Valerie Coffey-Rosich

Valerie Coffey-Rosich is a freelance science and technology writer and editor and a contributing editor for Laser Focus World; she previously served as an Associate Technical Editor (2000-2003) and a Senior Technical Editor (2007-2008) for Laser Focus World.

Valerie holds a BS in physics from the University of Nevada, Reno, and an MA in astronomy from Boston University. She specializes in editing and writing about optics, photonics, astronomy, and physics in academic, reference, and business-to-business publications. In addition to Laser Focus World, her work has appeared online and in print for clients such as the American Institute of Physics, American Heritage Dictionary, BioPhotonics, Encyclopedia Britannica, EuroPhotonics, the Optical Society of America, Photonics Focus, Photonics Spectra, Sky & Telescope, and many others. She is based in Palm Springs, California. 

FIGURE 1. Co first-authors Anthony White (left) and Geun Ho Ahn (center) joined their graduate advisor, Jelena Vučković, professor of electrical engineering at Stanford's Ginzton Laboratory, in developing an integrated passive nonlinear optical isolator based on ring resonators.
Lasers & Sources

Nanoscale laser isolator could revolutionize photonics devices

Researchers at Stanford University’s Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab created a new chip-scale laser isolator with potential for a significant impact in numerous industries...
(Courtesy of O. Katz/Duke University)
FIGURE 1. The NASDUCK Floquet quantum detector for ultralight axion-like dark matter contains a strong, magnetically driven Floquet field, BF, which interacts with the background dark matter halo of the Milky Way. Inside the chamber a small cubical glass cell containing dense spin-polarized 129Xe gas and 85Rb vapor acts as an in situ precision optical magnetometer. One laser optically pumps the spins of Rb atoms while a second laser probes the coherent spin oscillations that can be generated by a non-gravitational interaction with the axion-like dark matter particles. The results help constrain the mass limits of dark-matter particles in interactions with other particles.
Detectors & Imaging

New detectors solve age-old problems

Jan. 13, 2023
Advances in novel detectors are solving the most elusive mysteries in science—from quantum teleportation to neutrinos and dark matter.
(Courtesy of Jetson)
FIGURE 1. Sorry, the Jetson ONE personal eVTOL is sold out for 2022 and 2023. But for $92,000, you too can get in line for this commercially available flying car for 2024. Once it’s shipped from Sweden, you’ll have to assemble it yourself. Classified as an ultralight aircraft in the U.S., the Jetson ONE does not require a pilot’s license, but would be limited to rural areas.
Detectors & Imaging

Electric flight is taking off, thanks to photonics

Nov. 10, 2022
Flying cars, eVTOLs, or giant drones: whatever you call them, photonics is playing a large part in the burgeoning commercial reality of electric, autonomous air mobility.