The aft-optics subsystem of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has completed performance testing, marking a significant milestone in the telescope's integration and test activities. The successful completion of this testing demonstrates that the AOS can withstand the extreme temperatures and vibration environment of space.
Gemini Observatory's new GeMS system uses Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics to remove atmospheric distortions, increasing field-of-view and image uniformity. This technology enables astronomers to study the universe with unparalleled sharpness, making it a key innovation for future large telescopes.
Researchers developed a bio-inspired coating that enhances LED light extraction by up to 55 percent. The innovative design mimics the natural structure of firefly lanterns, which reduces internal reflections and allows more light to escape, ultimately making LEDs brighter while using less energy.
Bioengineers at UC Berkeley developed CellScope, a mobile phone-microscope that can be used in developing countries and classrooms. The device is being tested for educational outreach, allowing students to take macroscopic and microscopic pictures of objects in their homes and environments.
The Optics Express Special Issue on ECOC 2012 features in-depth versions of 134 papers from the conference, covering topics such as multicore components and hybrid optoelectronic devices. The issue includes submissions from 37% of authors of the 350+ papers presented at the conference.
Scientists have discovered a way to control dielectrics using short and intense laser pulses, enabling extremely fast processing. This breakthrough could lead to the development of transistors that are 10,000 times faster than current semiconductors.
A new diffraction spectrometer uses a webcam and diffraction grating to achieve sub-picometer accuracy in laser tuning. The instrument is simple enough for undergraduate physics labs, providing training in optics and the wave nature of light.
A team led by Prof. Gabby Sarusi has received a $6.5 million grant to develop thin film nano coating for night vision glasses, aiming to improve existing systems' bulkiness, weight, and expense. The project involves creating nano-colloid materials that convert infrared light to visible light using OLEDs.
Anton Zeilinger, an Austrian physicist, has been awarded the title of Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his significant work in physics. He is a professor at the University of Vienna and scientific director of the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information.
A new hyperspectral camera has captured the first-ever images of auroras, revealing a previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon. The camera's unprecedented capabilities have enabled scientists to study auroras in unprecedented clarity, revealing subtle changes in atmospheric behavior.
The devices offer significant improvement in tissue imaging while simultaneously enabling photo thermal therapy, administering drugs and monitoring drug delivery. The biodegradable and biocompatible micro-mirrors dissolve harmlessly at predetermined rates, requiring no surgery to remove them.
Researchers have developed a new artificial lens that mimics the natural lens of the human eye, enabling incremental refraction control. This breakthrough could improve performance in implantable lenses and consumer vision products, as well as enhance ground and aerial surveillance technology.
Researchers at Duke University have created a more efficient cloaking device by reducing reflections and increasing wave transmission. The new design uses a diamond-shaped pattern with copper strips to guide electromagnetic waves around an object, eliminating loss due to reflections.
FOXSI will study nanoflares on the sun using a state-of-the-art x-ray telescope that focuses incoming x-rays. The mission aims to understand energy transfer and coronal heating by observing how these small flares impact the sun's atmosphere.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing atom-optics technology to directly detect gravitational waves, which could revolutionize astrophysics. The technology uses atomic interferometry to measure minute changes in space-time.
Two teams explore using natural silk for implantable sensors, compostable lasers, and microfibers integrated into photonic chips. Silk's optical properties make it an attractive material for biocompatible and biodegradable applications.
Researchers have discovered a star orbiting the Milky Way's monster black hole in just 11.5 years, offering a new test of Einstein's general theory of relativity. TMT will enable breakthroughs on astrometric precision and potentially find even more tightly bound stars, allowing for tests of gravity's warping of space-time.
Researchers developed an advanced optics system to noninvasively map out the network of tiny blood vessels beneath the outer layer of patients' skin, potentially revealing telltale signs of disease. The imaging system shows promise for clinical application in diagnosing and treating skin cancer.
Karl Deisseroth's CLARITY approach unites chemical engineering, molecular genetics, and optics to gather detailed information from intact brains, potentially elucidating psychiatric diseases like depression and schizophrenia. The $22.48M award enables his team to continue their research with the potential impact in biomedical science.
A University of Central Florida research team has created a 67-attosecond laser pulse, allowing scientists to watch electrons move in atoms and molecules. The technique, called Double Optical Grating, enables extreme ultraviolet light to be concentrated into the shortest possible pulse.
A team of Italian researchers has developed a new microscopy technique called confocal light sheet microscopy (CLSM) that improves the resolution and contrast of images of the brain's neural pathways. CLSM enables scientists to obtain high-resolution views of tissue samples with a resolution of a few microns and faster acquisition time.
Researchers have developed a new 3D display technology that eliminates the need for glasses, using a single front projector against a screen to create depth cues. The method, which uses polarizers and a specialized coating on the screen, shows promise for cost-effective and space-efficient 3D displays.
Researchers developed a technique using ultrafast lasers and advanced optics to capture billions of images per second, enabling the reconstruction of 3D shapes hidden from sight. This technology may prove invaluable in disaster recovery situations and noninvasive biomedical imaging applications.
Kendall L. Carder has been recognized with the Jerlov Award for his groundbreaking research on in situ optical measurements, underwater imaging systems, and ocean color remote sensing. His contributions have significantly advanced our understanding of light in the ocean.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab develop 3D optical cavities with potential to generate intense nanolaser beams, suitable for various technologies including LEDs and optical sensing. The unique electromagnetic properties of these cavities enable new approaches for designing nano-scale optical cavities.
Researchers develop Thermal Quasi-Reflectography (TQR) system, capturing features not visible with current imaging techniques. The TQR system revealed hidden details in famous artworks, including the Zavattari frescos and 'The Resurrection' by Piero della Francesca.
A new experiment shows that light exhibits both electric and magnetic fields simultaneously, violating classical physics, and demonstrating its quantum mechanical nature. The study's findings have implications for understanding the behavior of other systems and developing quantum computers.
A new mini-sensor, Chip-scale Atomic Magnetometer (CSAM), has successfully measured the magnetic field of the human brain. The sensor's room temperature operation capability makes it more versatile than conventional cryoelectronics, which are limited to low temperatures.
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have observed a 40 femtosecond ultrafast transition of graphite into two different states of matter, including solid to liquid and plasma. This discovery provides new insights into the behavior of matter irradiated by intense hard X-rays.
Researchers successfully sent highly accurate clock signals across hundreds of kilometers using optical fiber links, overcoming challenges to transmit stable signals over long distances. The achievement brings scientists closer to redefining the second and enabling ultra-precise navigation and other applications.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a new technique to assemble crystalline structures using varying concentrations of microscopic particles and magnetic fields. They demonstrated the creation of over 20 programmed structures, paving the way for advanced optics, data storage, and bioengineering applications.
Researchers developed a computational technique to correct aberrations in optical tomography, enabling faster, less expensive and higher resolution tissue imaging. The technique was demonstrated using gel-based phantoms and rat lung tissue, resulting in sharp points and clearer tissue structures.
Researchers develop a small, flexible endoscopic device with a femtosecond laser 'scalpel' that removes diseased tissue while leaving healthy cells untouched. The device boosts imaging resolution by 20% and is five times smaller than the team's first prototype.
A new optical imaging system uses speckle imaging to measure differences in light bouncing off red blood cells, identifying cells infected with malaria parasites. The technique delivers results in under 30 minutes with high accuracy and low cost, promising to revolutionize malaria diagnosis.
New stitching technique improves measurement of large aspheres in optics industry. Wavefront sensing technology enhances eye health diagnosis and treatment in medical industry.
Researchers have developed a 'thermal' approach to invisibility cloaking that isolates or cloaks objects from sources of heat. The method uses transformation optics to control thermal diffusion, allowing for the shielding of areas from heat and the concentration of heat in small volumes.
Duke researchers have developed exotic materials that can control light at will, allowing for the creation of holograms in the infrared range. The team's innovative approach enables a broad range of optical devices with complex properties, opening up new possibilities for advanced optics and optoelectronics.
The University of Colorado has developed a novel technique for 3D super-resolution imaging with the help of Boulder-based Double Helix LLC. This technology combines 3D optics and signal processing to provide multifunctional imaging capability, applicable to various scientific, industrial, and consumer applications.
The Optics Express Focus Issue on Modular Ultrafast Lasers showcases state-of-the-art developments in femtosecond lasers, enabling new applications in biology, medicine, chemistry, and energy research. Key findings include the generation of broad-bandwidth frequency combs for precision metrology and spectroscopy.
Researchers at UMass Amherst have developed a new method of halftone gel lithography for photo-patterning polymer gel sheets, mimicking nature's ability to shape growth patterns. This technique allows for the creation of complex shapes and may aid advances in biomedicine, robotics and tunable micro-optics.
Researchers created an integrated electronic component directly into optical fibers, bypassing the need to integrate fiber-optics onto a chip. This breakthrough enables high-speed optoelectronic function and has potential applications in telecommunications and hybrid technologies.
A University of Houston vision scientist is developing new imaging techniques using the AOSLO device to better understand early changes in glaucoma. The research aims to enhance clinicians' understanding of glaucoma development and progression, leading to earlier recognition of structural damage and improved diagnostics.
A team of scientists has detected a faint 'satellite galaxy' 10 billion light years away, making it the lowest-mass object at such a distance. This finding could help confirm or reject theories about the structure of the cosmos.
Robert Alfano, CUNY Distinguished Professor of Science and Engineering at CCNY, receives the Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award for developing non-invasive optical biopsy methods that provide molecular information on cancer cells. His techniques can eliminate wait times and reduce physical trauma of surgery.
Researchers have developed a precise method to create microresonators in optical fibers, enabling the creation of 'Whispering Gallery' structures that can store tiny packets of light. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize computing with faster calculations and more efficient memory storage.
The Focus Issue on Digital Holography and 3-D Imaging presents recent breakthroughs in digital holography, enabling non-invasive biomedical imaging and applications in structural analysis. Novel techniques such as compressive holography and lens-free tomographic microscopy are showcased, advancing 3-D display technologies.
Researchers at Princeton University discovered that blocking small holes in a metal film enhances light transmission by up to 70%. The technique challenges common assumptions in optics and could have significant implications for ultrasensitive detectors. Further investigation is needed to apply this finding to various applications.
Researchers are developing cutting-edge solutions for renewable energy and environmental research, including thousands of sensors to monitor climate change, novel LED designs that boost efficiency, and thinner solar cells. These innovations aim to make space safer by tracking space debris and improve energy sustainability.
Collective phenomena in nanoscale structures have applications in light generation, optical sensing and information processing. Researchers explore these effects to engineer novel devices with custom-designed optical, electronic and mechanical characteristics.
Cornell researchers demonstrate ability to cloak a singular event in time using light and optical fibers. A brief bubble in the light flow conceals the fact that an event occurred, lasting only a fraction of a second.
The Optical Society's Applied Optics journal publishes a special focus issue on Light and Color in the Open Air, featuring striking images of natural optical phenomena such as rainbows, fog bows, coronas, sprites, and mirages. The accompanying online photo gallery showcases the beauty and science behind these phenomena.
Theoretical physicists have developed a new concept to create exotic topological states using dissipation, which can lead to immune quantum computers. They successfully linked concepts of quantum optics and condensed matter physics, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach.
The journal Optical Materials Express has published a special Focus Issue on Nanoplasmonics and Metamaterials, highlighting recent advances in nano-optics. Researchers have successfully developed new optical materials and nanofabrication techniques to control light fields beyond the diffraction limit.
A new imaging technique allows researchers to assess nerve damage and healing in live patients, providing a non-invasive method for diagnosing nerve injuries. The technique uses lasers to create images of individual neurons' insulating sheaths, revealing the extent of myelin loss and recovery.
Using a single UV laser pulse, researchers can now zap away biological tissue at multiple points simultaneously. This technique allows scientists to isolate specific cells and observe their shape dictated solely by internal forces. The method has potential applications in developmental biology and bioengineering.
A new hybrid imaging device combining photoacoustic imaging, optical coherence tomography, and pulse-echo ultrasound has been developed to diagnose early-stage ovarian cancer. The device was tested on both pig and human ovarian tissue, correctly identifying malignant tumors in initial tests.
Optofluidics, the study of microfluidics combined with optics, is poised to revolutionize energy production. By directing light and concentrating its use, optofluidics can increase efficiency in existing systems like biofuel reactors and solar cells, as well as innovate new forms of energy production.
Scientists at Tufts University have successfully used cellular laser microsurgery to track the migration and regeneration of melanocytes in a live organism. The technique could lead to new research avenues in wound repair, regenerative medicine, and cancer studies.
A research team from Yale University has successfully achieved two-color stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy in living cells, overcoming previous challenges in labeling target proteins. The breakthrough enables resolutions of 78 nanometers and 82 nanometers for sequential scans of two proteins in living cells.
Researchers explore ways to boost fiber optic communication capacity to meet growing internet traffic demands, including space-division multiplexing and mode-division multiplexing. Studies aim to increase fiber capacity by up to seven-fold, enabling exponential growth in optical communication systems.