Articles tagged with Applied Optics
Researchers have shown that topology can guide multiple, information-carrying light signals through chip-based photonic communication systems, making them more powerful and reliable. This breakthrough could enable the creation of networks of chips that communicate using light while taking advantage of topology's robustness.
Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that nanoscale hotspots in OLEDs can flicker, affecting device lifespans. These hotspots can cause uneven current flow, leading to faster burnout and reduced device performance.
Engineers at Harvard create microcombs on photonic chips, enabling compact, programmable frequency combs for precision measurement and telecommunications applications. The breakthrough makes electro-optic microcombs more practical, energy efficient, and diverse.
Researchers have developed a monolithically integrated VCSEL technology achieving linewidth compression to approximately 1 MHz, enabling stable single-mode operation for precision applications. The device demonstrated impressive performance in a cesium vapor-cell atomic clock, with a frequency stability of 1.89×10^−12 τ^−1 /^2.
Researchers used microwave-based 3D printing to create ceramic components with near-zero porosity and improved strength. The hybrid technique eliminates microscopic holes and traps gas bubbles, allowing for more bending force before breaking.
Recent advances in photonic nanomaterials and healthcare devices have led to the development of wearable and implantable medical devices. These devices utilize light for precise manipulation of cells and tissues, offering new possibilities for early disease detection, light-based therapies, and personalized precision medicine.
The Harvard researchers' new device is elegantly designed to be tunable, with a bilayer design that becomes geometrically chiral and able to 'read' chiral light. By using the MEMS device to continuously vary the twist angle and interlayer spacing, the team showed they could tune the device's intrinsic ability to read different chiral l...
A team of researchers from SASTRA Deemed University demonstrates a fiber-based method for compressing mid-infrared laser pulses into ultrashort, low-noise bursts efficiently. The system reduces input power from kilowatts to 80 watts, improving energy efficiency and thermal stability.
MIT researchers have developed a new photonic device that efficiently beams light into free space, enabling advanced displays, high-speed optical communications, and larger-scale quantum computers. The device uses an array of microscopic structures to project detailed, full-color images and precisely control quantum bits, paving the wa...
Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have demonstrated a new kind of vacuum ultraviolet laser that is 100 to 1,000 times more efficient than existing technologies. The device could enable scientists to observe phenomena currently out of reach, such as following fuel molecules in real time as they undergo combustion, spottin...
Researchers at Politecnico di Milano and CNR have developed a new ultrafast computer technology controlled by light, potentially hundreds of times faster than traditional electronics. The technology manipulates the state of electrons in matter using oscillating light, enabling operations at rates above 10 terahertz.
Scientists at the University of Sydney have developed an ultra-compact AI chip that harnesses the power of light to perform calculations, potentially lowering energy consumption and increasing speed. The prototype, built in-house, achieved 90-99% classification accuracy in image classification tasks.
Researchers developed photonic computing chips that enable fast, all-optical learning and decision making, overcoming key limitations for photonic spiking neural systems. The new chips could improve autonomous driving technologies and enable robotic systems that learn through real-world interactions.
Electrical engineers at Duke University have developed the fastest pyroelectric photodetector, capable of capturing light from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The device requires no external power and operates at room temperature, making it suitable for on-chip applications and multispectral cameras.
A new platform with monolayer WS₂ on top of nanoscale air cavities demonstrates strong enhancement of light emission and nonlinear optical signals. The approach improves upon conventional dielectric nanoresonators by trapping light in air cavities, concentrating the optical field near the surface.
The Ateneo de Manila University's ROSES Lab is the country's first facility for designing Photonic Integrated Circuits and training PIC designers. The lab has over 85 scientific publications and support from various global partners, positioning it as a driver of international collaboration in photonics research and innovation.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed high-performing optical microresonators that can trap light and build up its intensity. By guiding light smoothly through the resonator, they dramatically reduced light loss, allowing photons to circulate longer and interact more strongly inside the device.
Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced laser light combs on a photonic chip. This breakthrough could miniaturize optical platforms like spectroscopic sensors or communication systems.
The Harvard team developed a new microfabrication method to produce high-performance, curved optical mirrors with extremely smooth surfaces. The mirrors can control light at near-infrared wavelengths, enabling fast and efficient quantum networking.
Roberto Morandotti, a world-renowned physicist at INRS, has received the Max Born Award for his breakthroughs in integrated quantum photonics, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast lasers. His work bridges quantum theory with experimental innovation, enabling next-generation optical and quantum technologies.
Researchers at Technical University of Denmark developed a groundbreaking nanolaser that can halve a computer's energy consumption. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including information technology and healthcare, by enabling ultra-small and energy-efficient lasers.
A new prototype device accelerates and reduces energy cost of AI computation by encoding data into light patterns, enabling faster and more efficient processing. This innovation aims to ease the energy bottleneck in AI technology, making it more sustainable and accessible for various applications.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology developed a secure hologram platform that stores information using the wavelength of light and spacing between metasurface layers. The technology enables information processing using light alone, without electrical power or electronic chips.
The portable optical sensor uses machine learning to analyze spectral patterns and estimate grape ripeness directly on the vine. This technology promises significant business benefits for winemakers by providing non-destructive, real-time insight into grape ripeness, reducing labor and time required for sampling and analysis.
Researchers at TU Wien combined two microscopy techniques to create a method for measuring the optical properties of biological samples with high precision. By analyzing the size of fluorescent molecules' light disks, they can determine the refractive index of materials and reconstruct three-dimensional images.
A team at Stanford University developed a new optical cavity architecture that enables efficient collection of single photons from single atoms, paving the way for million-qubit quantum computer networks. This breakthrough could lead to significant advances in materials design, chemical synthesis, and medical research.
Researchers at the University of Michigan developed a pair of sensors that can detect ice and freezing rain, alerting pilots to potential hazards and reducing crashes. The sensors use microwaves and lasers to detect ice on planes and roads, potentially saving lives by slowing down drivers and preventing accidents.
Guosong Hong was honored with the inaugural award for his groundbreaking research on tissue clearing, a technology that makes organs visible to visible light. His work has far-reaching applications in noninvasive diagnostic imaging and clinical translation.
A research team developed a zero-dimensional hybrid metal halide that exhibits reversible fluorescence switching under pressure and solvent stimulation. The material can be toggled between non-emissive and highly emissive states, paving the way for multifunctional optical applications.
Hu's work spans harmful algal blooms, oil spills, coastal water quality, and floating macroalgae with impacts at local, regional, national, and global scales. His discovery of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has profound ecological, economic, and public health implications.
A team from Harvard and University of Lisbon found that silica, a low-refractive index material, can be used for making metasurfaces despite long-held assumptions. They discovered that by carefully considering the geometry of each nanopillar, silica behaves as a metasurface, enabling efficient design of devices with relaxed feature sizes.
Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University create a new machining method that combines laser and magnetic fields to machine advanced materials like high-entropy alloys. The dual-field approach produces smoother surfaces, reduced damage, and improved material removal rates.
A new terahertz spectroscopy system combines high spectral resolution with micrometer-level spatial resolution, enabling the study of complex light-matter interactions. The system achieved a spatial resolution of 20 µm and a spectral resolution of up to 100 MHz.
A research team led by NTU Singapore has recorded a tiny mechanical twitch in living human and rodent eyes when rod photoreceptors detect light. This breakthrough could provide a new non-invasive way to assess retinal health and diagnose blinding eye diseases earlier.
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique to convert low-energy light into high-energy LEDs, improving the ability to upconvert green light to blue or ultraviolet light. The method uses plasmonics to boost upconversion on a thin metal film, reducing the power needed by 19 times compared to previous setups.
Researchers introduce a novel calculation approach to achieve high-quality holographic imaging in vehicle head-up displays. The 'zoom lens' method reduces computation time by 58% and eliminates zero-padding, enabling seamless virtual and physical reality.
Researchers developed a V-band ultra-fast tunable thin film lithium niobate Fourier-domain mode-locked optoelectronic oscillator to generate LCMW with low phase noise and large TBWP. The FDML OEO achieved record-breaking high radiofrequency oscillations up to 65 GHz.
Scientists have developed a platform for generating and detecting ultrashort UV-C laser pulses using atomically-thin semiconductors. The system demonstrates a free-space communication system and has the potential to unlock new opportunities in non-line-of-sight communication systems.
The Advanced Photonics Young Innovator Award honors outstanding papers published in SPIE-CLP's journal over the past five years. Seven recipients are celebrated for their diverse range of innovative research, which shapes the future of optics and photonics.
Researchers from HKUST developed a germanium-ion-implanted silicon waveguide photodiode that achieves high responsivity and ultra-low optical loss, significantly enhancing the performance of on-chip light monitoring. The device is well-suited for integration into photonic circuits without disturbing primary signal flow.
Researchers at CU Boulder have introduced a solution to improving desalination plant performance by observing in real-time membrane fouling using SRS. The technique helps maximize filtration efficiency and reduce energy use, making it crucial for ensuring global access to clean water.
Scientists have developed a new approach to analyzing polarization data, offering a more accurate understanding of complex materials. The elliptical vectorial metrics model simplifies the interpretation of polarization information, improving biomedical imaging and material design.
Liu's project aims to translate optoretinography into a sensitive clinical biomarker for retinal disease assessment. The fellowship supports interdisciplinary problem-driven research and translation of new technologies into clinical practice.
A newly developed wearable sensor uses polarized light to improve photoplethysmography (PPG) signal accuracy across different skin tones. The device splits light into two channels, detecting co-polarized and cross-polarized signals to filter out superficial scattering and capture stronger signals from deeper tissue.
Researchers have demonstrated how controlling the structure of photons in space and time enables tailored quantum states for next-generation communication, sensing, and imaging. This breakthrough offers new pathways for high-capacity quantum communication and advanced technologies.
Research reveals AI's potential to harness structured light for optical communications, microscopy, and computing. Complex patterns in structured light enable natural robustness and vast encoding possibilities.
Researchers proposed ACAL system for fabricating micro ring-shaped metasurface unit cells on highly curved substrates, demonstrating extended depth of focus and robustness against defocus. The method improved minimum annular feature size by over 10 times compared to conventional methods.
Researchers have demonstrated single-shot tensor computing at the speed of light, a breakthrough step towards next-generation AI hardware. This method uses optical computation to perform complex tensor operations, enabling fast and low-power processing.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new microscope that can detect signals over an intensity range 14 times wider than conventional microscopes, enabling label-free observations of cells and particles.
A new study uses X-ray microcomputed tomography to image and analyze 3D chaotic microcavities without harming them. The team found that distorted shapes lead to Arnold diffusion, confirming a long-standing theoretical prediction about 3D chaotic light dynamics.
Scientists at Max Born Institute and DESY develop a plasma lens that focuses attosecond pulses, improving the study of ultrafast electron dynamics. The technique offers high transmission rates and allows for focusing light across different colors.
A new technology developed by Fibarcode uses photonic fibers to create unique codes that can be scanned to verify a garment's fabric content and designer labels. The technology has the potential to increase recycling rates and prevent counterfeiting.
Researchers develop Controllable Spiral Magnetorheological Finishing (CSMRF) to eliminate mid-spatial-frequency ripple errors in sub-aperture polishing. This method integrates adaptive path spacing and spatially varying tool influence function, achieving effective control over targeted error distributions.
The University of Michigan's three-year project, ORACLE, harnesses laser links for power and momentum transfer, enabling satellites to move without fuel. This innovation aims to transform constellations into dynamic, interconnected systems, improving sustainability and resilience.
A new platform allows researchers to study the forces that bind tiny objects together, revealing insights into self-assembly processes and fundamental forces in nature. The platform uses gold flakes in a salt solution, with light bouncing back and forth through nanometre-sized cavities to display colors.
Researchers develop novel dual-laser method to create adaptive, shape-locking devices. The material integrates a shape-memory polymer skeleton with magnetic microcapsules, allowing for 'writing' and 'bending' of instructions and shapes in situ.
Researchers at Sun Yat-sen University create a new method for fabricating ultra-uniform surface structures with features as small as 46 nanometers. The technique uses a carefully tuned femtosecond laser under water immersion, overcoming the challenge of creating uniform nanostructures smaller than 100 nanometers.
Researchers at Aalto University have successfully connected a time crystal to an external system, enabling the development of highly accurate sensors and memory systems for quantum computers. This breakthrough could significantly boost the power of quantum computing by harnessing the unique properties of time crystals.
Researchers review approaches to overcome THz endoscopy limitations in medical diagnostics, discussing advantages and drawbacks of notable systems. Notable examples highlight the potential of THz endoscopy in medical applications, despite challenges related to commercial endoscope availability.
Scientists develop a method for multi-dimensional holographic multiplexing and encryption using full-modulation dielectric geometric-phase metasurfaces. This enables accurate high-capacity information integration with low crosstalk and ideal energy uniformity.