Nature Photonics 3, 605 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.193

Two innovations in photonics that underpin society's adoption of information technology have been honoured in this year's Nobel Prize for Physics.

Nature Photonics 3, 608 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.198

Author: Christopher C. Davis

Researchers at Stanford University and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have demonstrated fluorescence enhancements ten times greater than previously demonstrated, by placing single fluorophores in an optical bowtie nano-antenna.

Nature Photonics 3, 609 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.197

Authors: Rainer Hillenbrand & Javier Aizpurua

Stanford University researchers have demonstrated the potential of single SiC whiskers to function as narrowband infrared emitters that have controllable emission characteristics.

Nature Photonics 3, 611 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.199

Author: John Cunningham

Controlling the transport of charge carriers between two semiconductor nanostructures using an acoustic wave yields a high-repetition-rate source of single photons with tunable emission energy.

Nature Photonics 3, 613 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.200

Authors: Hyatt M. Gibbs & Galina Khitrova

Customizing the refractive index of wells and barriers in a periodic array of quantum wells yields a way to control the reflectivity and dispersion of an excitonic lattice. The result is a new method for slowing or modulating light.

Nature Photonics 3, 615 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.201

Author: Noriaki Horiuchi

Visual encryption, manipulation of terahertz waves and the improved surface-treatment of GaN crystals were all topics of discussion at this year's JSAP meeting in Toyama, Japan.

Nature Photonics 3, 624 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.204

Author: Nadya Anscombe

From humble beginnings, the Belgian company Xenics has grown to become one of the world's leading suppliers of short-wave infrared cameras outside the US. Nadya Anscombe finds out how the company has survived the economic crisis by changing its business strategy and continually developing its products.

Nature Photonics 3, 627 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.205

Author: David Bannon

Hyperspectral imaging, traditionally used for airborne remote sensing, is now becoming a valuable tool for in-line inspection and quality control.

Nature Photonics 3, 630 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.206

Authors: Irl Duling & David Zimdars

With new laser sources and detectors coming onto the market, terahertz imaging is starting to become a valuable tool for non-destructive testing, process control and quality inspection.

Nature Photonics 3, 633 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.207

Authors: Etienne Cuche, Yves Emery & Frédéric Montfort

Digital holographic microscopy's ability to reconstruct three-dimensional surface topography from a single measurement without the need for any scanning makes it extremely robust and immune to vibrations. Its applications range from bioimaging through to analysing micro-electromechanical systems devices and quality-assurance tasks.

Nature Photonics 3, 638 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.210

Although the machine vision industry is being affected by the global recession, Mats Gökstorp, president of the European Machine Vision Association, explains to Nadya Anscombe why he is optimistic about the industry's future.

Nature Photonics 3, 641 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.189

Authors: N. W. Roberts, T.-H. Chiou, N. J. Marshall & T. W. Cronin

Nature Photonics 3, 645 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.191

Authors: O. D. D. Couto, S. Lazić, F. Iikawa, J. A. H. Stotz, U. Jahn, R. Hey & P. V. Santos

Nature Photonics 3, 649 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.192

Authors: Hsiang-Yu Chen, Jianhui Hou, Shaoqing Zhang, Yongye Liang, Guanwen Yang, Yang Yang, Luping Yu, Yue Wu & Gang Li

Nature Photonics 3, 654 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.187

Authors: Anika Kinkhabwala, Zongfu Yu, Shanhui Fan, Yuri Avlasevich, Klaus Müllen & W. E. Moerner

Nature Photonics 3, 658 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.188

Authors: Jon A. Schuller, Thomas Taubner & Mark L. Brongersma

Nature Photonics 3, 662 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.190

Authors: David Goldberg, Lev I. Deych, Alexander A. Lisyansky, Zhou Shi, Vinod M. Menon, Vadim Tokranov, Michael Yakimov & Serge Oktyabrsky

Nature Photonics 3, 668 (2009). doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.211

The discovery that the eye of a particular mantis shrimp has an achromatic quarter-waveplate that is superior to modern-day devices could be a source of inspiration to those designing optical components. Nature Photonics spoke to Nicholas Roberts, one of the researchers involved in the study.