55Svh #AR #Optics #Photonics

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Optics & Photonics News @optica-opn.org · 22/08/2026

In new work, researchers recorded 3D videos of seizure events in zebrafish larvae with a new imaging system they developed based on light-sheet fluorescence microscopy. They hope their study could inform improved treatments of brain diseases and disorders. bit.ly/3S1TRrl 💡 ⚛️ 🧪

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