Thermally-painted metasurfaces yield perfect light absorbers that can be used for sensing, solar panels, anti-counterfeiting and stealth technologies. The technique creates a nanostructured surface that absorbs more than 99% of red light.
Researchers developed three techniques for laser colorization on metal, creating optical effects that change the color of the treated surface. The techniques can be used to produce colorful artwork on metals with high reproducibility and potential for mass production.
Researchers found that measuring the brightness of light alone is not enough to infer stratospheric aerosols, highlighting the need for an instrument with precise polarization measurements. A specialized Earth-orbiting instrument is necessary to obtain comprehensive information on aerosol properties and distribution.
A new, low-cost chip-based light-illuminating device enables fast and practical ghost imaging for applications like biomedical imaging and LIDAR. The device uses a compact optical phased array to generate random speckle patterns, allowing for higher sensitivity and faster imaging than traditional methods.
Researchers developed a compact, environmentally stable laser with an ultra-narrow linewidth of 20 hertz, suitable for improving GPS accuracy and detecting gravitational waves. The laser's stability is maintained through self-referencing temperature sensing, allowing precise correction signals to be applied.
Researchers developed a new approach to multicolor holography, encoding images onto thin waveguide structures that guide light. This method produces complex multicolor holographic images with no need for bulky lenses or prisms, making it suitable for portable devices like augmented reality glasses and smartphones.
Scientists have demonstrated a laser-based method to transmit sound waves over long distances without requiring any type of receiver, targeting individuals with precision. The technology uses the photoacoustic effect and can be scaled up for longer distances.
Researchers have developed tiny gears made of germanium that can generate a vortex of twisted light, enabling high-capacity data transmission with chip-based optical computing and communication. The new technology has the potential to boost the amount of data that can be transmitted using less light.
Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that can store more optical data in a smaller space than previously possible on-chip, improving upon the phase-change optical memory cell. The new approach enables storing information in 34 levels, equivalent to 5 bits, and could help meet the growing need for computer data storage.
Researchers developed a new device to measure and control an optically trapped nanoparticle's motion with subatomic resolution. The device uses a light-guiding nanoscale device to monitor the particle's position with unprecedented sensitivity.
Researchers have developed a microfabrication method to create flexible light guides just over one micron wide in clear silicone, enabling smaller and more complex light-based devices. The tiny waveguides can be used for biomedical sensors, endoscopes, and wearable devices, with low light loss and high biocompatibility.
A new graphene-based sensor design can detect multiple substances simultaneously, including bacteria and pathogens, offering improved food safety. The sensor's high sensitivity and adjustable properties make it suitable for a wide range of applications.
Researchers have developed a faster way to acquire 3D endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using 40% less data, which could aid in early detection and classification of various diseases. The new method uses computational approaches that create full 3-D images from incomplete data.
Researchers have developed two new approaches to 3D imaging with X-rays, enabling unprecedented detail in disease-screening, materials development, and structural information of opaque objects. The methods, including ghost imaging and single-shot techniques, reduce X-ray doses and destroy samples, paving the way for cheaper, more readi...
A new machine learning algorithm combined with a handheld smartphone device can accurately estimate the gestational age of premature newborns. The technology has the potential to aid healthcare workers in remote and low-income countries, where preterm births are a leading cause of child mortality.
Researchers developed a universal light modulator to create complex structures for probing and controlling matter. This architecture generates arbitrary light structures with programmable beamlets, enabling new scientific and technological frontiers in photonics applications that require high power.
Researchers have developed a new technique that combines light-sheet fluorescence microscopy with three-photon absorption to image deeper into tissue. This breakthrough could improve neuroscience and developmental studies, and may be useful for drug discovery.
Researchers have created a new air-filled optical fiber bundle that can improve endoscopes used in medical procedures like minimally invasive surgeries. The technology allows for higher resolution images at double the wavelength range, enabling diagnostic procedures not possible with current endoscope technology.
Researchers developed an OCT-based imaging tool to visualize how sound-induced vibrations travel through the ear. The technology provides new insight into hearing and could inform diagnosis and treatment of hearing problems. The instrument measures tiny vibrations within the ear, allowing for precise measurements at over 10,000 points.
Researchers created a new camera inspired by mantis shrimp vision, improving dynamic range up to 10,000 times higher than commercial cameras. The camera detects light polarization and can spot hazards three times farther away than color cameras used on cars today.
Researchers have developed a ghost imaging technique that can measure atmospheric greenhouse gases with subnanometer resolution, improving detection sensitivity and accuracy. The new approach enables measurements using less powerful light sources and at wavelengths where highly sensitive detectors aren't available.
Researchers have developed a new approach to see-through displays for augmented reality smart glasses. The design projects images onto the eye using photons and holographic optical elements to form letters and words.
Researchers developed a new spectro-gonio radiometer called SHADOWS to analyze light reflected from very small or extremely dark materials. The instrument can probe samples measuring less than one millimeter cubed and provide information on physical and chemical properties.
Researchers developed a light-based technique for measuring weak magnetic fields, like those from the brain. The sensors can detect the brain's magnetic field and have the potential to replace MRI machines, offering an alternative for real-time brain activity mapping.
Researchers developed a smart, flexible photoacoustic imaging technique using a compact fiber laser that may have potential applications in wearable devices, instrumentation, and medical diagnostics. The new technique provides better sensitivity than existing piezoelectric transducers for medical imaging.
The optical society laser engineers have successfully designed and tested a high-resolution laser system for the GEDI mission, which will study Earth's forests and topography from the International Space Station. The laser systems must withstand heat and vibration for journey to and operation aboard ISS.
PySight improves rapid 2D and 3D imaging of the brain with high spatiotemporal resolution, enabling scientists to better understand brain dynamics and discover new treatments. The open-source software integrates with state-of-the-art hardware, overcoming technical barriers to continuous 3D imaging.
Scientists have created a non-invasive instrument that uses optical trapping and Raman spectroscopy to study individual cells in real-time. The technique allows for the analysis of cell interactions and molecular differences without damaging or labeling the cells.
Researchers have developed a digitally designed holographic optical element that can replicate the functions of bulky optics, enabling more people-friendly AR/VR devices. The approach overcomes a significant bottleneck in commercial success by incorporating collimating functions on the lens array itself.
A new compact hyperspectral system captures 5-D images with high speed and accuracy, benefiting applications such as optical-based sorting and personal medical monitoring. The system uses structured light to create detailed digital archives of historically valuable artifacts.
Researchers developed a handheld ophthalmology instrument with adaptive optics technology to image individual photoreceptors in the eye, improving diagnosis of eye diseases. The device can capture images of tiny photoreceptors close to the center of the retina, providing insights into brain-related diseases and trauma.
Researchers use deep neural networks to recognize images transmitted over optical fibers, achieving high accuracy despite distortions caused by environmental factors. The technique has potential for improving endoscopic imaging in medical diagnosis and increasing the information-carrying capacity of fiber-optic telecommunication networks.
Researchers have developed a quantum random number generator using a millimeter-scale chip that measures phase fluctuations from a laser diode, generating high-speed random numbers with low power consumption. The device enables real-time encryption and secure data transmission, overcoming vulnerabilities of existing algorithms.
Artificial neural networks can now be trained directly on an optical chip, paving the way for less expensive, faster, and more energy-efficient AI. This breakthrough enables complex tasks like speech or image recognition to be performed more efficiently.
Researchers have developed nanomaterial-based white LEDs with a record luminous efficiency of 105 lumens per watt, promising a promising energy-efficient lighting source for homes and offices. The new LEDs use commercially available blue LEDs combined with flexible lenses filled with quantum dots to create white light.
A new all-optical ultrasound imager has been demonstrated for video-rate, real-time 2D imaging of biological tissue. The system offers significant flexibility in switching between different imaging modes, such as 2D and 3D imaging, without the need to swap probes.
Researchers have developed a new approach to invisibility cloaking based on manipulating light frequency, making objects invisible under broadband illumination. This technology could be used for secure data transmissions, sensing, and telecommunications.
Researchers have developed a macroscale fluorescence imaging technique, known as macro-FLIM, that can analyze whole mouse tumors with cellular resolution. The new approach enables observation of biochemical processes taking place within the sample, and could potentially find use in clinical settings to identify tumor edges during surgery.
Researchers demonstrate large-scale fabrication of transparent conductive electrode film based on nanopatterned silver, offering high-performance and long-lasting option for use with flexible screens. The silver-based films could also enable flexible solar cells and improve existing flexible displays.
Researchers at NIST developed a novel power meter called 'Smart Mirror' that measures laser power in real-time using radiation pressure. The device is compact, sensitive, and fast, enabling continuous measurement during welding and calibration processes.
Researchers have developed a new transmission electron microscopy technique that can determine the 3D position of individual atoms with atomic resolution. The technique uses image intensity measurements to reconstruct the atomic potentials, allowing for more quantitative reconstruction of weakly scattering samples.
A new approach to injecting light into silicon microdisks enhances the performance of chip-based biosensors, leading to more sensitive detection of diseases. The end-fire injection technique offers improved robustness and reduced cost, paving the way for commercial applications.
Researchers use LiDAR to locate invasive lake trout and identify spawning areas, offering a faster and more efficient way to manage the lake's ecosystem. The low-cost instrument can cover large areas of the lake, reducing labor costs and environmental impact.
Researchers have demonstrated a light-based system that can avoid jamming in wireless communication networks, using a neural algorithm inspired by a cave-dwelling fish. The system could enable more efficient use of limited bandwidth and reduce costs for service providers.
A new technique using sound waves to levitate water droplets improves the detection of heavy metal contaminants like lead and mercury. The method, combining laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), can detect very low levels of contaminants in real-time on-site.
Researchers developed an inkjet printing technique to print optical components such as waveguides with high precision. The technique can also fabricate electronics and microfluidics, paving the way for combined devices on a single chip.
Researchers developed a camera that provides surgeons with both traditional color images and near-infrared images to detect fluorescently labeled cancer cells. The new camera greatly improves upon existing cameras, offering high sensitivity even under bright surgical lighting.
New nanoparticle-based films can holographically archive more than 1000 times more data than a DVD in a small piece of film. The technology could enable tiny wearable devices that capture and store 3-D images with realistic detail.
Scientists have created an ultra-thin fiber-based endoscope that can image neurons firing in living mice, offering new insights into brain function. The device is five times thinner than the smallest commercially available microendoscopes and allows for deeper brain imaging without damaging tissue.
The new instrument increases the sensitivity of optical mammography by up to 1000-fold, allowing for earlier detection of breast cancer. This advancement offers a safer and more gentle alternative to traditional X-ray imaging, which is often limited by patient age, weight, or other factors.