Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

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The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

3 Volatile Stocks to Consider Right Now

CVNA Cover Image

High volatility doesn’t always mean high risk - some companies experience wild price swings but still trend reliably upward over time. In fact, many of the market’s biggest winners have been highly volatile stocks.

But not all of these stocks are created equal, which is why we built StockStory - to help you find the right balance of risk and reward. Keeping that in mind, here are three volatile stocks that could reward patient investors.

Carvana (CVNA)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 2.37

Known for its glass tower car vending machines, Carvana (NYSE: CVNA) provides a convenient automotive shopping experience by offering an online platform for buying and selling used cars.

Why Is CVNA on Our Radar?

  1. Retail Units Sold have grown by 23.3% annually, allowing for more profitable cross-selling opportunities if it can build complementary products and features
  2. Incremental sales over the last three years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 40.5% annually, topping its revenue gains
  3. Free cash flow margin grew by 22 percentage points over the last few years, giving the company more chips to play with

Carvana’s stock price of $391.05 implies a valuation ratio of 23x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Airbnb (ABNB)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.41

Founded by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia in their San Francisco apartment, Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) is the world’s largest online marketplace for lodging, primarily homestays.

Why Is ABNB a Top Pick?

  1. Nights and Experiences Booked have increased by an average of 10% annually, giving it the potential for margin-accretive growth if it can develop valuable complementary products and features
  2. Performance over the past three years was turbocharged by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
  3. ABNB is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders

At $123.30 per share, Airbnb trades at 17.7x forward EV/EBITDA. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free.

Allison Transmission (ALSN)

Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.12

Helping build race cars at one point, Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) offers transmissions to original equipment manufacturers and fleet operators.

Why Are We Fans of ALSN?

  1. Offerings are mission-critical for businesses and result in a best-in-class gross margin of 47.9%
  2. Disciplined cost controls and effective management resulted in a strong long-term operating margin of 29.3%, and its rise over the last five years was fueled by some leverage on its fixed costs
  3. Impressive free cash flow profitability enables the company to fund new investments or reward investors with share buybacks/dividends

Allison Transmission is trading at $84.45 per share, or 12.3x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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