Research using lasers and light-based technology. Covers electron control, metalens optics, mid-flight drone charging, and water purification.
Researchers found an inverse relationship between blue light transmission and risk of sleep disturbances in the elderly. The study suggests that natural yellowing of the eye lens, which absorbs blue light, may be responsible for insomnia in older adults.
Researchers have developed a compact, lightweight microscope that uses holograms instead of lenses for dual-mode imaging. The device is portable, inexpensive, and can be used for field diagnostics in developing countries, testing of water quality, and food contamination.
A team of physicists evaluated the UK's caesium fountain clock, achieving an unprecedented level of accuracy. The new method improved uncertainties in Doppler shifts and microwave-lensing frequency shift, reducing errors to 2.3 × 10^-16.
Physicists at City College of New York develop a new way to map spiraling light, which can harness untapped data capacity in optical fibers. The Higher Order Poincaré Sphere model reduces complex light patterns to single equations, enabling novel physics and engineering efforts.
Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have successfully maintained entanglement between two gas clouds of caesium atoms for up to an hour using controlled laser light. This breakthrough enables quantum communication and has potential applications in ultra-precise measurements, including studying human brain activity.
Scientists have created a new type of computer memory using nano-structured glass that can record and store data in a permanent form, revolutionizing medical imaging and material processing. The technology uses ultra-short laser pulses to imprint tiny dots in the glass, enabling precise imaging and manipulation.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have demonstrated a technique to control the curved trajectories of Airy beams in real-time, enabling fast-as-light communication systems and optoelectronic devices. This breakthrough uses plasmonic Airy beams to manipulate surface plasmon polaritons, opening doors to new technologies in nano-photonics, biol...
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed a method to stabilize radicals, allowing for controlled release of fragrances. This breakthrough enables slow release of scents over time, useful for household products and medical applications.
Researchers have created a novel metamaterial structure that can 'steer' second-harmonic light, allowing for unprecedented control over light manipulation. This breakthrough has significant implications for all-optical communications and could transform telecommunications technologies.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have made significant progress in explaining the unusual properties of high-temperature superconductors using a new theory. The theory, known as Extremely Correlated Fermi Liquids, shows remarkable agreement with experimental data from studies of high-temperature superconductors.
Researchers at NIST have created a dense array of extra-long carbon nanotubes called VANTA, which absorbs nearly all light of long wavelengths, making it a promising coating for prototype detectors. The coating is easy to handle and has desirable thermal properties.
Scientists have manipulated brain wiring responsible for reward-seeking behaviors using optogenetics, a technique that can tweak microcircuitry with millisecond precision. The study found that targeting the connection between the amygdala and nucleus accumbens may represent potential treatments for addiction and other neuropsychiatric ...
Researchers at Princeton University developed a laser technique to observe how electrons become entangled, shedding new light on the Kondo state and its potential applications in quantum computing. The study reveals fresh insights into the complex relationship between an isolated electron and its surroundings.
Physicists at NIST generated microwave signals with improved purity and stability using a new optical frequency comb-based system. The apparatus has the potential to improve signal stability and resolution in radar, communications, and navigation systems, as well as certain types of atomic clocks.
A tiny ring laser can detect and count individual nanoparticles with high accuracy, offering a breakthrough in sensing technology. The sensor's effective resolution limit is about one nanometer, making it orders of magnitude more sensitive than earlier passive resonators.
Researchers designed a hydrophone that can capture full range of ocean sounds from soft whispers to explosions, accurately at any depth. They achieved this using lasers and mirrors to detect minute movements on the diaphragm, inspired by orca ears' optimized sonar.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University discovered that parathyroid glands emit a unique fluorescent signature in the near-infrared region, which can be used to identify them during endocrine surgery. This innovation has the potential to reduce the risk of damage to these tiny organs and their life-long effects on patients' health.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital developed a living laser device using a single GFP-expressing cell, which can produce hundreds of pulses of laser light. The cellular device refocuses the light and induces emission of laser light at lower energy levels than required for solution-based devices.
Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have produced groundbreaking global maps of land plant fluorescence, providing a more direct window into the inner workings of photosynthesis. The maps show sharp contrasts in plant fluorescence between seasons and demonstrate the feasibility of measuring fluorescence from space.
A decade-long study demonstrates that holmium laser therapy is a safe and durable treatment option for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, reducing complications and recurrence rates compared to traditional TURP. Patients treated with HoLEP experience reduced pain, shorter hospital stays, and fewer sexual side effects.
Scientists from North Carolina State University have created a device that enables precise steering of laser beams without moving anything. The technology uses polarization gratings to redirect light and has various potential applications, including free space communication and LIDAR.
Researchers at Tufts University have developed a device that can help reduce patient discomfort during colonoscopies by detecting and preventing 'looping' of the scope. The EFOST technology uses fiber optic bend sensors to create a visual image of the scope's position and shape, allowing doctors to make adjustments in real-time.
A team of researchers at Northwestern University has created a terahertz invisibility cloak that manipulates light to render objects invisible in the terahertz range. This design could have implications for biomedical research, security and communication.
Green UV sterilization uses LEDs to safely disinfect food and water without mercury. MEGa-rays enable precise detection of nuclear threats by penetrating through lead and thick containers. Researchers also develop a full 3D invisibility cloak in visible light.
Researchers have developed a new laser system that can ignite engine air-fuel mixtures more efficiently than traditional spark plugs. The laser system is made from ceramics and promises less pollution and greater fuel economy, but further testing is needed to make it commercially viable.
Researchers at University of Michigan discovered a way to harness the magnetic component of light to generate electricity, potentially leading to more efficient and cheaper solar power. The technology uses optical rectification to store energy in a material's magnetic moment, eliminating the need for semiconductors.
Researchers have discovered a new phenomenon that enables ultrafast magnetic reversal, which could lead to significantly faster data storage. The study found that certain atoms can reverse their magnetization in as little as 300 femtoseconds, making it possible for magnetic memory to operate at terahertz speeds.
Researchers at EPFL and EMPA developed a technique to improve control over laser parameters, including wavelength and polarization. This innovation boosts high-speed optical fiber communications with reduced errors, while also enabling energy-efficient lasers and precise spectroscopic applications.
Researchers have developed a new drug delivery device that uses optical fibers to target specific areas of the body, reducing toxicity and side effects. The device is designed to deliver high-powered photosensitive chemicals directly to tumors or infected areas, potentially killing cancer cells and bacteria.
Researchers developed a breakthrough sensor using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) that boosts faint signals, allowing identification of substances based on reflected light color. The chip's design features uniform rows of tiny pillars made of metals and insulators, significantly boosting the Raman signal.
A new study found that daily application of light therapy via LEDs on the forehead and scalp improved cognitive function in patients with traumatic brain injury. The treatment led to substantial improvements in memory, inhibition, and attention, enabling one patient to return to full-time work.
Researchers used laser light to force cancer cells to take in chemotherapy drugs and fluorescent dyes, creating a potential delivery system. The technique also allowed them to target anti-Alzheimer's medicines to the brain non-invasively.
Researchers at NYU have created a new method for generating extended and knotted optical traps in three dimensions using computer-generated holograms. This breakthrough could lead to advancements in fusion energy and medical diagnostics, enabling the manipulation of small objects in complex 3D environments.
Researchers have developed a new class of optical fibers using zinc selenide, enabling more efficient light manipulation and transmission in the infrared spectrum. This breakthrough has potential applications in medical lasers, countermeasure lasers, and environmental monitoring.
Physicists at NIST successfully coupled two beryllium ions, exchanging quanta and demonstrating linked motion. The technique has the potential to simplify information processing in future quantum computers and simulations.
Researchers at NIST have developed a precise method to shape and position quantum dots, enabling them to emit individual photons. This breakthrough has significant implications for powering new types of devices in quantum communications.
The team built a functioning anti-laser called a coherent perfect absorber (CPA), which absorbs 99.4% of incoming light and could pave the way for novel technologies in optical computing and radiology.
Physicists propose beaming laser at atmospheric sodium to measure global magnetic field, offering cheaper alternative to satellites. Ground-based measurements can avoid problems caused by satellite movement and electronic instrument effects.
Scientists can now focus light to a controllable position within tissue, overcoming the challenges of scattering in biological tissues. This breakthrough technology uses an ultrasound guide star and time-reversal mirror to create high-resolution images of objects within tissue.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a method to grow nanolasers directly onto a silicon surface, enabling highly efficient silicon photonics. This breakthrough could lead to powerful biochemical sensors and faster microprocessors, as well as new applications in computing, communications, displays, and optical signal processing.
Researchers developed a technique to visualize plasmonic fields at the nanoscale, focusing on the position of plasmonic modes just a few nanometers apart. This advance enables the study of high-speed data transmission and ultrafast detector arrays.
JILA scientists have eliminated collisions between atoms in an atomic clock by packing them closer together. This approach improves the performance of experimental atomic clocks made of thousands or tens of thousands of neutral atoms.
A New York City College of Technology research team has developed a method to deflect asteroids using solar sail technology. The technique involves heating the surface of an asteroid to create a jet stream, which would alter its trajectory and potentially convert an Earth impact into a near miss.
Researchers at Princeton University developed an air laser that can detect hidden bombs, pollutants, and greenhouse gases from afar. The new technique uses an ultraviolet laser pulse to generate an entirely new beam of light that interacts with molecules in the air, providing a powerful tool for remote measurements.
New materials could enable ultrapowerful microscopes, improved solar cells, and a possible cloak of invisibility. The breakthrough is made possible by overcoming two major limitations in metamaterials development: light absorption and precision tuning.
Researchers developed an optogenetic device to control the behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans worms using pulses of blue and green light. They successfully activated or inactivated specific neurons or muscle cells, turning the worm into a virtual biorobot.
Researchers developed a groundbreaking nano-laser called Spaser, which can be as small as needed to fuel future technologies. The device uses surface plasma waves, allowing it to operate at speeds 100 times greater than current devices.
Researchers at Helmholtz Association create ultrafast image sequences of nanostructures, enabling real-time observation of molecules and nanostructures. The breakthrough method uses X-ray pulses to capture images at femtosecond intervals, paving the way for new insights into fundamental processes in natural sciences.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a new technique that allows plasmon lasers to operate at room temperature. This achievement is a major step towards applications for plasmon lasers in single-molecule biodetectors, photonic circuits, and high-speed optical communication systems. The scientists were able to enhance the emission ...
Researchers at Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory are developing designer optical materials that can refract light in a negative angle, enabling control over light like semiconductors control electricity. These materials have the potential to create flat superlenses with superior resolution for biomedical applications.
Researchers developed a new intense 13.5-nm light source using tin and lithium plasmas, which can reduce feature size by an order of magnitude, resolving the fundamental limit in semiconductor manufacturing. The technology has shown promising results, with tin plasmas producing twice as much emission as lithium plasmas.
Rice University researchers have developed a technique to measure the temperature of molecules using Raman spectroscopy and an optical antenna. They found that they could detect temperature fluctuations of up to 20 degrees in the molecules, which will be useful for the molecular electronics community.
Researchers develop a microdroplet 3D laser system using cholesteric liquid crystals, producing the world's first practical three-dimensional laser. The design is small, tunable, cheap, and can be made by millions in seconds.
Researchers have developed a micromirror-based beam steering system that can precisely control individual atoms using tiny laser pulses. This technology has the potential to enable more efficient and accurate quantum computing applications.
Researchers have developed a new technique using rotating light to observe nuclei indirectly via orbiting electrons, providing complementary information to conventional NMR. This method uses Optical Faraday Rotation and can magnify the signal by creating a long optical path in a short tube.
A new framework for rendering subsurface scattering on surfaces represented by points is introduced, providing a significant improvement in transparency and realism for translucent materials. The method uses two additional computation passes to simulate the light diffusion phenomenon inside multilayered materials.
Electrical engineers created a miniaturized short pulse generator that eliminates a roadblock for optical interconnects. The pulse compressor enables higher data rates and generates less heat than copper wires, critical for future computer networks.
Physicists from the University of Bonn have developed a new source of light, a Bose-Einstein condensate consisting of photons. By cooling and concentrating Rubidium atoms, they created a 'super-photon' with characteristics resembling lasers.
A new $5.6 million initiative aims to create a system that controls prosthetic limbs naturally by sensing and stimulating nerve activity. The Vanderbilt team, in collaboration with SMU researchers, is developing a neurophotonics-based system that uses laser beams to stimulate sensory nerves and provide feedback to the brain.
Researchers at EPFL have discovered an all-optical transistor that controls the flow of light using a novel optical microresonator. The device enables a strong 'control' laser to turn on or off a weaker 'probe' laser, opening up new possibilities for telecommunications and photonics.