Applied optics articles from across Nature Portfolio

A miniaturized on-chip spectral imager based on III-nitride cascaded photodiodes achieves 0.62 nm accuracy and sub-10 ns response, extending spectral imaging into the ultraviolet regime.

Optical computing has been limited to vector–matrix multiplications, with matrix–matrix operations requiring wavelength- or time-division multiplexing, reducing energy efficiency and speed. Now, researchers have demonstrated a free-space optical approach that overcomes these limitations, enabling parallel matrix–matrix and tensor–matrix multiplications in a single optical operation.

The authors demonstrate mode-multiplexed holography using current-addressed OAM components in VCSELs to increase channel capacity. Monolithic nanoprinted holograms within 100×100 μm^2 footprint enable dynamic displays with a refresh rate of ~1.93 GHz.

Coherent Ising machines suffer from stringent phase stabilization requirements. Here, authors provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of an optical coherent Ising machine, where spins are encoded in the polarization of light and can be accessed via intensity measurements, thereby lifting the limitations related to phase stabilization.

An integrated optical parametric amplifier on thin-film lithium niobate achieves more than 17 dB gain with less than 200 mW input power.

A miniaturized on-chip spectral imager based on III-nitride cascaded photodiodes achieves 0.62 nm accuracy and sub-10 ns response, extending spectral imaging into the ultraviolet regime.

With the rising success of solar photovoltaics, long-term sustainability needs to be addressed. We provide practical steps that researchers, journals and the wider community can take to embed circularity into emerging photovoltaics, from the conception of a new idea, to lab scale demonstrations, to scale-up.

This year brings fresh perspectives to our editorial team, alongside a renewed focus on delivering authoritative insights and fostering collaboration. Together, let’s make 2026 a year of innovation, dialogue and transformative breakthroughs.

A study in Nature Photonics reports a miniaturized cascaded-diode-array spectral imager that enables electrically tunable spectral measurements from 365 nm down to 250 nm.

Optical computing has been limited to vector–matrix multiplications, with matrix–matrix operations requiring wavelength- or time-division multiplexing, reducing energy efficiency and speed. Now, researchers have demonstrated a free-space optical approach that overcomes these limitations, enabling parallel matrix–matrix and tensor–matrix multiplications in a single optical operation.