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Nano-antennas make living cells light up brighter and faster

Researchers have demonstrated that nano-antennas can enhance the fluorescence of proteins in living human and other mammalian cells, allowing for faster and more precise monitoring of electrical signals in the brain. This discovery adds a new tool for revealing electrical signals in the brain, using nanotechnology and genetic engineering.

SourceDelft University of Technology·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 28, 2026

New nano-device for generating structured light for advanced applications developed

Researchers developed a tiny device that creates radially polarized photons at room temperature, improving the efficiency of devices using structured light. The breakthrough enables advancements in communication and optical technology, paving the way for new possibilities in secure communication and quantum applications.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalACS Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 20, 2024

The world's fastest electron microscope

The team uses a continuous-wave laser to create ultrashort electron pulses, allowing for attosecond time resolution. They investigate nanophotonic phenomena and film electromagnetic processes inside waveguide materials, opening up new developments in photonic integrated circuits and metamaterials.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalNature·DateMay 31, 2023

Nanoantennas directing a bright future

Researchers at Kyoto University have developed nanoantennas that significantly increase the efficiency and photoluminescence of white LEDs by replacing aluminum with titanium dioxide. This breakthrough enables the creation of intensely bright yet energy-saving solid-state lighting solutions.

SourceKyoto University·JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry C·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 21, 2022

Nanoantennas for light controlled electrically

Scientists at Linköping University have created optical nanoantennas using conducting polymers that can switch between metallic and dielectric properties. The researchers achieved electrical control of the nanoantennas, enabling gradual tuning by applying external bias potentials.

SourceLinköping University·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 17, 2022

Scientists grow optical chips in a petri dish

A team of scientists from ITMO University developed a method to create optical chips in a Petri dish using gallium phosphide as a material for the waveguides. The new chip elements are three times smaller than those working in the IR spectral range, enabling compact and affordable production of lasers and waveguides.

SourceITMO University·JournalACS Nano·DateJun 16, 2020

Creating switchable plasmons in plastics

Scientists at Linköping University develop optical nanoantennas made from a conducting polymer, allowing for controllable nano-optical components. The antennas react to light and can be switched on and off, making them suitable for applications such as smart windows.

SourceLinköping University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateDec 9, 2019

Nanodiamond turns into controllable light source

Researchers from ITMO University developed a controlled light source based on nanodiamond, doubling emission speed without additional nanostructures. The artificial defects in the diamond crystal lattice enable efficient control of light emission, crucial for quantum computers and optical networks.

SourceITMO University·JournalNanoscale·DateMay 2, 2018

Researchers invent light-emitting nanoantennas

A research group from ITMO University combined a nanoantenna with a light source in a single nanoparticle, generating, enhancing and routing emission. The scientists discovered that the emission can be enhanced if its spectra match with Mie-resonant mode, making them efficient light sources at room temperature.

SourceITMO University·JournalNano Letters·DateFeb 20, 2018

Getting hold of quantum dot biosensors

Scientists from the University of Melbourne and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have successfully trapped individual quantum dots using an all-silicon nanoantenna. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency of nanosensors in detecting biomarkers at low concentrations.

SourceOptica·DateAug 22, 2017

Columbia engineers invent method to control light propagation in waveguides

Researchers developed a technique to efficiently control light in waveguides by decorating them with nano-antennas, achieving record-small footprints and broad wavelength ranges. This innovation has the potential to transform optical communications and signal processing, enabling faster and more powerful optical chips.

Joint international research project leads to a breakthrough in terahertz spectroscopy

A joint international research project has led to a breakthrough in terahertz spectroscopy, enabling the analysis of nanocrystals and molecules at extremely low concentrations. Researchers successfully increased technique sensitivity using nanoantennas, allowing for enhanced absorption and spectroscopic signature retrieval.

Seeing a molecule breathe

Researchers successfully measured the vibrational motion of a single molecule for the first time, showing distinct behavior from larger molecular groups. This achievement demonstrates ultrafast spectroscopy at the single-molecule level, enabling new possibilities for quantum computing and single-molecule photonics.

SourceAcademy of Finland·JournalNature Photonics·DateAug 20, 2014

University of Illinois researchers demonstrate novel, tunable nanoantennas

A team from the University of Illinois developed a novel, tunable nanoantenna that enables plasmonic field enhancement to actuate mechanical motion. The researchers demonstrated tunability down to 5nm and showed that an electron beam can be used to deform individual p-BNAs or groups with velocities as large as 60 nm/s.

Optical nanoantennas enable efficient multipurpose particle manipulation

Researchers at University of Illinois have demonstrated the use of arrays of gold Bowtie Nanoantenna Arrays for multipurpose optical trapping and manipulation of submicrometer- to micrometer-sized objects. This enables highly efficient, optical tweezers with low-input power densities, useful for optofluidic applications and manipulatin...