Researchers have developed a new end-to-end neural network called Fourier Imager Network (FIN) that can speed up the reconstruction of holographic images. FIN works well on new types of samples not seen by the network during training, delivering high-quality images and improved computational speed.
Researchers have developed a flexible endoscopic imaging probe using a bendable graded index (GRIN) lens, enabling 3D microscopic imaging of tissue. The new technology could shorten biopsy waiting times to minutes and enable real-time monitoring of tissue changes.
Researchers have demonstrated a new visible light communication system that uses a single optical path to create a multi-channel communication link over the air. The system, based on devices called multiple quantum well (MQW) III-nitride diodes, can save half the channel space, cost and power by using a single link.
Researchers developed a new analytical instrument using an ultrafast laser to measure hydrogen concentration and temperature, advancing greener hydrogen-based fuel studies. The instrument's capabilities will help develop more environmentally friendly propulsion engines.
Researchers developed a thin lens with a continuously tunable focal length to alleviate vergence-accommodation conflict in AR/VR devices. The Alvarez lens can change focus continuously within a large range while being compact and lightweight.
Researchers developed a lensless camera that captures 3D information with a single exposure using a thin microlens array and new image processing algorithms. The camera can produce 3D images in real-time, enabling applications such as industrial part inspection, gesture recognition, and 3D display systems.
The new photodetector design combines long-range transport of optical energy with long-range conversion to electrical current, mimicking the photosynthetic complexes found in plants. The device can gather light from areas of about 0.01 mm² and achieve conversion of light to electrical current over exceptionally long distances of 0.1 nm.
A new wireless laser charging system uses infrared light to transfer high levels of power over distances of up to 30 meters, sufficient for charging sensors. The system automatically shifts to a safe low power delivery mode if an object or person blocks the line of sight, achieving hazard-free power delivery in free space.
Researchers have developed highly sensitive and mass producible organic photodetectors that can detect weak signals. The new photodetectors exhibited a detectivity comparable to those of conventional silicon photodiodes, operating stably under temperatures above 150 °C.
Researchers demonstrate a compact QKD system that paves the way for cost-effective satellite-based quantum networks. The system successfully distributes secure keys between a space lab and four ground stations, representing an important step toward practical QKD networks.
Researchers developed a label-free Raman spectroscopy approach with enhanced sensitivity and speed, allowing for non-invasive imaging of biological samples. The new CARS microscopy system can acquire microscopic images and identify biomolecules with unprecedented resolution and speed.
Researchers have developed a new chip-based beam steering device that eliminates aliasing errors, enabling high-quality beam steering over large fields of view. The device, published in Optica, has the potential to revolutionize lidar applications in autonomous driving, virtual reality, and biomedical sensing.
A new light-based sensor harnesses the light-guiding properties of spider silk to detect and measure small changes in the refractive index of a biological solution, including glucose and other types of sugar solutions. The sensor is practical, compact, biocompatible, cost-effective, and highly sensitive.
Researchers have created a photoacoustic imaging endoscope probe that can fit inside a medical needle, resolving subcellular-scale tissue structural and molecular information in 3D. The device has an ultra-thin design, allowing for real-time 3D characterization of tissue during minimally invasive procedures.
Researchers have created a new glass-ceramic that emits light in response to mechanical stress, enabling potential applications for monitoring stress in artificial joints and structures.
Researchers have developed a new method to generate flexible needle-shaped laser beams, extending the depth-of-focus for optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. This allows for improved lateral resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast, and image quality over a long depth range.
Researchers develop a new technique that uses quantum-inspired interferometry to capture high-resolution 3D images with micron-scale resolution, potentially useful for facial recognition and tracking applications. The approach overcomes limitations of conventional lidar by reducing light loss and enhancing depth resolution.
Researchers developed an automated method to create 3D images of leaked gas clouds, enabling precise location, volume, and concentration determination. This technology can provide early leak warnings, assess risk, or determine the best way to fix leaks in large facilities with stored toxic chemicals.
A new open-path mid-infrared spectrometer can precisely measure isotopologue ratios in atmospheric water vapor in under 15 minutes, offering improved accuracy for climate change modeling and air quality monitoring. The instrument's dual-comb technique enables spatially resolved studies of water vapor transport over natural ecosystems.
By using the brain's visual response as feedback, researchers can reconstruct images of simple objects in real-time. The technique has potential applications in augmenting human capabilities and could one day be used to bring together human and artificial intelligence.
Researchers developed an AI method to automatically detect plaque erosion in heart arteries using OCT images. The new technique uses neural networks and post-processing algorithms to predict regions of possible plaque erosion and refine the initial prediction based on clinically interpretable features.
The new technique, 3D optical coherence refraction tomography (3D OCRT), produces highly detailed images revealing features difficult to observe with traditional OCT. It has the potential for biomedical research and eventually more accurate medical diagnostic imaging.
Researchers developed a metasurface-based device that produces multiple distinct holographic images depending on the surrounding medium and wavelength of light used. The device can be used for encryption, humidity sensing, or biomedical applications.
Scientists have developed a new method of recording data using light on silicon waveguides, enabling non-volatile and high-performance magneto-optical memories. This breakthrough could lead to all-optical alternatives in telecommunications infrastructure and applications in optical computing.
Scientists have developed a transparent device that produces a hidden image when light shines on it, using liquid crystals to recreate an ancient light trick. The technology has the potential to enable reconfigurable displays and stable 3D images.
Researchers developed a new way to apply antireflective coatings to 3D printed micro-optical systems, reducing light losses and improving imaging quality. The low-temperature coating technique can be used for applications such as miniature fiber endoscopes and virtual reality devices.
A new measurement and imaging approach resolves nanostructures smaller than the diffraction limit without dyes or labels, using polarization and angle-resolved images of transmitted light. The method measures particle size and position with high accuracy, closing the gap between conventional microscopes and super-resolution techniques.
The conference features over 2,000 technical presentations, plenary speakers Dana Anderson, Hui Cao, Peter Delfyett, and Michal Lipson, and showcases market-ready technologies in lasers and photonics. Industry-leading companies demonstrate new products and technologies
Researchers developed new polymer materials with adjustable refractive index, enabling easy creation of optical interconnects between photonic chips and board-level circuits. The technology has the potential to boost Internet data center efficiency by reducing power consumption and heat generation.
The Biophotonics Congress: Biomedical Optics will bring together biomedical experts to discuss advancements in clinical and translational biophotonics. Key findings include the development of label-free spectroscopy methods for identifying parathyroid glands during thyroidectomies.
Researchers developed a new deep learning algorithm that allows for real-time reconstruction of images combining optical and magnetic resonance imaging data. The algorithm, Z-Net, enables faster image generation and can be trained with simulated data, improving breast cancer detection.
A new low-cost, portable instrument uses photonic technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples with high sensitivity and speed. The device can measure small quantities of virus like PCR tests but is as fast as rapid antigen tests.
Scientists have developed a metasurface lens with tunable focus using a piezoelectric thin film, enabling compact and lightweight optics. The new technology could be used in various applications such as portable medical diagnostic instruments, drone-based 3D mapping, and miniaturized cameras.
A new approach using an array of series-connected solar cells as detectors simplifies underwater optical data links, offering a cost-effective and low-energy way to transmit data underwater. The system demonstrated the highest bandwidth ever achieved for a commercial silicon solar panel-based optical communication system.
The researchers developed an eye-like adaptive liquid lens that can be used to diverge or converge light by changing the shape of the DBA liquid. The lens exhibits high optical performance with good stability and can be used in various applications such as mobile phone cameras, endoscopes, and machine vision.
A new method combines computational ghost imaging and x-ray fluorescence to create high-resolution chemical element maps. This approach eliminates lenses, reducing scanning time and improving spatial resolution, making it useful for biomedicine, materials science, art analysis, and industrial inspection.
The new technology can reliably distinguish between cancerous and healthy liver tissue, aiding diagnosis and potentially reducing errors in biopsies. The researchers plan to continue measuring fluorescence lifetime parameters in patients with different types of tumors to generate real-time diagnostic classifiers.
Researchers developed a new SERS-based multiplexing technique to detect kidney injury biomarkers SLPI and IL-18, achieving high sensitivity and reliability. The approach shows promise for objectively assessing donor kidney quality, potentially reducing discard rates and recipient complications in clinical practice.
Researchers have developed a new metalenses technology that enables filter-free color image sensors with enhanced signal levels. This innovation could improve low-light and fast imaging capabilities for smartphones and autonomous vehicles, leading to better night view capture and high-speed object detection.
Researchers developed a detachable head-mounted photoacoustic microscope for imaging brain activity in freely moving mice. The probe captures neurovascular dynamics and can be removed after imaging, enabling long-term studies that could reveal new insights into neurodegenerative diseases.
The new method enables faster prototyping of customized optical components for various applications, including eyewear and telescopes. It achieves extremely smooth surfaces using basic equipment found in most labs.
Senior governmental officials from Scotland and California met during COP26 to discuss a dense network of optical sensors for real-time monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions. This will provide local leaders with essential information to support strategic policy decisions.
The GEMM Initiative aims to bridge the gap between science and policy by providing local governments with actionable, real-time greenhouse gas and pollution emission data. This will enable policymakers to make informed decisions on reducing climate change and air pollution in their cities.
Researchers have developed a fast and energy-efficient laser-writing method for producing high-density nanostructures in silica glass, enabling 5D optical data storage that is more than 10,000 times denser than Blue-Ray disc storage technology. The new approach can write tens of gigabytes of data in a reasonable time, with the ability ...
Researchers develop label-free virtual microscopy images that allow detailed visualization of tissue without staining procedures. The new technique provides realistic images that could help reduce the need for repeat surgeries by enabling histopathology analysis during surgery.
Researchers have developed a tiny chip-based device that uses two-mode squeezing to create unconditional entanglement between continuous optical fields. The new microcomb has been tested and found to exhibit raw squeezing of 1.6 dB, with potential for further improvement by reducing system losses.
Researchers created tiny chip-based optical tweezers that can be used to optically levitate nanoparticles in a vacuum, reducing the footprint of traditional optical traps. The new design enables precise sensing applications and has potential uses for studying near-surface forces and quantum processes.
Researchers demonstrated record-long-distance quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol over a 605-kilometer fiber using twin-field QKD and new signal stabilization technique. This achievement enables the transmission of highly secure information between cities.
Researchers have developed frequency translating add/drop filters that can shift the frequency of light signals, enabling new applications in data communication, quantum computing and optical neural networks. The filters exhibit low cross-talk and can be optimized for practical use.
Researchers have demonstrated a new wavelength-tunable, silicon photon-pair source integrated with a pump rejection filter in a single CMOS chip. The device represents an important step toward an entangled photon source that incorporates active photonic devices and feedback control circuits on the same CMOS chip.