Optics Daily · Thursday, October 22, 2026
opticsnews
SHINE Hard X-ray Free-electron Laser Facility Achieves First Light
The SHINE hard X-ray free-electron laser facility has achieved first light and is scheduled for completion and commissioning by the end of 2027. LCLS measured hard X-ray pulses of about 9 keV and 100 to 400 attoseconds, while European XFEL reached an attosecond hard X-ray peak intensity of about 10^20 W/cm². ams OSRAM has joined the SRMO working group to advance optical interconnect specifications for AI data centers.
Technology & Research
Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industryLCLS Measures Hard X-Ray Pulses of About 9 keV and 100 to 400 Attoseconds
A research team at SLAC's LCLS measured hard X-ray pulses with photon energies of about 9 keV and durations of 100 to 400 attoseconds, with results published in Nature Photonics. The team focused part of the beam to a 150 nm wide spot on a copper foil to generate amplified spontaneous emission, then combined the energy and spectral shape of the other part of the beam to calculate the pulse duration. Such pulses can be used to probe rapid processes in dense plasmas and to help make measurements before X-rays cause electronic-state damage.
Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics · Research NewsFirst-partyOptics industrySHINE Hard X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility Achieves First Light
On October 15, 2026, the Hard X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility (SHINE) achieved first light, moving a step closer to completion and commissioning by the end of 2027. The electron beam produced by a 4 GeV continuous-wave superconducting linac drives a series of 18 undulator lines, each 4 meters long with a 55 mm magnetic period. Once completed, the electron energy will reach 8 GeV, and the first two undulator lines will produce free-electron laser radiation covering 0.2 to 15 keV, with optical pulses as short as femtoseconds and a maximum repetition rate of up to 1 MHz.
Optics & Photonics NewsOptics industryEuropean XFEL Attosecond Hard X-Ray Peak Intensity Reaches About 10^20 W/cm²
The research team focused European XFEL attosecond hard X-ray pulses to a 180 × 330 nm spot, achieving a peak intensity of about 10^20 W/cm². The team combined a self-chirped operating mode with an advanced iridium-coated Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror system and verified the peak intensity using amplified spontaneous emission from a 20 μm thick copper foil. The research was published in Optica and provides conditions for exploring highly nonlinear interactions between X-rays and matter.
Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industryUltrafast Laser Controls Cr₂Ge₂Te₆ Ferromagnetism Through Nonthermal Mechanism
A University of Illinois research team used linearly polarized near-infrared ultrafast laser pulses to control the magnetization of Cr₂Ge₂Te₆ (CGT) without relying on heating. The polarization, temperature and optical fluence dependence of the terahertz emission match a nonlinear Edelstein-Zeeman field model, pointing to a magnetization control mechanism mediated by conduction electrons. The results were published in Nature Communications. Magnetization changes are currently read out indirectly via terahertz emission, and the researchers plan to observe their time evolution directly.
Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industryVilnius University Perovskite Laser Structure Runs Stably for More Than 400 Million Pulses
A perovskite laser structure demonstrated by a Vilnius University research team maintained stable performance after more than 400 million pulses. The team prepared a material in which part of the lead is replaced by zinc using spin coating in a nitrogen atmosphere, analyzed its properties with confocal luminescence measurements, and then formed a DFB grating by interference laser ablation. The research was published in Advanced Optical Materials, and the samples combine good stability with narrow emission lines.
Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industryOxford University Uses Atomic Memory to Keep Distant Ions Entangled for About 10 Seconds
Researchers at the University of Oxford have kept remote memory qubits entangled for about 10 seconds in a two-node ion quantum network connected by optical fiber. Each node contains one strontium ion and one calcium ion. Photons emitted by the strontium ions establish remote entanglement through Bell-state measurement, and local operations then extend the entanglement to the calcium ions, creating three- or four-ion entangled states across the nodes.
Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industryLaser-Induced Lattice Reveals One-Dimensional Discrete Optical Solitons in Tunable Rubidium Vapor
A joint team from the Institute of Physics in Zagreb and PMF has experimentally observed one-dimensional discrete solitons for the first time in an optically induced photonic lattice in warm rubidium vapor. At a probe laser power of about 6 mW, nonlinear self-focusing counteracts discrete diffraction, and the beam maintains an almost invariant transverse profile as it propagates. The study was published in Laser & Photonics Reviews; a model incorporating the full atomic hyperfine structure agrees with the experiment, and the lattice can be tuned via the coupling beam frequency and intensity.
Industry & Capital
OFweek Laser Network · NewsOptics industryTTM to Acquire MKS's Ophir Optics Business for About $650 Million
TTM Technologies announced on October 19, 2026 that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Ophir Optics business from MKS for approximately $650 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and related administrative permits, and does not involve the Ophir Instruments laser characterization business or the sale of the Ophir brand. Ophir Optics provides high-precision infrared thermal imaging and laser optics solutions for defense, security and industrial customers.
OFweek Laser Network · NewsOptics industryLITILIT Opens New Femtosecond Laser Plant with Annual Capacity of Up to 3,000 Units
LITILIT's new femtosecond laser plant in Vilnius opened on October 16, 2026, with annual capacity of up to 3,000 units at full production. The plant represents a total investment of EUR 6 million and covers more than 4,000 square meters, with plans to produce about 1,000 units in the first year. The first products will be delivered in November 2026, mainly for export to Europe, North America and Asia.
Policy, Standards & Conferences
OFweek Optics Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AIams OSRAM Joins SRMO Working Group to Advance AI Data Center Optical Interconnect Specifications
ams OSRAM has joined the SRMO working group, led by Credo, as a founding member. The group plans to submit an interoperable technical specification to OCP in 2027. SRMO advocates operating large numbers of parallel micro-emitters at their optimal individual rates, targeting 20 to 30 times the transmission distance of copper cabling while maintaining comparable bandwidth density, energy efficiency and cost efficiency.
Insight & Analysis
OFweek Optics Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AIHow TDK's Meta-Reflector Retinal Projection Differs from Waveguides and BirdBath
TDK's AR display solution uses a 150 nm thick meta-optic reflector in place of a conventional curved mirror, forming images through direct retinal projection (DRP). The reflective film has a visible-light transmittance of about 80%, and the current demonstration is still a monochrome prototype. Full-color demonstrations and mass production remain several years away, while consumer-level costs and processing yields are also key hurdles.