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Building big with DNA gets a software upgrade

Researchers have developed a computational framework to design and fabricate crisscross DNA megastructures, expanding accessibility to DNA nanotechnology. This breakthrough enables the construction of complex structures with precise control, opening up new avenues for applications in fields like optics, immunology, and tissue engineering.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 16, 2026

New device design could miniaturize photonics, quantum technologies

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.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 4, 2026

Capturing fleeting changes in “nanoscale light”—femtosecond nano-imaging reveals ultrafast optical control of phonon polariton

Researchers developed an ultrafast infrared near-field optical microscopy technique that enables frequency-selective imaging of phonon polariton without sacrificing ultrafast time resolution. The technique reveals ultrafast optical modulation of phonon polariton in van der Waals heterostructures.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2026

SUTD and A*STAR IME researchers enable wafer-scale broadband light generation by replacing hydrogen with a heavier isotope

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.

Tiny circuit turns a hidden property of electrons into a working info channel

Researchers have developed a tiny circuit that can encode and decode digital information using a hidden property of electrons called valleys. The device generates, routes, and reads valley information entirely on chip at room temperature, demonstrating the potential for valley multiplexing to increase photonic chip capacity.

Algorithm-designed photonic circuits beyond human intuition

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.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 24, 2026

A device that behaves like a single neuron

Researchers created a device that senses and interprets light in the same place, like biological neurons do. This breakthrough could increase the efficiency of vision-based technologies like artificial retinas and smart optical sensors.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNanoscale·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2026

Beyond heat: New infrared filter for thermal cameras could detect pollution and disease

Researchers have developed a tiny, electrically tunable infrared filter that can distinguish between different materials and gases based on their spectral 'fingerprints'. This technology has the potential to enable handheld pollution detectors, compact multispectral cameras, and next-generation chemical sensing devices.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems·JournalAdvanced Materials Technologies·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2026

Physics-trained digital ‘super-brain’ speeds up technology development

A digital 'super-brain' with physics-based knowledge significantly speeds up the design and development of optical components, such as those for quantum computers and camera lenses. By integrating physical principles into machine learning algorithms, researchers reduce simulation time from months to days.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalLaser & Photonics Review·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 4, 2026

Making ‘light’ work of computing

Researchers at Penn have created quasiparticles that combine the speed of light with strong matter interactions, enabling signal switching needed in computation. This advancement could lead to faster, more energy-efficient photonic AI chips and pave the way for basic quantum computing capabilities.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 15, 2026

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...

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.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

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.

SourceDelft University of Technology·JournalAdvanced Optical Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 9, 2025

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.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 23, 2025

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.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 10, 2025

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.

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.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateJul 9, 2025

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.

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.

SourceAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·JournalAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·TypeNews article·DateFeb 23, 2025