Articles tagged with Applied Optics
XPANCEO and Contamac collaborate to integrate AR display technologies into contact lenses, focusing on comfortable wear and scalable manufacturing. The partnership aims to address core challenges in smart contact lens development, including material and manufacturing processes.
Researchers create 3D light fields to excite electrons into previously inaccessible quantum states, opening up new avenues for investigating chiral structures and controlling light-matter interactions. This approach could lead to advances in chiral sensing and molecular chirality studies.
A new hierarchical path planning method optimizes internal and external parameters of Dynamic Movement Primitives to ensure precise assembly and safe obstacle avoidance. The method achieves minimum obstacle clearance of 0.078m and 0.018m in static and dynamic scenarios, respectively.
Carbon-based materials exhibit ultra-high thermal conductivity, low density, and low coefficient of thermal expansion, making them suitable for space optical remote sensors. Graphite materials show significant promise in heat dissipation and lightweighting, while carbon/carbon composites improve temperature homogenization.
Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed new ways to address the growing demand for fast and efficient data exchange. They have created photonic microchips and optical bridges that enable the economical production of optical systems for data networks, data centers, and artificial intelligence.
Researchers developed a tiny mirror that can control light in three dimensions at record speeds, enabling faster and smaller optical systems for brain imaging, augmented reality and precision manufacturing. This technology could lead to smaller, mountable miniature microscopes for studying neurobiology and lighter glasses and headsets ...
The US National Science Foundation has funded the ZEUS laser facility for another 5 years, enabling new experiments in physics and technology. The facility, run by the University of Michigan, will undergo upgrades, including a larger target chamber and AI integration, to explore quantum and cosmic scales.
A recent study explores topology imprinting in nonlinear metasurfaces, enabling precise control of light at the nanoscale. This approach can generate complex structured light fields while preserving their unique structures across different wavelengths, paving the way for compact next-generation photonic technologies.
Researchers developed a hybrid photonic platform that achieves wide two-dimensional field-of-view without sacrificing beam quality. The platform uses a light-routing chip, microscopic reflectors, and a metasurface to steer an optical beam in both horizontal and vertical directions.
Graphene diffractive zone plates can produce wavelength-dependent focal and interference patterns that serve as physical responses. AI analysis transforms these patterns into compact binary security responses.
This technology features arrays of single-erbium ion qubits embedded in silicon-based hollow nanopillars, enabling high-performance, room-temperature quantum sensing and communication. It demonstrates record-long optical coherence times in the telecom C-band, exceeding 500 μs at ambient conditions.
A new sensor technology uses light and nanomaterials to detect metal contamination in water, offering a promising alternative to current methods. The sensor combines borosilicate glass, aluminum, aluminum oxide, and graphene oxide to detect subtle optical changes associated with mercury, lead, and zinc in water.
A new multiplexing scheme enables deterministic light-sharing PET modules with improved power efficiency and data efficiency. The scheme reads out timestamps at the ASIC level, reducing power consumption without sacrificing coincidence time resolution.
EPFL researchers have developed ultra-thin silicon structures that can rapidly tune their interaction with mid-infrared light, enabling faster communications and more sensitive detectors. The devices achieve record optical performance and can be controlled in real-time using electrical currents or ultrafast laser pulses.
Scientists developed laser-carved microvalves to protect fragile brain catheters from backflow, enabling smooth delivery of therapies. The valves regulate fluid flow through geometry without moving parts, suppressing reverse pressure surges by up to 82%.
Researchers developed a feasible fabrication strategy for 2-inch Micro-QLED wafers using solvent engineering and photolithography-template assisted processing. The technology enables large-area uniform quantum-dot films and resolves high-resolution and high-brightness limitations of existing microdisplay technologies.
Large-aperture telescopes rely on high-quality optical mirrors, requiring complex engineering chains for fabrication and testing. Advances in manufacturing and testing technologies are crucial for achieving sub-nanometer surface-figure control and batch consistency.
Researchers have successfully precise machined refractory high entropy alloy using water-jet guided laser technology, achieving a clean processing interface and ultra-thin heat-affected zone. The technology also shows high quality characteristics in micro-drilling with low roughness and high consistency.
Researchers create powerful optical device with layered semiconductor and metasurface, enhancing nonlinear frequency conversion and enabling efficient light mixing and transformation. The device has potential applications in telecommunications, quantum communication, and photonic quantum computing.
A new method using femtosecond lasers enables the fabrication of ultrafine quantum-dot pixels with high precision and color purity for micro-LEDs. The method produces well-defined monochromatic red and green arrays with clear boundaries, achieving luminous uniformities of 90% and 97%.
Researchers summarize a systematic overview of polarization optical metrology for linear birefringence in transparent anisotropic media. The review discusses physical origins, measurement methods, and applications, including residual stress analysis, advanced material characterization, and biomedical imaging.
A team of researchers created a micro-3D-printed, monolithic optical system that co-integrates micro-scale imaging and ring-illumination in a single fiber bundle endoscope. The compact system achieves a resolution of micro-scale imaging in air and biomedical liquids, enabling future endoscopes for less invasive imaging procedures.
A new LiDAR system enables simultaneous 3D imaging and multi-parameter sensing for electric vehicle safety. The system accurately measures temperature, gas concentrations, and liquid density, and has potential applications in new energy vehicles and spacecraft.
Researchers develop a dual-functional metasurface that achieves high holographic efficiency while enabling structural color printing. The metasurface displays vivid structural colors and reconstructs holographic images with high efficiency across a broad range of visible wavelengths.
Researchers developed flexible Te/PET films for ultrafast all-optical terahertz modulators, achieving high modulation depth and ultrasensitive response. The device maintained stable performance under bending deformation, enabling reliable information processing for intelligent sensing and neuromorphic optoelectronic systems.
Researchers developed a new approach to multi-camera identity tracking by combining camera geometry and visual appearance. The method achieved high IDF1 scores on benchmarks, demonstrating improved tracking continuity across different environments, but highlighted limitations in detecting people in severe occlusion.
A team of scientists developed a high-throughput platform to fabricate optical neural networks at visible wavelengths, achieving record speeds and low energy consumption. Four million neurons were printed on a millimeter-scale chip in just 15 minutes.
The integration of carbon dots with nanowires overcomes aggregation issues, enabling precise spectral filtering and optical confinement for enhanced photoluminescence. This scalable host-guest architecture offers a powerful platform for nanophotonic light sources in sensing, communication, and quantum technologies.
SEAS researchers demonstrate a unique 'all-mechanical coherence protection' of a silicon-vacancy spin in diamond using continuous mechanical driving fields made of phonons. This approach extends the spin coherence time by roughly a factor of three, establishing the potential for compact, sound-based quantum networks on chips.
A team of researchers has developed a low-loss silicon nitride waveguide that generates broadband light on a chip by replacing hydrogen with deuterium. The waveguide demonstrates a chip-scale waveguide that stretches infrared laser pulses into a spectrum running from visible red to deep into the infrared.
Researchers at the University of Utah have developed a new method of 3D printing that creates shapes with voids using a nanoscale 'mask' that diffracts laser light. The process takes as little as 7.5 seconds, a significant improvement over traditional laser-based printing methods.
A research team at Pohang University of Science and Technology developed technologies for producing sharp full-color images using metalenses, addressing two major challenges: high optical performance and scalable manufacturing. The team solved the issue of achromatic performance by controlling the height of nanoscale pillars, enabling ...
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a lower-cost imaging system that overcomes challenges in near-infrared light transmission through deep tissue and dense fog. The AI-enhanced time-gating technique produces clearer images in these environments, improving applications such as cancer detection and LiDAR systems.
FPP is evolving from geometric triangulation to light transport analysis with AI and CI, expanding its capabilities beyond shape acquisition. The new framework enables a deeper understanding of light transport, material properties, and scene formation mechanisms, opening opportunities for intelligent perception technologies.
A US team has created an integrated manufacturing framework to produce atomic-scale optics for next-generation light sources. The pipeline links atomic-scale fabrication and precision metrology to in-situ X-ray beam validation, achieving deterministic delivery of nanofocusing mirrors.
Physicists at TU Dortmund University demonstrate non-local synchronization of electron-nuclear spin oscillations, opening routes to controllable spin networks. Many time crystals can form in the same material and synchronize their oscillations, even at distances exceeding one thousand times the size of an individual oscillator.
The panel discussed how advances in engineering are unlocking new scientific missions and driving breakthroughs. Emerging technologies, such as commercial capabilities and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the mission landscape.
Researchers at DTU Electro have developed a method to double the usable wavelength range of ultra-low-noise supercontinuum lasers in a single fiber. This breakthrough enables stable broadband light with exceptionally low noise, benefiting medical imaging, gas sensing, and spectroscopy. The new source spans from 0.86 to 2.90 micrometers...
Scientists have demonstrated that quantum entanglement between photons can be generated directly from sunlight, opening the possibility of more energy-efficient and accessible quantum technologies. The researchers achieved an entanglement rate of about 94% similarity to a perfectly entangled state.
Researchers have developed a novel solution for dynamic terahertz wavefront control using stretchable single-walled carbon nanotube-based metasurfaces. The devices enable focal-length-tunable and beam-steering capabilities through simple mechanical deformation, opening up new avenues for smart and wearable THz components.
Researchers have developed a novel perovskite photodetector structure, combining two materials with different bandgaps to enhance current flow. The 'chocolate-chip-cookie' design allows for efficient charge transfer and photocarrier generation, enabling fast photoresponse and linear dynamic response.
Researchers have developed a new photonic architecture that enables scalable spatiotemporal interleaving networks for high-density integrated photonic convolution. The SPIN (Spatiotemporal Photonic Interleaving Network) framework reduces waveguide complexity and increases programmability in wavelength-domain interleaving, enabling comp...
Researchers have developed a new approach to create large-scale uniform porous SiO2 monolayer coatings for high-reflection and anti-reflection optics. The coatings demonstrate excellent laser damage resistance, surpassing that of fused silica substrates.
Researchers developed an infrared spectroscopy system that can rapidly detect chemical aerosols from a distance using common surfaces like traffic signs and tree trunks. The method eliminates the need for mirrors, making it practical for real-world applications.
Researchers at University of Witwatersrand have discovered that quantum information can be kept intact even when transmitted through turbulent environments. This breakthrough enables the use of twisted light to create high-capacity communication networks and ultra-resilient quantum computers.
A team of researchers from Chiba University developed a method to monitor laser ablation in real time by detecting tiny push-back forces during laser cutting. By tracking the recoil force, they can sense depth and detect completion in real time, allowing for precise control over the process.
A team of researchers at Harvard and Max Planck Institute have developed three new functional components for photonic microchips using an inverse design algorithm. The compact designs are about 500 times smaller than conventional designs and offer a path toward higher-performance integrated light technologies.
Engineers create optimized interfacial energy barrier in NbSe2/WSe2 heterostructure to accelerate charge separation while suppressing dark current. This approach enables high-speed optical imaging with enhanced fidelity, opening a promising route for next-generation optoelectronic devices.
A team of scientists has developed a method to control the motion of Leidenfrost droplets on a heated surface using femtosecond laser processing. The droplets exhibit a hybrid boiling state, combining the advantages of film and transition-boiling states, allowing for efficient heat transfer and directional propulsion.
Andreas Beling, a professor at the University of Virginia, is recognized for his work on high-power photodetectors and integrated optical detectors for quantum applications. His research enables faster data transmission and higher-speed communication systems, with potential impact on quantum computing and medical imaging.
A team of scientists developed a hybrid plasmonic modulator based on Si-ITO-SiO₂-Au, using a multimode silicon waveguide to create two spatially separated channels with precise phase shift. This device enables compact, high-speed optical links for data centers, telecommunications, and microwave photonics.
A new bioinspired planar intelligent nanophotonic sensor has been developed for wide-angle accurate motion perception and prediction. The system uses a metalens array to achieve an ultra-wide viewing angle of 135° and enables the extraction of velocity and direction information of moving targets with high accuracy.
Researchers successfully demonstrated the Talbot effect in diatom-inspired three-dimensional structures in the terahertz range. The fabricated structures replicate the native architecture of diatom frustules and reveal distinct optical roles for each layer.
The study introduces an integrated full-chip EUV curvilinear MO framework that merges deep-learning-enabled forward modeling and gradient-based inverse optimization. It reduces model complexity and memory usage through tunable U-Net surrogate models and slice-based approximated gradient calculation schemes.
A new mixed-frequency heterodyne demodulation (MHD) architecture has been developed to address limitations of existing multi-gas LITES systems. The novel architecture enables simultaneous detection of two gas species, achieving low-crosstalk detection and excellent linearity.
Researchers unveiled a technique to build ultra-clean 2D heterostructures using muscovite crystals, eliminating microscopic residues that disrupt electronic device performance. This method enables precise stacking of atomic layers, leading to new properties and potential breakthroughs in quantum computing and nanoelectronics.
Researchers at MIT have developed a microscopic pixel-based tunable lens that controls incoming infrared light for more precise thermal imaging, chemical sensing, or pollution monitoring. The system enables compact, dynamic infrared cameras with potential applications in environmental protection, space research, and military technology.
Scientists developed a 2D thermo-optic modulation platform using QD film based micro-ring resonators, achieving a 19.77-fold increase in tuning sensitivity and a 50-fold improvement in modulation speed compared to conventional devices. The hybrid system enables real-time high-speed reconfiguration with enhanced performance and reduced ...
The University of Rochester-led NSF STELLAR Engine launches to strengthen US competitiveness in global markets by advancing lasers and laser application research. The project aims to bring New York laser research, development, and manufacturing to a scale that can compete globally.
The L²-CPI system extends optical microscopy capabilities by capturing data 'on the fly' and retrieving phase information with high precision. This allows for non-destructive inspection of large-scale nanometrology samples, such as wafer defect arrays, with sub-wavelength defect detection.