Research using lasers and light-based technology. Covers electron control, metalens optics, mid-flight drone charging, and water purification.
Rice University researchers have found that placing gold nanodisks into groups can selectively alter their vibrational frequencies, a discovery that could lead to new ways of converting light energy into mechanical energy. The study's findings show promise for applications in secure communications, sensing, and other fields.
Researchers analyzed the structure and dynamics of riboswitches using optical single-molecule experiments. They found that the riboswitch fluctuates between different conformations, with SAM attachment accelerating structure changes to ensure quick gene expression shutdown.
The researchers have demonstrated the first laser cavity that can confine and propagate light in any shape imaginable, even pathways with sharp bends and angles. This new design could enable higher speed optical communication technologies.
Researchers developed a bioinspired camera mimicking the mantis shrimp's eye to sense both color and polarization, enabling early cancer detection and decoding underwater communication channels. The camera uses silicon photodetectors and nanomaterials to replicate the mantis shrimp's visual system.
Penn State researchers have developed a flexible, biodegradable optical fiber that can deliver light into the body for medical applications. The fiber, made of citrate-based polymer, enables ultrafine tuning of refractive index differences and allows for bending and stretching without damage.
A team of researchers at KAUST discovered the origin of strong photoluminescence in Cs4PbBr6, a perovskite material. Heating the crystal to 180°C irreversibly destroys its photoluminescence, but creates CsPbBr3 nanocrystals that act as traps for excitons, leading to efficient re-emission of light.
Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a new type of microlaser that uses gold nanoparticles to improve frequency comb technology. This innovation enables the creation of smaller, more efficient systems for applications such as portable chemical spectroscopy and cybersecurity.
The LIGO team detected gravitational waves from colliding black holes, providing a new way to explore the cosmos. Advanced optical interferometers enabled these breakthroughs, allowing scientists to study powerful astrophysical events.
A recent Kansas State University study uses holographic images to measure the size and shape of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. This technology has potential applications in climate science, such as understanding how particles scatter sunlight, and in biological weapons detection.
Researchers at U-M have developed a technique to detect chemicals, including explosives and gases, quickly and accurately using a laser-based method. The new approach combines two techniques to speed up detection while preserving accuracy.
Researchers at the University of Houston have made an unexpected discovery that leads to a new theory of liquid streaming. The researchers generated a liquid stream using a pulsed laser and found that gold nanoparticles played a crucial role in creating the phenomenon, which they called acoustic streaming.
Researchers from Finland and Taiwan have successfully fabricated three-dimensional graphene structures using optical forging, a technique that utilizes laser light to shape the material. The resulting graphene objects exhibit unique electronic and optical properties, opening up new possibilities for graphene-based devices.
Scientists at Stanford University have created a novel method for separating chiral molecules, which are essential in pharmaceuticals and agriculture. By utilizing circularly polarized light, the researchers can distinguish between left- and right-handed forms of these molecules, enabling safer and more effective drugs.
Researchers from FAU have successfully controlled electronic current in graphene using a single laser pulse within a femtosecond, generating a current that is more than a thousand times faster than the most efficient transistors today. The method uses light waves to regulate electron movement and generate electricity.
The NASA Mars 2020 rover will feature a new SuperCam instrument with Raman spectroscopy capabilities, allowing it to detect carbon-based signatures of organic materials. The instrument uses a conduction-cooled laser system and can produce 1000 shots in one burst, significantly improving sampling efficiency.
Scientists at ETH Zurich and Roche have developed a new diagnostic method using light diffraction on molecules, allowing for quick and easy disease detection in doctors' offices. The technique uses molecular recognition and focused laser light to identify specific protein interactions.
Physicists observe that electrons emitted from different initial states in a solid material arrive at the surface last, contrary to intuition. Theoretical models are revised to account for intra-atomic interactions, which affect electron motion and lead to a new understanding of photoemission.
Researchers from the University of Zurich have developed a new camera system that allows drones to capture images in high-speed motion and low light, enabling autonomous flight. This technology can assist search and rescue teams in disaster areas where conventional drones are unable to operate.
Engineers aligned NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's 18 hexagonally shaped primary mirror segments using a multi-wavelength interferometer and seven actuators to achieve precise alignment. The ability to adjust the mirror segments' positions and shapes is critical for accurate focus on celestial targets.
A new breakthrough in food analysis using supercontinuum lasers can measure whole grains non-destructively and accurately predict health-promoting properties like beta-glucan content. This technology has great potential for improving the quality of food products, including bread and beer.
Researchers have developed a new type of dye-doped WGM micro-laser that produces light with tunable wavelengths, offering broader tuning ranges and reversible tuning. The devices also exhibit enhanced sensitivity in refractive index sensing.
A study published in 'Nature Astronomy' confirms that supermassive black holes can form gravitationally bound pairs when galaxies merge. The binary system has a mass of approximately 40 million times the Sun's, and its orbital period is about 100,000 years.
The QIs-scope can capture 200 images a second and mark cells with different colors, allowing for the creation of 3D images of organs and tissues. This technology represents the next step in confocal microscopy and has applications in biomedical imaging research and development.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new optical switch that can turn light on and off at trillionths of a second, enabling faster information processing. The breakthrough could also be used in biological imaging and chemical spectroscopy.
Researchers have created a terahertz saturable absorber using graphene produced by liquid phase exfoliation, enabling ultrafast lasers with high modulation. The devices have great potential for applications such as time-resolved spectroscopy of gases and molecules, quantum information, and ultra-high speed communication.
Researchers from Kazan Federal University and international partners successfully amplified a localized optical signal within a titanium nitride nanoantenna. The phenomenon is based on the nonlinear interaction of surface plasmon-polaritons and localized Stokes waves.
Researchers at ICFO and MPL create a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber system producing single-cycle IR pulses at an unprecedented repetition rate of 160 kHz. This enables applications such as real-time electron motions observation in single molecules, opening a window to watching subatomic processes during chemical reactions.
A new dental imaging method using squid ink combines light and ultrasound for a comprehensive and accurate examination of gums without pain or discomfort. This non-invasive approach enables dentists to create detailed maps of gum pocket depths, surpassing the conventional method's limitations.
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem created a nanophotonic chip system using lasers and bacteria to observe fluorescence emitted from a single bacterial cell. The system enables efficient and portable on-chip sensing applications, including detecting chemicals in real-time.
Researchers engineered antibodies to target EGFR on bladder tumors and used gold nanoparticles to deliver heat via plasmon resonance. This technique successfully slowed and reversed tumor growth in mice, with minimal side effects.
A collaboration between University of Central Florida and Yale has discovered novel optical behaviors in laser cavities, providing a unique window into fundamental physics. The research demonstrates the role of gain clamping in governing optical responses and reveals fundamental aspects of causality's limits.
A new method uses high-powered lasers to directly break down pollutants in contaminated soil, showing promise as a cheaper and more efficient decontamination technique. The process heats up the pollutant locally, fragmenting it into smaller, safer molecules.
Researchers demonstrated a region of very deep contrast between a simulated star and its planet, achieving an 18% bandpass. This milestone is crucial for future missions like WFIRST to detect and analyze the atmospheres of giant planets.
Researchers have made an important step toward understanding optically controlled magnetic storage devices, finding that laser light plays a key role in toggling magnetisation alignments. The study reveals the formation of a ring-shaped region around the tiny laser spot and its impact on the material's temperature distribution.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh discovered that swifts' crescent-shaped wings reduce turbulence effects, enabling them to conserve energy while gliding in blustery conditions. This unique aerodynamic property may inspire the design of new aerial technology similar to drones.
KAUST researchers develop a tomographic PIV system using four low-cost smartphones and colored backlighting, enabling quantitative flow visualization. The system compares well with commercial equipment, with deviations in circulation flow of less than 8%, and holds promise for various applications involving turbulence.
A new diagnostic tool uses near-infrared light to identify high-risk arterial plaques, which can lead to blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. By selectively identifying rupture-prone deposits, doctors may be able to detect the threat of an imminent heart attack earlier.
Scientists from ITMO University and Tampere University of Technology developed a new algorithm to increase the resolution of images obtained in lensless microscopes. The approach relies on diffraction patterns and computational methods, allowing for improved image quality without physical changes to the microscope.
Researchers at the University of Bonn have created exotic quantum states made from light by creating an optical 'well' that traps a super-photon. This achievement marks a significant step towards developing quantum circuits and improving quantum communication and computing capabilities.
Physicists from FAU and DESY have developed a method to improve X-ray image quality, enabling the visualization of individual atoms in molecules at higher resolutions. The new technique uses incoherent radiation and time-resolved snapshots to overcome limitations of conventional coherent imaging methods.
Research at RIT develops new precision quantum sensing solutions using levitated optomechanics, capturing data with improved accuracy. The study aims to create smaller and lighter sensors for various applications, including detecting gravitational waves and perfecting quantum computing.
Researchers have developed a new technique to suppress scattering from material defects, improving the performance of sensors and communication systems. By inducing chirality in sound waves, they can reduce energy loss and increase data fidelity.
Hybrid materials combining organic and inorganic components show promise for various applications, including optics and biomedicine. The materials display enhanced photophysical properties, such as anisotropic response to polarized light and artificial antenna effects.
Researchers from Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena generate broadband light spectrum with solitons in the near-infrared range, exhibiting unique nonlinear optical effects and high transmission. The use of liquid core fibers enables a more stable alternative to traditional broadband light sources.
Researchers have successfully written an electrical circuit into a crystal, enabling the creation of transparent and reconfigurable electronics. The phenomenon, called persistent photoconductivity, can be erased and reconfigured using heat and light, similar to an Etch A Sketch.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a new method for propagating light through human tissue, enabling deeper brain imaging and potential applications in medical imaging and driving safety. The technique involves making tiny holes to pass light through, increasing optical transmission by a factor of 100.
Researchers used a powerful electron camera to study the motion of atoms in perovskite materials, discovering that light causes unusual deformations that could enhance their efficiency. These findings provide clues for making better solar cells.
A technique called digital holographic microscopy, which uses lasers to record 3-D images, may be used to spot extraterrestrial microbes on Enceladus. The method could help identify living cells by analyzing motion and chemical composition.
Researchers have developed a new technology to create inexpensive full-color 2-D and 3-D holograms that are far more realistic, brighter and can be viewed at wider angles than current holograms. The applications for this technology could be wide-ranging, from currency and identification badges to amusement rides and advertisements.
The team created a polarizing beamsplitter that splits light into vertically and horizontally polarized states, enabling various applications in imaging systems, communications networks, and future technologies. This new technique has advantages over traditional methods, including being cheaper, more robust, and versatile.
The new optical fiber has an extremely large core diameter and preserves both the distribution of light intensity in cross-section and polarization. This allows for single-mode operation with minimal energy transfer to other modes, reducing parasitic nonlinear effects.
Researchers found that using a black light helps dermatologists determine the extent of melasma, a hyperpigmentation condition that causes brown and gray patches on the face. This can lead to early detection and treatment, reducing the risk of the condition worsening over time.
Researchers developed a new laser source that stores light energy in nanoscale disks, enabling ultrafast light pulses suitable for studying neural connections and machine learning. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize optically powered neurocomputers.
Scientists couple a nano-trumpet with a quantum dot to detect nanowire motion with high sensitivity. The researchers can influence the wire's oscillation by exciting the quantum dot with a laser, enabling precise control.
Researchers in Erlangen and Jena have achieved high-precision measurement of the wave characteristics of focused, ultra-short light pulses. This will enable targeted influence on electrons and chemical reactions.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a 'smart' atomic cloud that can neutralize Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, allowing for more accurate measurements at quantum level. This breakthrough could lead to new sensors and technologies, including better understanding of gravitational waves.
A Northwestern University study has engineered a cost-effective laser design that outputs multi-color lasing, offering potential benefits in optical fibers, medical imaging, and sensing applications. The new technology allows for stable multi-modal nanoscale lasing with fine control over color and intensity.
A study reveals that individuals with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) process visual information from the affected side of their body more slowly than the unaffected side. This suggests a possible change in brain mechanisms that normally allow us to process information at different locations.
Researchers are testing graphene's potential in space applications through two experiments. GrapheneX, a student-led team, will use microgravity conditions to test graphene for light sails, while another experiment investigates how graphene improves efficiency in loop heat pipes, crucial for satellite cooling systems.
A team at MIT has created a system that can manipulate particles ranging from molecules to bacteria-sized objects using ordinary light. The researchers engineered asymmetrical particles, called Janus particles, which respond to the orientation of the beam and create forces that set them spinning uniformly.