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A perfect trap for light

Researchers from TU Wien and Hebrew University develop 'light trap' that allows complete absorption of light in thin layers using mirrors and lenses. The system works by steering the light beam into a circle and then superimposing it on itself, blocking any escape.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateAug 29, 2022

Quantum light clarifies bioimaging

Researchers at Texas A&M University created a device that harnesses quantum fluctuations to enhance spectroscopy results in Brillouin microscopy, increasing image clarity and accuracy. The new source significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for better visualization of biological structures and properties.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalOptica·DateAug 20, 2022

For the first time, scientists have systematized all the halos discovered over thousands of years of observations

Researchers from Helsinki and Ural Federal Universities group atmospheric halos into commonly observed and rare categories. They identified conditions necessary for seeing optical illusions in the atmosphere, such as temperature and humidity, but still struggle to explain some exotic forms like elliptical halos and Moilanen arc.

SourceUral Federal University·JournalJournal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer·DateJul 26, 2022

Potential energy surfaces of water mapped for the first time

Researchers have successfully mapped the potential energy surfaces of individual water molecules in liquid water at room temperature and normal pressure. This breakthrough uses X-ray analysis and statistical modeling to reveal the complex behavior of water molecules, shedding light on their role as a solvent.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 8, 2022

Towards indoor lighting-powered thin-film, flexible solar cells with piezophototronics

Ritsumeikan University researchers create a novel thin-film flexible piezoelectric-photovoltaic device that can generate electricity from indoor lighting. The device's performance is improved through strain-induced polarization in the ZnMgO layer, increasing open-circuit voltage and overcoming charge recombination issues.

SourceRitsumeikan University·JournalNano Energy·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 8, 2022

Making colors out of gold and DNA

Researchers at Aalto University developed a method to produce colors using gold nanocylinders suspended in a gel, controlled by custom DNA molecules. The technique uses polarized light to transmit specific colors depending on the orientation of the nanoparticles.

SourceAalto University·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateMay 31, 2022

Rice ‘metalens’ could disrupt vacuum UV market

Researchers at Rice University have created a 'metalens' that transforms long-wave UV-A into a focused output of vacuum UV radiation. The technology uses nanophotonics to impart a phase shift on incoming light, redirecting it and generating VUV without the need for specialized equipment.

SourceRice University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 5, 2022

The quest for an ideal quantum bit

A team of scientists at Argonne National Laboratory has developed a new qubit platform formed by freezing neon gas into a solid and trapping an electron there. The platform shows great promise in achieving ideal building blocks for future quantum computers, with promising coherence times competitive with state-of-the-art qubits.

A fast and accurate innovative imaging technique to monitor modern semiconductor devices

Researchers at Samsung have developed a novel approach to inspect critical dimensions of semiconductor devices, improving speed and resolution. The new 'line-scan hyperspectral imaging' (LHSI) technique offers faster measurements with high spatial resolution, outperforming existing methods.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Micro/Nanopatterning Materials and Metrology·DateApr 21, 2022

Controlling how fast graphene cools down

Researchers have demonstrated control of graphene's relaxation time, allowing for novel functionalities in devices such as light detectors and modulators. This work paves the way for the development of ultrafast optical devices with potential applications in photonics and telecommunications.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalACS Nano·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2022

Surprising semiconductor properties revealed with innovative new method

A new method using a thin oxide film has revealed that oxygen impurities in germanium are responsible for a surprising effect, creating holes in the material and eclipsing its semiconducting properties. This discovery has broad implications for understanding the role of thin oxide films in future semiconductor design.

SourceDOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2022

Mobile excitons as neutral information carriers

Researchers have created and detected dispersing excitons in a metal using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, a breakthrough that could enable efficient data transmission. The discovery of mobile excitons in TaSe3 reveals their mobility and potential to revolutionize electronics.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2022

New technology fused with photosynthetic life offers path to green energy

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a hybrid device that combines living organisms with bio batteries to produce stored energy under light conditions. The technology, known as microbial electro photosynthesis, has the potential to power a wide range of products, including transportation fuels and cosmetics.

SourceArizona State University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 20, 2022

How to get chloride ions into the cell

A study led by Przemyslaw Nogly at PSI has detailed insight into the mechanism of a light-driven chloride pump in bacteria, revealing how light energy converts to kinetic energy and transports chloride ions inside cells. The pump uses two molecular gates to ensure one-way transport, with the process taking around 100 milliseconds.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 3, 2022

Terahertz radiation source: Compact and simple

A novel, simple, and extremely compact terahertz radiation source has been developed at TU Wien, enabling high intensities and small size. The technology uses resonant-tunnelling diodes and can be used in various applications such as material testing, airport security control, radio astronomy, and chemical sensors.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalApplied Physics Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 11, 2022

Dalian Coherent Light Source demonstrates vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen production from water photochemistry

Researchers at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics demonstrate vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen production from water photochemistry. This process represents a further source of vibrationally excited H2 observed in the interstellar medium.

SourceDalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateNov 10, 2021

SMART researchers discover new way to generate light through use of pre-existing defects in semiconductor materials

SMART researchers have discovered a practical method to overcome current challenges in the manufacture of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) LEDs with considerably higher indium concentration. The new approach uses intrinsic defects in semiconducting materials to form quantum dots that emit long-wavelength light.

SourceSingapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)·JournalACS Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 26, 2021

New world record in materials research - X-ray microscopy with 1000 tomograms per second

Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have achieved a new world record in materials research by using X-ray microscopy to create 1000 three-dimensional images per second. This allows for the non-destructive study of fast processes in materials, enabling researchers to gain insights into material properties and behavior.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 27, 2021

Rapid increase in global light pollution

A new study found that global light pollution has increased significantly over the past 25 years, with the true increase potentially being much higher. The study, led by the University of Exeter, reveals that the transition to solid-state LED technology has masked the impact of light pollution in many regions.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalRemote Sensing·TypeObservational study·DateSep 14, 2021

Berkeley Lab science snapshots

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have made significant breakthroughs in developing a highly effective COVID-19 antibody therapy and an efficient thermoelectric system that can convert waste heat to electricity. The new antibody, S309, has been shown to neutralize all known SARS-CoV-2 strains and may be more difficult for new mutants to escape.

When vibrations increase on cooling: Anti-freezing observed

Researchers have observed a unique phenomenon where vibrations in a nickel oxide material increase with cooling, leading to the formation of faster fluctuations and ordered regions. This behavior is unusual and differs from the expected trend, which is that less thermal energy leads to more fluctuations freezing and order growing.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 4, 2021

Story tips: Sensing oil leaks, 3D prints in space, more fuel from ethanol, Arctic modeling boost, making isotopes faster and nano-enabled microscopy

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are advancing various technologies to minimize oil leaks, enable 3D printing in space, and increase fuel efficiency from ethanol. They have developed a quantum sensing system to detect pipeline leaks more quickly, built a thermal protection shield for a capsule launched into space, and creat...

SourceDOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory·JournalNature·TypeImaging analysis·DateAug 2, 2021

Chasing the light from elusive ‘milky seas’: CSU researchers light a path toward unraveling mysteries of the ocean from space

Using nearly a decade of satellite data, researchers at CSU have detected the elusive ‘milky seas’ – a rare display of bioluminescence in the ocean. The study reveals that milky seas are not adequately explained by previous hypotheses and proposes new theories for their formation.

SourceColorado State University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeImaging analysis·DateJul 29, 2021

New scanning technology could help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease using light

Researchers developed a non-invasive optical technique using spectroscopy to identify structural changes in the brain and diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The new technology has potential as a simple, completely non-invasive method of early detection and could also assess treatment effectiveness.

SourceVeterans Affairs Research Communications·JournalJournal of Alzheimer’s Disease·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 28, 2021

New theranostic approach joins radiopharmaceuticals and nanoparticles to kill cancer cells

Researchers have developed a novel cancer treatment approach that utilizes Cerenkov radiation energy to activate semiconducting polymer nanoparticles, killing cancer cells. The approach amplifies weak Cerenkov luminescence with semiconducting polymers, increasing its potential to target and destroy cancer cells.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJun 14, 2021