A novel on-chip microscope made from consumer electronics enables simultaneous measurement of nanometer-thick changes over a large volume in transparent objects. The device utilizes phase-shifting interferometry and offers unprecedented field-of-view and depth-of-field capabilities, making it suitable for point-of-care applications.
Researchers demonstrate how state-of-the-art quantum simulations with trapped ions can be used to solve complex problems like number-partitioning. By applying a strategy known as quantum annealing, they show a faster solution than other methods.
ICFO researchers achieve isolated attosecond pulses in the soft X-ray water window, covering multiple absorption edges simultaneously. This allows site-specific probing of electron correlation and many-body effects in organic solar cells and molecular electronics.
A team of ICFO researchers has developed a novel hybrid system that combines graphene nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) with nitrogen-vacancy centers, enabling precise control over light emission. This breakthrough holds promise for various applications in nanophotonics and quantum optomechanics.
The AXA Research Fund has awarded a Chair to ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences to focus on risks associated with data privacy and develop 100% secure data communications using quantum devices. The chair holder, Professor Antonio Acín, aims to obtain high-impact results for the future of society.
ICFO researchers create a microscopic Carnot engine that operates between two thermal baths using a temperature difference, exactly as car engines work. The engine is powered by a single particle, lasers, and electrical fields, allowing for the experimental validation of thermodynamic principles.
The Delft experiment disproves Einstein's local realism principle by entangling electrons across 1.3 km, measuring their orientations individually and agreeing well. The rapid random number generation used in the experiment closes a loophole, proving that God may indeed play 'dice' with the universe
Researchers at ICFO have developed a new material combining graphene and two-dimensional crystals, achieving faster optical pulse detection than ten picoseconds. This breakthrough could lead to high-speed integrated communication systems.
Researchers at ICFO have developed a new light source that detects minute changes in spectral features, ideal for identifying DNA mutations and cellular malfunctions. The mid-wave infrared range is crucial for resonantly exciting molecular vibrations, leaving fingerprints in the spectrum for identification.
Researchers have successfully controlled phase changes in GST material using laser light, achieving rapid and reversible changes in electro-optical properties. The results suggest GST may be a good substitute for silicon materials, with potential implications for flexible displays, logic circuits, and universal memory.
Researchers discovered that graphene electrons share heat when exposed to ultrafast electrical currents, behaving like a hot gas. This thermodynamic approach allows for better understanding and improvement of graphene-based nano-electronic devices.
Scientists at EPFL and ICFO have developed a reconfigurable, highly sensitive graphene-based molecule sensor that can detect nanometric compounds. The device exploits the unique electronic and optical properties of graphene to focus light on precise spots, enabling detection of tiny molecules.
Researchers have developed a graphene-based photodetector capable of converting absorbed light into an electrical voltage in less than 50 femtoseconds. The device utilizes ultrafast pulse-shaped laser excitation and highly sensitive electrical readout to achieve this ultrafast conversion.
Researchers have directly and experimentally confirmed the link between macroscopic quantum states and entangled particles. The study uses a beam of squeezed light to demonstrate entanglement among individual photon pairs, paving the way for advances in superconductivity, optical communications, and quantum computing.
Researchers at ICFO have successfully generated isolated attosecond pulses at the carbon K-edge, enabling real-time imaging of electronic motion in organic compounds and ultrafast devices. This breakthrough has significant implications for designing new materials and developing petahertz electronics.
Researchers used super-resolution microscopy to visualize genome packaging and found that nucleosomes are assembled in irregular groups across the chromatin. This study reveals a link between genome packaging and cell pluripotency, with more pluripotent stem cells having less dense nucleosome clutches.
Scientists have demonstrated electrical control of energy flow from erbium ions into photons and plasmons using graphene. The research opens up novel types of nano-photonics devices based on active plasmonics, with potential for efficient data storage and manipulation.
Researchers at ICFO have discovered a material system that enables highly confined low-loss plasmons in graphene-boron nitride heterostructures, allowing for efficient optical sensing and computing. This breakthrough paves the way for extremely miniaturized optical circuits and devices.
Scientists have measured high-quality factors of up to 5 million in carbon nanotube mechanical resonators, outperforming previous records. This breakthrough enables the development of ultra-sensitive sensors and quantum systems, such as magnetic resonance imaging at the atomic level.
Researchers at ICFO have designed classes of multipartite Bell inequalities to detect nonlocality in many-body quantum states. These inequalities can be verified experimentally by measuring total spin components, enabling the study of complex many-body systems.
Researchers at ICFO have demonstrated a nonlinear interferometer that can measure tiny magnetization with improved sensitivity. This breakthrough confirms theoretical predictions and paves the way for more accurate quantum measurements.
Researchers have developed a lab-on-a-chip platform capable of detecting protein cancer markers in blood at extremely low concentrations, enabling early diagnoses and treatment monitoring. The device's high sensitivity and portability make it an attractive tool for future cancer treatments.
ICFO researchers develop plasmonic nano-tweezers that trap and manipulate nano-scale objects without mechanical contact, enabling 3D displacement. This technique has potential applications in medicine and nanotechnology.
Ultra-cold fermions exhibit surprisingly robust collective behavior under specific conditions. By analyzing local collisions, scientists discovered that individual properties team up coherently as a single identity in spin space at very low temperatures.
Researchers at ICFO have developed a framework to quantify photoactivation efficiency of fluorescent proteins, enabling accurate protein stoichiometry measurement. This breakthrough enhances our ability to study protein function and disease mechanisms.
Scientists have created a new class of nano-mechanical oscillators that are ultra-sensitive to forces, including non-Newtonian gravity-like forces and quantum vacuum fluctuations. The system uses optically levitated nanoparticles in high vacuum conditions, overcoming the limitation of physical contact to a support.
Researchers have fabricated an optimal organic solar cell with high transparency and efficiency, promising affordable, clean renewable energies. The cells can be integrated into buildings, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and advancing towards a greener environment.
Scientists demonstrate that a single nano-diamond can act as an efficient optical switch, enabling fast information processing and quantum computer operations. The innovation combines small dimensions with high speeds, operating at room temperature.
Researchers have directly observed quantum effects on energy transfer in photosynthesis, discovering coherence is responsible for maintaining transport efficiency and adaptability. This discovery raises questions about the evolution of quantum effects and potential applications in developing more efficient solar cells.
Researchers design and fabricate a tiny optical device called an 'antenna-in-box' that can detect and sense individual biomolecules at concentrations similar to those found in the cellular context. The device allows for enhanced single-molecule analysis and has potential applications in early disease diagnosis and molecular visualization.
Scientists at ICFO have developed a method to measure weak forces with sensitivity 50 times higher than previous methods, enabling magnetic resonance imaging of individual molecules. This breakthrough could lead to significant advances in medical imaging and diagnostics.
Researchers at ICFO have successfully demonstrated a new quantum-mechanical measurement technique, allowing for the observation of spinning electrons in atoms without disturbing them. This achievement exceeds the standard quantum limit and paves the way for the observation of individual atoms.
Researchers at ICFO have discovered that graphene can convert a single photon into multiple excited electrons, generating larger electrical signals. This feature makes graphene an ideal building block for devices relying on converting light into electricity, with potential applications in solar cells and efficient light detection.
Researchers at ICFO developed a technique to scan individual cells using artificial atoms, which can detect weak magnetic fields generated by biological molecules. This breakthrough enables non-invasive diagnosis and better understanding of intracellular processes.