Researchers in the US and Japan have devised a simple way generate a nearly parallel beam of light from a semiconductor laser — without the need for bulky and expensive lenses. Instead, a patterned ...

Generally, components that adjust an optical beam’s diameter whilst maintaining a parallel output are called collimators. When the beam is convergent it is called a ‘focuser’. Users of optical fibres ...

A semiconductor laser that has been engineered to emit a narrow beam of light without the use of additional lenses could help to reduce the cost of optical systems. Researchers in the US and Japan ...