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Clemson scientists shed light on molecules in living cells

Researchers at Clemson University have created a method to improve fluorescent nanoparticle longevity, enabling the tracking of molecule motion in living cells. This technology could reveal details on virus invasion and protein operation within the body.

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Laser sets records in power and energy efficiency

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new type of laser that can emit over 700 milli-Watts of continuous output power, a factor of two increase from competing technology. The Quantum Cascade Laser has a 10-18% wall-plug efficiency, making it suitable for widespread deployment and low-cost production.

New lens device will shrink huge light waves to pinpoints

Scientists at the University of Michigan developed a lens-like device that focuses electromagnetic waves down to tiny points, removing wavelength limitations for data storage and sensing applications. The breakthrough enables CD storage to hold up to one hundred times more information using terahertz radiation.

Electronic 'crowd behavior' revealed in semiconductors

Researchers at JILA discovered a previously unseen type of collective electronic behavior in semiconductors, shedding light on interactions between microscopic particles. The study used ultrafast lasers to analyze the phase shift of light, confirming the importance of collective exciton behavior and its superiority over simpler models.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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Bright future for nano-sized light source

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed a bio-friendly nano-sized light source capable of emitting coherent visible light across the visible spectrum. This innovation enables single cell endoscopy, integrated circuitry for nanophotonic technology, and advanced methods of cyber cryptography.

Scientists demonstrate high-performing room-temperature nanolaser

Researchers at Yokohama National University demonstrate a highly efficient room-temperature nanolaser that produces stable, continuous streams of near-infrared laser light. The device uses a photonic crystal design to achieve its high efficiency, enabling applications in future miniaturized circuits.

Overcoming the limits of resolution

Stefan Hell's STED microscope enables nanoscale imaging, achieving resolutions up to 10-12 times higher than the diffraction limit. This breakthrough allows for non-invasive imaging of cells' inner structures.

UC Santa Cruz researchers achieve atomic spectroscopy on a chip

Researchers at UCSC have achieved atomic spectroscopy on a chip, enabling compact and portable applications in laser frequency stabilization and quantum information processing. The technology has potential implications for gas detection sensors and quantum optics experiments.

NIST atom interferometry displays new quantum tricks

Physicists at NIST recreate the historic double-slit experiment with atoms, demonstrating wave-particle duality and a novel technique for quantum computing. The researchers trap ultracold rubidium atoms in two overlapping lattices, creating a strobe-like effect that can be controlled.

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'Tunable' network features coordinated frequency combs

A super stable fiber-optic network that can be tuned across a range of frequencies has been demonstrated at NIST. The network simplifies accurate comparisons of atomic clocks operating at different frequencies and locations, with potential applications in remote sensing and secure communications.

Terahertz imaging goes the distance

Scientists have successfully demonstrated a novel terahertz (THz) imaging technique that can capture high-quality images of objects from distances of up to 25 meters. The approach utilizes a quantum cascade laser and detector, which are designed to minimize water absorption in the THz spectrum.

Revamped experiment could detect elusive particle, physicists say

Physicists at the University of Florida propose a redesign to improve the detection of axions, a candidate for dark matter. The new design uses Fabry-Perot cavities to produce more photons, increasing the experiment's sensitivity by a factor of 10 compared to solar-based experiments.

Quantum dot lasers -- 1 dot makes all the difference

Researchers have built micrometer-sized solid-state lasers where a single quantum dot plays a dominant role in device performance. Correctly tuned, these microlasers switch on at energies in the sub-microwatt range, enabling highly efficient optical devices for telecommunications and computing.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

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Mass weddings -- NIST's new efficient 2-photon source

Physicists at NIST have devised a system to generate paired photons with great efficiency over a wide range of energy, reducing noise from extraneous photons. The new microstructured optical fiber increases light intensity, making pair production more likely.

Structural basis for photoswitching in fluorescent proteins brought into focus

Researchers at the University of Oregon have discovered the structural basis for photoswitching in fluorescent proteins, allowing for control over light emission. The study revealed that inserting a single oxygen atom can delay the switch-on time from five minutes to 65 hours, enabling more precise studies within cells.

Laser goes tubing for faster body-fluid tests

Researchers at the University of Rochester have created a laser-based technique that measures multiple chemicals in body fluids in under 60 seconds, offering non-destructive and fast testing capabilities. The technique uses Raman spectroscopy and low-refractive-index tubes to improve signal strength and accuracy.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

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Physicists shine a light, produce startling liquid jet

Researchers at University of Chicago and Bordeaux use laser beams to generate bulk flow in fluids, a phenomenon known as radiation pressure. The technique may offer a new twist to microfluidics, allowing for rapid adjustments and more efficient chemical reactions.

Research project could help create computers that run on light

Physicists at the University of Bath are developing attosecond technology to create continuous series of light pulses that could enable precise control over electric fields. This could lead to the development of photonics-based devices, such as photonic computers, with potentially groundbreaking capabilities.

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A single-photon server with just one atom

Researchers have developed a system that uses a single trapped atom to generate high-quality single photons, which can be controlled and made indistinguishable for quantum computing. The 'single-photon server' has the potential to revolutionize quantum information processing by enabling deterministic atom-photon entanglement experiments.

New technique by CU-Boulder researchers opens door to tabletop X-ray laser

Researchers at CU-Boulder have developed a new technique to generate laser-like X-ray beams, which could improve medical imaging resolution by a thousand times. The technique uses a powerful laser to pluck an electron from an atom and then slam it back into the same atom, generating a weak but directed beam of X-rays.

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Physics graduate student creates graphene resonator

A Cornell graduate student has created a graphene resonator, a single sheet of carbon atoms just one atom thick that can be used to weigh tiny masses or measure pressure. The material is also stiff and ultrathin, making it suitable for other experiments that require a thin and light membrane.

Molecules under the hammer

Dutch researcher Rajesh S. Pillai developed a new method to visualize the microstructure of food and lipid droplets in cells using short infrared laser pulses. This technique has high promise for research into fat storage and diseases related to disrupted lipid metabolism.

Researchers create new super-thin laser mirror

The new high-performance mirror, called the high-index contrast sub-wavelength grating (HCG), packs the same reflective punch as current mirrors but is at least 20 times thinner. This characteristic presents critical advantages for today's ever smaller integrated optical devices.

First 2-D Pictures of a 'frequency comb' transform it into a brush

Researchers at NIST have taken the first two-dimensional pictures of a frequency comb, revealing colors and intensity of all lightwaves simultaneously. The technique transforms the comb into a twodimensional brush, enabling scientists to measure and manipulate optical frequencies in a massively parallel manner.

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In tiny supercooled clouds, physicists exchange light and matter

Researchers at Harvard University have successfully stopped, store, and revive a light pulse in two separate locations using supercooled sodium clouds. This technique enables precise control over optical information and has potential applications in quantum information processing and cryptography.

Researchers observe superradiance in a free electron laser

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have successfully generated extremely short light pulses using a new technique that could be used in the next generation of light source facilities. The team observed superradiance, a phenomenon where light intensity grows as it interacts with an electron beam.

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DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

MU scientists discover way to order polar molecules in crystals

Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have developed a method to align polar molecules in crystals, which could lead to faster and more efficient microchips. This breakthrough has the potential to reduce energy costs and create new technologies that make computers cooler.

NIST laser-based method cleans up grubby nanotubes

Researchers at NIST and NREL demonstrate a simple laser-based method for purifying raw nanotube materials, significantly reducing impurities. The technique uses carefully calibrated laser pulses to react with contaminants, resulting in cleaner samples that can be used in various applications.

Laser experiments reveal strange properties of superfluids

Using laser light as a substitute for superfluids, the team observed unusual behavior of particles, including shock waves and interactions that had not been considered before. This new technique has the potential to advance our understanding of condensed matter physics and lead to breakthroughs in sensor technology and atomic trapping.

A laser uncovers the logic of the stomata function

Scientists discovered that stomata open independently of neighboring stoma behavior, optimizing water loss and CO2 acquisition. The laser study found that phototropin1 release triggers stomatal opening, influenced by light-induced changes in the cell interior.

New technique studies how plastic solar cells turn sunlight into electricity

A new analytical technique developed by Penn State researcher John B. Asbury could lead to the development of cheaper and more efficient solar cells. The technique uses infrared spectroscopy to study light-sensitive organic materials, providing information about electron movement within a film of carbon-based materials.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

UCF researcher's 3-D Digital Storage System could hold a library on 1 disc

A new technology allows users to record and store massive amounts of data onto a single disc, such as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's entire collection or 500 movies, maintaining excellent quality without damage. The UCF team's Two-Photon 3-D Optical Data Storage system uses lasers to compact information onto a DVD.

Weighty viruses

Researchers in Taiwan create a new method to accurately analyze the masses of individual, intact viruses using a miniaturized ion trap. They achieve a margin of error of ±1% by employing a gentle ionization technique and a specially designed cylindrical ion trap.

Strontium atomic clock demonstrates super-fine 'ticks'

Scientists at JILA have developed an ultra-stable laser system to manipulate strontium atoms, producing the most precise 'ticks' ever recorded in an optical atomic clock. This achievement enables improved time-keeping, precision measurements of high frequencies, and quantum computing using neutral atoms.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

'Tornadoes' are transferred from light to sodium atoms

Researchers at NIST successfully transferred orbital angular momentum from light to sodium atoms, demonstrating control over the state of an atom. This breakthrough enables manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates and potentially quantum information systems.

A boost for solar cells with photon fusion

Researchers develop innovative process to combine low-energy photons in sunlight into higher-energy shortwave photons, boosting solar cells' efficiency. This breakthrough could enable the use of previously lost light energy, leading to a significant increase in solar cell efficiency.

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

UC Santa Barbara and Intel develop world's first Hybrid Silicon Laser

Researchers from UCSB and Intel built the world's first Hybrid Silicon Laser using standard silicon manufacturing processes, combining Indium Phosphide for light emission and silicon for light routing. This breakthrough addresses the last major barrier to producing low-cost, high-bandwidth silicon photonics devices.

Doctors cut repeat LASIK visits dramatically

A new formula developed by doctors at the University of Rochester Medical Center reduces farsightedness among LASIK patients, making it more likely to get vision right the first time. The formula takes into account various imperfections in the eye that were not previously known to exist.

Gold nanoparticles prove to be hot stuff

Researchers at JILA demonstrated that gold nanoparticles can be trapped and detected six times more easily than polystyrene particles of similar size. However, the high heating effect could damage molecules under study, limiting their use in temperature-sensitive experiments.

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Microcapsules open in tumor cells

Researchers have created a method to release substances into tumor cells using microcapsules and laser light, which could lead to more targeted cancer treatments. The technique involves heating the polymer shell of the capsule with infrared laser light, causing it to open and releasing its contents.

Research paper illuminates how light pushes atoms

Kurt Gibble's paper analyzes the speed of an atom after absorbing a photon of light and shows that photons in narrow laser beams deliver less momentum than those in wide beams. This discovery has implications for atomic clocks, which use microwaves to achieve high accuracy, potentially allowing them to be even more precise.

Purdue creates new low-cost system to detect bacteria

Researchers at Purdue University developed a new low-cost system that analyzes scattered laser light to quickly identify bacteria. The technique uses a petri dish containing bacterial colonies growing in a nutrient medium, projecting the scattered light pattern onto a screen behind the petri dish.

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Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Laser tweezers sort atoms

Researchers at the University of Bonn have successfully sorted atoms using laser tweezers, a crucial step towards creating a quantum computer. By precisely controlling the position of individual atoms, they can perform simple quantum calculations and pave the way for more complex computations.

USC/Duke team lets there be leisurely light

The USC/Duke team has made significant improvements in controlling light pulses, achieving a slowdown of up to 20-fold increase over previous methods. By using a simple optical fiber and exploiting the Brillouin effect, they can potentially accommodate higher data rates and enable more efficient processing with photonics.

Growing glowing nanowires to light up the nanoworld

NIST researchers have successfully grown gallium nitride alloy nanowires with intense ultraviolet and visible light emission. The wires' high light output and defect-free structure enable reliable room-temperature measurements, while their versatility makes them suitable for various devices, including sensors and transistors.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

New laser technique that strips hydrogen from silicon surfaces

Researchers have developed a new laser technique that removes hydrogen from silicon surfaces at room temperature, allowing for the growth of silicon devices at lower temperatures. This breakthrough could enable faster and more precise manufacturing of microelectronic devices.