| Image Credit: [W. Jia / MIT] |
Reducing noise can enhance the performance of sensitive detectors but runs up against limits imposed by the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Heisenberg’s principle stipulates a minimum combined uncertainty when measuring the amplitude and phase “quadratures” of an electromagnetic wave. In the case of a laser beam, noise is spread equally between the two, yielding a circle when plotting the values of one against the other. By squeezing the circle so it becomes an ellipse, noise can be traded—increasing uncertainty in one quadrature while reducing it in the other, creating a squeezed state of light.
A feature article in the May issue of Optica’s magazine Optics & Photonics News (OPN) looks at the latest in squeezed light research, including the prospect for compact, high-quality squeezing sources that could enable sensors with unprecedented precision, new probes of fundamental physics and universal quantum computers. |
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The images acquired using 3D terahertz near-field imaging were used to create 3D reconstructions, allowing visualization of part of the cochlear duct, the spiral structure inside the cochlea.
Image Credit: Kazunori Serita, Waseda University |
| In Optica, Optica Publishing Group’s journal for high-impact research, a multi-institutional group of researchers describe their 3D terahertz near-field imaging technique, which provides high-resolution images that can be used to create detailed 3D reconstructions. |
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| Image Credit: Nico Deshler, University of Arizona |
| In Optica, Optica Publishing Group’s journal for high-impact research, the researchers show that the new coronagraph can theoretically achieve the fundamental limits of exoplanet detection and localization set by quantum optics. They also used it to capture images that allowed them to estimate the position of artificial exoplanets with distances from their host star up to 50 times smaller than what the telescope's resolution limit would normally allow. |
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| Image Credit: Getty Image |
| The candidates for Optica’s Vice President and Director-at-Large have been announced. Visit – Election for 2026 positions to learn who will be on the ballot for the 2025 Optica Elections. Elected members will start their terms on 1 January 2026. Ballots will be distributed to current members in June, so ensure you can fully participate by renewing your membership and confirming your contact information in your member profile. Don’t miss your opportunity to select the leaders of your society. |
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| Photo courtesy of Des Gibson |
| When Des Gibson chose to pursue a career in industry, he did so because "you get a greater breadth of knowledge and in-depth research in industry compared to academia…it's not just about doing the base research. It's about making the technology work in products and ensuring it is effective for customers and the world." His greatest satisfaction comes from the opportunity to routinely commercialize products. He comments, “I enjoy translating fundamental technology and research into products and usable technologies…commercialization of technology gives me the greatest buzz.” Today, Des has returned to academia and seeks to bring a new way of thinking to the sector, incorporating lessons from his many years of experience in industry. |
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