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A dynamic twist of light’s ‘handedness’

The Harvard researchers' new device is elegantly designed to be tunable, with a bilayer design that becomes geometrically chiral and able to 'read' chiral light. By using the MEMS device to continuously vary the twist angle and interlayer spacing, the team showed they could tune the device's intrinsic ability to read different chiral l...

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

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.

Quantum uncertainty tamed at the University of Arizona

The team developed a new method to produce ultrafast squeezed light, which can fluctuate between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the position of fused silica relative to the split beam. This breakthrough could lead to more secure communication and advance fields like quantum sensing, chemistry, and biology.

Major step for flat and adjustable optics

Scientists at Linköping University have made a significant breakthrough in creating controllable flat optics using nanostructures on a flat surface. By precisely controlling the distance between antennas, they achieved up to tenfold improvement in performance, opening up new avenues for applications such as video holograms and biomedic...

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

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

Polarization control of photonic molecules with evanescent wave coupling

A team of scientists has achieved full polarization control of photons through photonic molecules consisting of two 1D photonic crystal nanobeam cavities. The coupling between PMs is influenced by air gap d and relative displacement s, allowing for high controllability. This breakthrough enables direct control of the local optical fiel...

Scientists create optical device that mimics black holes

Researchers have designed an optical device that functions as an optical black hole or white hole, behaving like a cosmic object that either swallows or repels light. This device relies on coherent perfect absorption of light waves and offers new possibilities for manipulating light-matter interactions.

Illuminating the twist: light-driven inversion of supramolecular chirality

The study successfully manipulated the formation of left-handed or right-handed helical aggregates using precise light control, exhibiting promising insights into novel functional materials. The researchers found that residual aggregates acted as nucleation sites forming oppositely directed helical assemblies under certain conditions.

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.

Integrated photonic polarizers with 2D reduced graphene oxide

Integrated photonic polarizers with 2D reduced graphene oxide are reported, achieving up to 47-dB polarization-dependent loss and 16-dB polarization extinction ratio. The devices exhibit better performance than those with graphene oxide, demonstrating the potential of 2D materials in high-performance optical polarizers.

Doubling down on metasurfaces

A new bilayer metasurface, made of two stacked layers of titanium dioxide nanostructures, has been created by Harvard researchers. This device can precisely control the behavior of light, including polarization, and opens up a new avenue for metasurfaces.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Detecting glucose through painless photoacoustics

Researchers at Indian Institute of Science use polarized light to measure glucose concentration with near clinical accuracy in water, serum solutions and tissue samples. The technique exploits the interaction between glucose molecules and polarized light to create unique sound wave patterns.

Holograms with a twist: Entangling light and information

Researchers have created quantum holograms using metasurfaces and nonlinear crystals, enabling precise control over entangled information. The technology holds promise for practical applications in quantum communication and anti-counterfeiting, with potential to increase information capacity and reduce system size.

Hybrid states of light and matter may significantly enhance OLED brightness

Researchers developed a theoretical model predicting substantial increase in OLED brightness by leveraging polaritons, promising improved efficiency and brightness. The study proposes new materials discovery and architecture development to achieve single-molecule strong coupling or tailored molecules for polariton OLEDs.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

The art and science of twisting light

A team of researchers from Singapore University of Technology and Design has developed a new type of metasurface that can generate circularly polarized light without complex optical setups. The metasurface exhibits chirality, enabling it to convert arbitrary optical excitation into circularly polarized light at specific frequency ranges.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Researchers develop polarization photodetector mimicking desert ant

Chinese researchers have developed an on-chip integrated polarization photodetector inspired by desert ants' ability to perceive polarized sunlight. The team created a high-crystalline perovskite single-crystal-thin film with quadridirectional grating arrays, enabling a simple and cost-effective polarization imaging system.

Subcycle conservation law in strong-field ionization

Researchers have identified a subcycle conservation law between angular momentum and energy during strong-field ionization, as revealed by the analysis of correlated spectrum of angular momentum and energy. This law remains applicable down to the subcycle level, offering new understanding of light-matter interactions.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Unidirectional imaging technology breakthrough

Researchers at UCLA developed a new type of imaging technology that forms images in only one direction, enabling efficient and compact methods for asymmetric visual information processing and communication. The technology works exceptionally well under partially coherent light, achieving high-quality imaging with high power efficiency.

Novel 2D electro-polaritonic platform for future miniaturized spectrometers

Scientists have developed a groundbreaking 2D electro-polaritonic platform that integrates detection with the same material, overcoming limitations of traditional optical techniques. This breakthrough enables spectrally resolved electrical detection of nanoresonators and significantly enhances photodetection efficiency.

Faster, more sensitive lung cancer detection from a blood draw

Researchers developed a microchip that captures exosomes from blood plasma to identify signs of lung cancer, achieving 10x faster detection and 14x greater sensitivity. The chip uses twisted gold nanoparticles to distinguish between healthy patients and those with lung cancer.

New 'chiral vortex' of light reveals molecular mirror images

A new structure of light has been discovered that can accurately measure chirality in molecules, a property of asymmetry important in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. This 'chiral vortex' provides an accurate and robust form of measurement, allowing for the detection of chiral biomarkers.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Breaking through silicon

The team achieves nanofabrication of nanostructures buried deep inside silicon wafers, enabling sub-wavelength and multi-dimensional control directly inside the material. The breakthrough opens up new possibilities for developing nano-scale systems with unique architectures.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Ants detect and monitor low levels of moonlight to navigate at night

Researchers found that nocturnal bull ants can detect exceedingly low levels of polarised moonlight produced throughout the lunar month to navigate during the night. The ants altered their direction in response to changing rotations of overhead lunar light polarisation, suggesting a stable cue across the lunar cycle.

Gold nanoparticles that selectively emit left-/right-handed light

Researchers found that chiral gold nanoparticles exhibit high selectivity for left- or right-handed circularly polarized light with a dissymmetry factor of approximately 0.7, outperforming previous materials. The findings suggest potential applications in anti-counterfeiting and quantum information using circularly polarized light.

Sorting complex light beams: A breakthrough in optical physics

A groundbreaking study introduces a method for sorting vector structured beams with spin-multiplexed diffractive metasurfaces, promising significant advancements in optical communication and quantum computing. This technology enables precise control over complex light beams, opening new avenues for scientific exploration.

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Unveiling a polarized world – in a single shot

Scientists at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a compact, single-shot polarization imaging system that can provide a complete picture of polarization. The system uses two thin metasurfaces to capture the most complete polarization response of an object in real-time.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Study shows: 2D materials rotate light polarization

A German-Indian research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in developing miniaturized optical isolators by utilizing ultra-thin two-dimensional materials. The researchers successfully rotated the polarization of visible light by several degrees under small magnetic fields, paving the way for on-chip integration of optical co...

Can metalens be commercialized at a fraction of the cost?

Researchers have developed two innovative methods for mass-producing metalenses, reducing production costs by up to 1,000 times. The team achieved successful creation of large-scale infrared metalenses with high resolution and exceptional light-collecting capabilities.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Novel method for controlling light polarization

Researchers have developed a novel method for controlling light polarization using liquid crystals, allowing for dynamic manipulation of holographic images. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including augmented reality, data storage, and encryption.

Polarization-sensitive tomography made easy with T2oFu

The T2oFu method offers a new approach to quantitative phase and polarization-sensitive tomography, enabling high-contrast images of muscle fibers with implications for diagnosing skeletal myopathies. The technique has been successfully tested on heart tissue samples with cardiac amyloidosis, providing promising results.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Harnessing light with hemispherical shells

A new research proposes a hemispherical shell shape to optimize organic photovoltaic cells, achieving a 66% increase in light absorption and improved angular coverage. The study presents advanced computational analysis, revealing the remarkable capabilities of this innovative design.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Polarization-independent liquid-crystal phase modulators

Researchers have developed a new approach to polarization-independent liquid-crystal phase modulation using a light-controlled azimuth angle (LCAA) process. This process creates single-layer, multi-microdomain, orthogonally twisted structures with precise alignment, enabling high phase retardation and low polarization dependence.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Atomic dance gives rise to a magnet

Researchers at Rice University have discovered a way to transform a rare-earth crystal into a magnet by using chirality in phonons. Chirality, or the twisting of atoms' motion, breaks time-reversal symmetry and aligns electron spins, creating a magnetic effect.

How quantum light sees quantum sound

Researchers at UEA have proposed a new method to investigate quantum-mechanical processes in molecules using quantum light. The study shows that phonon signatures can be detected in photon correlations, providing a toolbox for studying quantum sound interactions.

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.

Illuminating new horizons: Navigating nonlinear scattering with precision

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a new scattering matrix method that can sculpt light output with minimal optimization time. The method offers unparalleled nonlinear scattered light control, enabling high-resolution scanning microscopy and particle trapping through dense, scattering media.