Research using lasers and light-based technology. Covers electron control, metalens optics, mid-flight drone charging, and water purification.
A new study found that one in seven patients with eye floaters and flashes of light have a retinal tear or detachment, which can lead to blindness. Researchers call for urgent assessment to detect this serious eye problem.
Physicist Jeff Barrett and colleagues are analyzing old notes by Hugh Everett III to understand how to measure physical objects in quantum mechanics. The effort aims to resolve the quantum measurement problem, a long-standing puzzle in physics.
University of California, Berkeley chemists use ultrafast laser pulses to study green fluorescent protein's structural changes during fluorescence. The study reveals the importance of vibrational oscillations in proton transfer reactions, shedding light on how GFP captures and emits light.
Researchers have developed an optical biopsy technique that can detect breast cancer without invasive biopsies, reducing costs and complications. The new technology uses light and computing power to create images of the breast's interior, identifying telltale signs of cancer.
A research study is being conducted to assess the safety and effectiveness of an investigational corneal inlay in reducing the need for reading glasses. The inlay, called AcuFocus Corneal Inlay (ACI), is intended to improve near vision in patients with presbyopia, a natural loss of near vision that occurs after age 45.
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have achieved world-record energies in laser-accelerated particles, accelerating protons to 254 million miles per hour. The technique has potential applications in cancer treatment and is expected to contribute to future advances in modern cancer radiotherapy.
A new generation of high-energy lasers has been developed to study fast ignition and high energy density physics. Using the OMEGA EP laser, researchers have demonstrated strong laser-matter coupling with intense 2.1kJ, 15ps laser pulses, enabling significant laser powers to be produced.
The Linac Coherent Light Source has embarked on pioneering research in physics, structural biology, energy science, chemistry, and more. Researchers have successfully observed atomic physics phenomena with unprecedented detail, creating stop-action movies of molecules in motion.
Researchers have developed a tiny, gold nanocage that responds to light and releases carefully titrated amounts of chemotherapy drugs at specific tissue sites. The system is designed to maximize the beneficial effects of the medication while minimizing side effects.
Researchers at NIST and University of Konstanz create a frequency comb that can be visually observed, allowing for precise measurement of visible light frequencies. The new comb has approximately 50,000 distinct 'teeth' separated enough to be seen with the naked eye, enabling applications in astronomy, communications, and other fields.
Researchers have developed phototriggerable microcapsules that burst and release chemicals upon light exposure, opening doors for targeted medical treatments and various industrial uses. The innovation uses laser light to convert nanotubes into heat, bursting the nylon capsule and releasing its contents.
Researchers at Caltech have created a nanoscale crystal device that confines both light and sound vibrations in the same tiny space. This enables the manipulation of sound and light waves with frequencies as high as tens of gigahertz, opening up potential applications in lightwave communication systems, biosensors, and more.
A new method using laser light can convert methane into methanol, producing a low-cost, clean fuel that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The process also yields hydrogen for fuel cells and other industrial applications.
Researchers at CU-Boulder are developing a precise laser ruler to measure tiny changes in infrared light caused by the gravitational wobble of small, cool stars as they interact with rocky planets. The technique will allow them to detect Earth-like planets around M stars, which are much more common than larger stars.
Researchers at two Italian universities create method to transfer entropy from potassium atoms to surrounding rubidium atoms, enabling control over ultra-cold matter. This breakthrough technique opens new possibilities for physics research at extremely low temperatures and entropies.
A team of Princeton and Rice University researchers has developed a new method to identify nitric oxide using lasers and sensors, making it possible for large-scale deployment. The device can detect tiny amounts of the gas in the air or human breath, monitoring pollution and detecting disease such as asthma.
Researchers in Australia have developed the first efficient diamond Raman laser, achieving an efficiency of 63.5%, comparable to existing lasers built with other materials. This technology has potential applications in defense technologies, trace gas detectors, medical devices, and satellite mapping.
Researchers have discovered that highly charged tungsten ions can emit intense light in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum, similar to sodium atoms. This finding provides a promising alternative for diagnosing fusion reactor conditions, such as temperature and density.
Advances in optics and photonics are transforming our daily lives with innovations like optical fibers, lasers, and medical imaging techniques. Researchers are now exploring the potential of plasmonics to develop metamaterial-based invisibility cloaks and super-strength solar cells.
Physicists and chemists have successfully controlled individual, negatively charged particles within a group of electrons in complex molecules. They used femtosecond laser pulses to manipulate the motion of outer electrons in carbon monoxide molecules.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have created the world's smallest semiconductor laser, generating visible light in a space smaller than a single protein molecule. The breakthrough enables innovations like nanolasers for DNA manipulation, faster telecommunications, and optical computing.
Researchers at Purdue University have successfully created a nanolaser called spaser, which emits visible light and could revolutionize future technologies based on nanophotonic circuitry. The device overcomes the limitation of current lasers being too large to integrate into electronic chips.
Researchers at UCF have developed a method to optically steer cells using low-intensity polarized light, guiding them towards desired locations. This technology has the potential to improve stem cell therapies for wound healing and cancer treatment.
Researchers at Arizona State University and Technical University of Eindhoven have made a breakthrough in creating nanoscale lasers, which can improve computer performance and speed up Internet access. The new design uses a combination of semiconductors and metals to confine light and achieve a laser with the smallest thickness ever pr...
Researchers create a holographic microscope that records three-dimensional movies of microscopic systems like biological molecules. The technique uses a collimated laser beam to generate and record images, providing detailed information about the object's size, composition, and position.
Researchers have discovered a way to transform shiny metal into black by using intense laser light, creating a new class of material for various applications. This process enhances aircraft performance by cooling electronic systems and allowing planes to dominate in flight.
The NIST-developed stylus trap is a highly sensitive device that can sense small forces and transfer individual light particles with high efficiency. This technology has potential applications in quantum key cryptography, quantum computing, and surface characterization.
Researchers at Helmholtz Munich developed a new technology that allows for high-resolution imaging of tissue depth using sound waves. The technique, called multispectral opto-acoustic tomography, uses flashes of laser light to create small shock waves, which are then analyzed to generate detailed images of internal organs and tissues.
Researchers have developed bio-friendly nanocrystals that act as individual investigators of activity within a cell. These nanocrystals can track proteins in real-time, allowing for the study of biomolecules one at a time. The breakthrough has significant implications for understanding complex biological systems.
UC Berkeley researchers have found that Betelgeuse, the bright reddish star in the constellation Orion, has steadily shrunk over the past 15 years. The star's diameter has decreased by more than 15% since 1993, a change that is striking to observe.
Physicists at Caltech developed a nanoscale zipper cavity that exploits mechanical properties of light to enhance interactions between light and motion. The device can detect weak classical forces and has potential applications in biology, optics, and quantum realm.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed a metal slab that can lift liquids using capillary action, moving them at speeds faster than nature. The metal's surface structure can be controlled to direct liquid flow or even create hydrophobic surfaces that prevent germ growth.
Researchers at CLEO/IQEC Meeting present advancements in electro-optics, lasers and light-based treatments for faster wound healing. Autonomous vehicle technology has made significant progress with futuristic sensors and computing capabilities, promising to revolutionize transportation and warfare.
Researchers at NIST have developed a laser ranging system that can pinpoint objects with nanometer precision over distances up to 100 kilometers. The novel LIDAR system combines the best of two approaches and features rapid updates from multiple reference points simultaneously every 200 microseconds.
Physicists at Kansas State University have developed a model to compute the energy and timing of electrons emitted from metals using ultra-short laser pulses. This breakthrough enables researchers to study chemical reactions and understand the basics of chemistry, biology, and life.
Researchers have developed a new technique to detect individual neutral atoms, which is more accurate and sensitive than previous methods. The system uses a novel means of altering laser light polarization to 'see' the scattered photons, allowing for real-time detection with a speed of less than one-millionth of a second.
Researchers create Liquid-Gradient Refractive Index (L-GRIN) lenses using water and calcium chloride, enabling precise control over light direction. These fluidic lenses can be fabricated on chips and have potential applications in optical tweezers and medical imaging.
Scientists have discovered a new type of non-blinking nanocrystal that can emit light continuously. The discovery, published in Nature, may lead to more affordable and versatile lasers, brighter LED lighting, and improved biological markers.
A new nanotube-coated power measurement device has been developed at NIST, enabling faster and more accurate calibration of high-power laser systems. The device uses a sprayed-on coating of carbon nanotubes to conduct heat hundreds of times better than conventional materials.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have created a device that can detect the entire visible spectrum of light using carbon nanotubes. The device uses chromophores and single-walled carbon nanotubes to trigger nerve impulses, enabling detection of colors of the rainbow.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a way to induce gamma brain waves by shining laser light onto the brains of mice, using optogenetics to manipulate individual nerve cells. This breakthrough provides new insights into the role of gamma oscillations in regulating brain functions and may lead to new treatments for brain-related disorders.
Yale researchers have demonstrated silicon-based nanocantilevers that operate on photonic principles, enabling ultra-sensitive measurements at the atomic level. The system can detect as little deflection as 0.0001 Angstroms, and a sensor multiplex format allows for complex measurements of patterns simultaneously.
Researchers at PTB found that with xenon, a whole light-wave packet seems to knock out a huge number of internal electrons, dependent on material properties. This discovery challenges current models of the photoelectric effect and has significance for future experiments in materials research.
The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) produces the world's brightest X-ray laser, allowing researchers to capture molecular details with unprecedented resolution. This technology has far-reaching implications for medicine, energy research, and other fields.
Researchers use tightly focused blue and ultraviolet light to create patterned lithography on a substrate, resulting in smaller structures. The new technique has potential applications in constructing nanomotors and may lead to advancements in Moore's Law.
Researchers at Harvard University have developed a laser technology that allows control over the polarization direction of emitted radiation. This innovation has vast implications for various applications, including satellite communications, biomolecule detection, and quantum cryptography.
Researchers discovered a parasitic effect when powering quantum dot amplifiers and were able to overcome it, leading to the most efficient amplifier ever measured. This breakthrough has enormous potential significance for laser technology, telecommunications, and optical computing applications.
Researchers at NIST and CU have developed a method to detect and monitor light reflected off the probe needle point, improving AFM stability under ambient conditions. This enables sensitive atomic-scale measurements at room temperature in liquids, with improved image quality and reduced drift.
Researchers at UCSC developed hollow gold nanospheres with strong, narrow, and tunable light absorption. These particles can target tumors for photothermal cancer therapy, killing cancer cells with near-infrared light irradiation. The ability to tune optical properties makes them highly versatile for various applications.
A new method developed at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) improves the stability of caesium fountain clocks by reducing measurement times and increasing accuracy. This is achieved through the use of a microwave oscillator stabilized with lasers, allowing for more precise frequency measurements.
Researchers at NEC Laboratories America have developed a simpler receiver to reduce costs of tomorrow's Internet. The device uses a direct-detection receiver that relies on a narrow optical carrier signal, enabling reliable detection of signals sent at 40G.
Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a new technique that converts high-frequency sound waves into light, allowing for more accurate characterization of semiconductor devices. This method has the potential to improve the manufacturing process for computer chips, LEDs, and transistors.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a method to filter out interfering signals in LIBS, allowing for more accurate analysis of suspected bombs and other hazardous materials. By using polarizing filters, they improved sensitivity while reducing costs.
Engineers at UCLA have successfully harnessed 'rogue' laser waves to produce brighter, more stable white light sources. The new technology reduces fluctuations by at least 90% and decreases energy needed by 25%. This breakthrough could pave the way for better clocks, faster cameras, and more powerful radar and communications technologies.
Scientists at NIST's JQI have successfully created ultracold rubidium atoms that exhibit cyclotron motions identical to charged particles in a magnetic field. This breakthrough has the potential to reveal clues for exotic computing and understanding of the fractional quantum Hall effect.
New research demonstrates how laser-based techniques can create micron-sized light pathways in three dimensions, enabling the detection of faint light from extrasolar planets and galaxies. This technology has the potential to improve the sensitivity and precision of future telescopes, such as the planned European ELT.
A new laser-based technique has unraveled some of the inner workings of photosynthesis by capturing instantaneous images of energy transport between electrons in molecules. This allows scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the complex mechanisms involved, which is crucial for harnessing this process as an alternative energy source.
Physicists and chemists at the University of Utah developed a new method using silver nanoparticles to visualize internal structures in nearly opaque biological materials. The technique allows for the detection of fatigue in materials like carbon-fiber plastics used in aircraft, enabling regular inspections of fuselage integrity.
Researchers developed peptide-guided hollow gold spheres that target and penetrate melanoma cells, then kill them when exposed to near-infrared light. The nanospheres achieve an 8-fold increase in tumor destruction compared to untargeted nanoparticles, demonstrating potential for minimally invasive cancer treatment.
Scientists have developed a new imaging technology that produces the best three-dimensional resolution ever seen with an optical microscope, allowing them to pinpoint fluorescent labels in all three dimensions. This breakthrough will help reveal how biomolecules organize themselves into cellular structures and signaling complexes.