Nanophotonics
Articles tagged with Nanophotonics
Ultraviolet light that fits on a chip
The Harvard-led team demonstrates a micron-scale photonic device that generates two orders of magnitude more UV light on a chip than previous approaches. By converting red light to UV light through frequency upconversion, the researchers create high-power, low-loss, compact UV sources.
Bright quantum light emission achieved at room temperature in 2D semiconductors
Researchers have successfully created a high-efficiency quantum light source that emits bright lights even at room temperature using 2D semiconductors. The achievement is made possible by confining excitons in a tiny region via nanohole-induced confinement and neutralizing excess charges.
Record-breaking photonics approach traps light on a chip for millions of cycles
A team of researchers has developed a method to sculpt atomically thin van der Waals materials without destroying them, achieving record-breaking performance in photonic chips. The 'suit of armour' approach enables ultra-smooth vdW microdisks that trap light with extremely little loss.
Racetrack-shaped lasers for bright, stable frequency combs
A new laser source generates a specific type of light source called a frequency comb in the mid-infrared region, paving the way for miniaturization. The device overcomes engineering challenges to produce bright, stable, and compact frequency combs.
Anisotropic 2D crystal with hyperbolic localized plasmon resonances
Hyperbolic localized plasmon resonances were achieved in an anisotropic two-dimensional crystal, enabling tunable optical chirality and potential applications in miniaturized photonic components, spectroscopic sensors, and molecular fingerprinting.
Tiny LED design could power next-generation technology
Researchers from The University of Osaka propose a compact LED design that directly emits circularly polarized light, potentially simplifying optical devices. The new design uses robust inorganic materials and achieves high levels of both efficiency and polarization degree.
New photonic device, developed by MIT researchers, efficiently beams light into free space
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...
Generating micro-combs of light
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.
Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks
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.
‘Giant superatoms’ unlock a new toolbox for quantum computers
Giant superatoms combine two quantum-mechanical constructs to suppress decoherence and create entanglement, opening opportunities for scalable and reliable quantum systems. This breakthrough enables quantum information to be protected, controlled, and distributed in new ways.
Microscopic laser can halve a computer’s energy use
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.
Five researchers at Italian Institute of Technology win new ERC funding
Five IIT researchers receive Proof-of-Concept grants to develop innovative health technologies, including a smart microscope and edible pills. These projects aim to tackle cancer, dyslexia, and diagnostics with cutting-edge technologies like quantum computing and near-infrared photonic chips.
An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics
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.
Scientists discover record-breaking ‘light-bending’ material for the workhorse of advanced chipmaking: blue and ultraviolet light
Researchers from TU Delft and Radboud University discovered CuInP₂S₆ (CIPS), a two-dimensional ferroelectric material, can control the pathway and properties of blue and ultraviolet light. CIPS shows giant birefringence in the blue-UV range, making it a potential game-changer for photonics applications.
A platform of gold reveals the forces of nature’s invisible glue
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.
Proven quantum advantage: Researchers cut the time for a learning task from 20 million years to 15 minutes
A new paper in Science reports proven quantum advantage, where entangled light lets researchers learn a system's noise with very few measurements. The experiment cuts the number of measurements needed by an enormous factor, from 20 million years to just 15 minutes.
A new way to guide light, undeterred
A new system developed by Penn researchers allows light to be guided through tiny crystals with minimal scattering or reflection. This breakthrough paves the way for more efficient and controllable photonic chips, enabling faster data transmission and reduced errors.
Physical neural networks, the new frontier for sustainable artificial intelligence
Researchers at Politecnico di Milano developed photonic chips for training physical neural networks, eliminating digitisation requirements. This allows for faster, more robust, and efficient network training using light signals.
Electrically pumped surface-emitting amplified spontaneous emission from colloidal quantum dots
A new strategy is used to enable efficient carrier injection, effective thermal management, and strong optical confinement in colloidal quantum dot films. This leads to population inversion, confirming the achievement of electrically pumped surface-emitting amplified spontaneous emission.
Making the invisible visible: a new way to boost light emission at the nanoscale
Researchers discovered a new way to enhance light emission in nanoparticles, leading to the visualization of infrared radiation. The technique, which involves simultaneous excitation with two near-infrared beams, could have applications in microscopy and photonic technologies.
Digital to analog in one smooth step
The new Harvard device can turn purely digital electronic inputs into analog optical signals at high speeds, addressing the bottleneck of computing and data interconnects. It has the potential to enable advances in microwave photonics and emerging optical computing approaches.
Nanodevice uses sound to sculpt light, paving the way for better displays and imaging
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a novel nanodevice that manipulates light using sound waves, enabling precise control over color and intensity. This breakthrough has significant implications for various fields, including computer displays, virtual reality, and optical communications.
Nanotech advances offer sustainable breakthroughs in wastewater treatment
This book presents innovative nanomaterials for efficient pollutant removal from wastewater, reducing energy consumption and promoting eco-friendly treatment outcomes. It explores emerging trends and future directions in nanotechnology-based purification, providing practical insights for researchers and professionals.
Scientists unlock nature’s 500-million-year-old colour secrets with nano-tech breakthrough
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin develop a method to harness structural colour using microfabrication technique, enabling ultra-sensitive materials for environmental sensing and biomedical diagnostics. The breakthrough also paves the way for next-generation medical sensors that can track biochemical changes in real-time.
Could metasurfaces be the next quantum information processors?
Researchers create metasurfaces to control photons and entangle them for quantum computing and sensing. The discovery could lead to miniaturized optical setups with improved stability, robustness, and cost-effectiveness.
Encapsulation-free thin-film sensors enable accurate sensing at 950 ℃
Researchers developed a novel fabrication method for thin-film temperature sensors that operate across an exceptionally wide temperature range, from –50 °C to 950 °C. The technique eliminates the need for complex protective layers, making it faster and cheaper to produce sensors.
Teaching lasers to self-correct in high-precision patterned laser micro-grooving
A new laser machining method enables high-precision patterned laser micro-grooving with root mean square errors below 0.5 μm. This technique allows for rapid and scalable manufacturing of custom microstructures, advancing applications in microfluidic devices, sensors, and heat dissipation systems.
Charles Roques-Carmes of Stanford University wins Photonics Innovation Award
Dr. Charles Roques-Carmes has been recognized for his groundbreaking research in nanophotonics, advancing areas such as metalenses and photonic machine learning. His work has led to transformative technologies and deepened fundamental understanding in the field of photonics.
Breaking Ohm’s law: nonlinear currents emerge in symmetry-broken materials
Researchers have discovered that breaking a material's inversion symmetry can lead to striking quadratic responses between current and voltage. This phenomenon, known as nonlinear transport, has significant implications for the development of next-generation spintronics and wireless radio-frequency rectification devices.
Illinois researchers demonstrate giant photonic isolation and gyration
Researchers from Illinois Grainger College of Engineering have developed a simple method to realize asymmetric couplings in integrated photonics. They successfully demonstrated giant optical isolation and discovered photonic gyration, which could lead to new insights into topological physics.
Unlocking new optical power in glass using precision printing
Researchers have developed a new method to 3D-print glass structures with nanoscale precision, achieving nearly 100% reflectance in the visible spectrum. This breakthrough opens up a broader role for glass in nanophotonics, including wearable optics, integrated displays, and sensors.
Nanophotonic sensing and label-free imaging of extracellular vesicles
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain proteins that reflect cell origin and physiological state, making them valuable disease indicators. Label-free detection methods, such as nanophotonic sensing, offer a promising alternative to traditional protein assays.
Precision-engineered surface enhances silicon solar cell performance
Researchers have developed a single-layer antireflective coating using polycrystalline silicon nanostructures that sharply reduces sunlight reflection across a wide range of wavelengths and angles. The coating achieves unprecedented results for a single-layer design, setting a new standard for solar cells.
Light fields with extraordinary structure: plasmonic skyrmion bags
The team demonstrated the existence of skyrmion bags of light on a metal layer, which exhibit extraordinary properties. By varying the degree to which the light fields were twisted relative to one another, researchers can manipulate light fields in a targeted manner.
Intelligent nanophotonics: When machine learning sheds light
This review explores the recent advancements in intelligent photonics, integrating deep learning and nanophotonics for fast, energy-efficient computing and sensing applications. It highlights key challenges and opportunities for real-world adoption, including optical neural networks and sensing-computing integration.
Do neurons transmit light?
Scientists investigate whether living neurons can transport light through their axons, which would significantly change current models of the nervous system. If successful, it could have major implications for treating brain diseases and healing the brain.
Amplifier with tenfold bandwidth opens up for super lasers
A new amplifier developed by Chalmers University of Technology can transmit ten times more data per second than current systems, holding significant potential for various critical laser systems, including medical diagnostics and treatment. The amplifier's large bandwidth enables precise analyses and imaging of tissues and organs.
Twisted crystals open door to smaller, more powerful optical devices
Researchers have developed an on-chip twisted moiré photonic crystal sensor that can simultaneously measure wavelength, polarization, and perform hyperspectral imaging. The device uses MEMS technology to control the twist and distance between layers in real time.
A multimodal light manipulator
Researchers at Harvard created a new type of interferometer that can modulate aspects of light in one compact package, enabling precise control over light's frequency and intensity. This breakthrough has the potential to be used in advanced nanophotonic sensors or on-chip quantum computing.
Nonlinear meta-devices: A leap forward in nanophotonics research
Researchers have made significant progress in nonlinear meta-devices, which can enhance nonlinear optical responses at the nanoscale. These devices can boost efficiency without phase-matching, leading to applications such as second-harmonic generation and harmonic imaging.
Optical nanotweezers based on all-dielectric resonant structures
Recent research progress in optical nanotweezers based on dielectric resonant structures has been reviewed, highlighting various excitation methods and techniques for electromagnetic field hotspot creation. The technologies have shown promise in biochemistry and cell detection applications with minimized thermal effects.
Butterfly wings inspire new imaging technique for cancer diagnosis
Researchers have created a new imaging technique that uses the nanostructures found on butterfly wings to analyze cancerous tissues, providing a simpler and more accessible tool for cancer diagnosis. The method has shown comparable results to conventional staining methods and advanced imaging techniques, offering a stain-free alternative.
Halas awarded Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry
Naomi Halas' work has pioneered new insights into how light and matter interact at the smallest scales, leading to discoveries in biomedical applications such as cancer therapy and water purification. Her research on plasmonic catalysts could dramatically reduce energy required for chemical reactions.
New nanocrystal material a key step toward faster, more energy-efficient computing
Scientists have discovered luminescent nanocrystals that can quickly toggle between light and dark states, enabling faster and more efficient computing. This breakthrough could advance artificial intelligence and information technologies by reducing energy consumption and improving data processing.
A new technology with UPV hallmark improves the accuracy of radars and LiDAR systems, key technologies for autonomous transport and environmental monitoring
A new technology developed by researchers from UPV, BUPT, CAS Institute, Air Force Early Warning Academy and University of Ottawa improves the accuracy of radars and LiDAR systems by up to 14 times, enabling faster and more accurate navigation in autonomous vehicles and detailed environmental studies.
Cooling with light: Exploring optical cooling in semiconductor quantum dots
Optical cooling has been elusive due to challenges in reaching high emission efficiency, but researchers shed light on the phenomenon using a stable 'dots-in-crystal' material. The study demonstrated true optical cooling with a theoretical cooling limit of approximately 10 K from room temperature.
Rice’s Center for Nanoscale Imaging Sciences hosts inaugural workshop, uniting national experts to advance imaging across scales
The inaugural workshop at Rice University's Center for Nanoscale Imaging Sciences brought together leading experts to explore advancements in cutting-edge imaging techniques. The event integrated diverse imaging modalities to uncover new insights into biological and materials systems.
New nano-device for generating structured light for advanced applications developed
Researchers developed a tiny device that creates radially polarized photons at room temperature, improving the efficiency of devices using structured light. The breakthrough enables advancements in communication and optical technology, paving the way for new possibilities in secure communication and quantum applications.
New theory reveals the shape of a single photon
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new theory that explains how light and matter interact at the quantum level. The theory enables scientists to precisely define the shape of a single photon for the first time.
Precision health and advanced communications: €9 million ($10 million) for bio-inspired nanoparticles on demand
A €9.3 million project will develop AI-powered nanoparticles with complex shapes to specifically bind to biological targets, reducing trial and error in design. The technology has potential applications in disease treatment and advanced communication systems.
Turning up the signal
Osaka University researchers develop a new method for long-range enhancement of fluorescence and Raman signals using Ag nanoislands protected with column-structured silica layers. This leads to an astonishing ten-million-fold increase in signal strength, making it ideal for sensitive biosensing applications.
The power of small: Metalenses for compact ultrafast imaging systems
Compressed Ultra-Compact Femtosecond Photography (CUF) uses a super-dispersive metalens to capture transient events in a single image, overcoming conventional CUP technology's limitations. The system achieves ultrafast imaging at hundreds of trillions of frames per second with improved compactness and reliability.
KAIST develops Janus-like metasurface technology that acts according to the direction of light
Researchers at KAIST have developed a Janus metasurface capable of controlling asymmetric light transmission, enabling the creation of two independent optical systems with a single device. This technology also enables optical encryption by generating different images depending on the direction and polarization state of incoming light.
Unique nanodisk pushing photonic research forward
Scientists at Chalmers University of Technology have successfully combined nonlinear and high-index nanophotonics in a single nanoobject, creating a disk-like structure with unique optical properties. The discovery has great potential for developing efficient and compact nonlinear optical devices.
A new advancement in photonic chips set to unlock an industry
Researchers have developed a new engineering approach to on-chip light sources, enabling the widespread adoption of photonic chips in consumer electronics. The innovation involves growing high-quality multi-quantum well nanowires using a novel facet engineering approach, which enables precise control over the diameter and length of the...
Tiny quantum sensor to make a big impact
Researchers developed a new 2D quantum sensing chip using hexagonal boron nitride that can simultaneously detect temperature anomalies and magnetic fields in any direction. The chip is significantly thinner than current quantum technology for magnetometry, enabling cheaper and more versatile sensors.
A new tractor beam technology aims to minimize biopsy trauma
Researchers at the University of Melbourne have developed a compact, high-efficiency metasurface-enabled solenoid beam that can draw particles toward it. The technology has the potential to reduce pain and trauma associated with current biopsy methods.
Breaking through silicon
The team achieves nanofabrication of nanostructures buried deep inside silicon wafers, enabling sub-wavelength and multi-dimensional control directly inside the material. The breakthrough opens up new possibilities for developing nano-scale systems with unique architectures.
Breakthrough in nanoscale force measurement opens doors to unprecedented biological insights
Researchers have developed a new way to measure incredibly minute forces at the nanoscale in water, pushing the boundaries of what scientists know about the microscopic world. The technique, known as super-resolved photonic force microscopy (SRPFM), can detect forces as small as 108.2 attonewtons.