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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

A perfect trap for light

A team of researchers from TU Wien and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a 'light trap' that absorbs light perfectly in thin layers. This method uses mirrors and lenses to steer the light beam into a circle and then superimpose it on itself, preventing the light from escaping.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 25, 2022

Microscopic color converters move small laser-based devices closer to reality

Researchers developed a new method for converting light frequencies using atomically thin layers of molybdenum disulfide, enabling smaller lasers and potential applications in optical communications. The breakthrough could lead to compact phase-matched nonlinear optics and waveguide devices.

SourceColumbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 22, 2022

Engineers repurpose 19th-century photography technique to make stretchy, color-changing films

Researchers developed a new printing technique that applies a 19th-century color photography method to modern holographic materials, producing large-scale images on elastic materials with structural color. The team's results enable the creation of pressure-monitoring bandages, shade-shifting fabrics, or touch-sensing robots.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Materials·DateAug 1, 2022

Deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystals: Concept development and materials discovery

Researchers review current progress on DUV NLO crystals, discussing key performance criteria, material development, and design strategies to surpass existing KBBF crystals. They propose rational tuning of interlayer cations as an effective strategy to improve DUV NLO performance.

New, highly tunable composite materials—with a twist

Researchers at the University of Utah designed composite materials using moiré patterns, resulting in abrupt transitions between electrical conductor and insulator properties. The study's findings have broad potential technological applications and demonstrate a new geometry-driven localization transition.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 14, 2022

Time-reversal asymmetry surpasses conversion efficiency limit for solar cells

Researchers have developed a single-cell PV design integrated with nonreciprocal optical components to provide 100-percent reuse of emitted radiation, breaking the Shockley–Queisser limit. This breakthrough enables a quasimonochromatic radiation converter to reach the theoretically maximum Carnot efficiency.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Photonics for Energy·DateJun 1, 2022

Teaching physics to AI makes the student a master

Researchers at Duke University have developed a machine learning algorithm that incorporates known physics into neural networks, allowing for new insights into material properties and more efficient predictions. The approach helps the algorithm attain transparency and accuracy, even with limited training data.

SourceDuke University·JournalAdvanced Optical Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 17, 2022

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology researchers detect coronavirus particles with “slow light”

Researchers at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) have developed a new technique to easily visualize viruses using an optical microscope, called the Gires-Tournois immunoassay platform. The platform uses 'slow light' technology to detect coronavirus particles by slowing down light that gets reflected around them.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2022

Shedding new light on controlling material properties

Researchers at Kyoto University have discovered a scaling law that determines high-order harmonic generation in the perovskite material Ca2RuO4. The phenomenon, which was first observed in atomic gas systems, has been found to be highly dependent on temperature and gap energy.

SourceKyoto University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 5, 2022

Engineers pave way for next-gen deep ultraviolet lasers

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a high-quality crystal of aluminum nitride and created an optical cavity to trap emitted light, enabling the production of a deep-ultraviolet laser with exceptional precision. The breakthrough has significant implications for various applications, including sterilization, sensing, and ph...

SourceCornell University·JournalAIP Advances·DateApr 4, 2022

Quantum physics sets a speed limit to electronics

Researchers investigated the shortest possible time scale of optoelectronic phenomena and found that it cannot be increased beyond one petahertz. The experiments used ultra-short laser pulses to create free charge carriers in materials, which were then moved by a second pulse to generate an electric current.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 25, 2022

Don’t underestimate undulating graphene

Researchers at Rice University have developed a new type of electronics using undulating graphene, which creates mini channels that produce detectable magnetic fields. This technology has the potential to facilitate nanoscale optical devices and valleytronics applications, such as converging lenses and collimators.

SourceRice University·JournalNano Letters·DateMar 23, 2022

‘Self-driving’ lab speeds up research, synthesis of energy materials

Researchers at NC State University have developed a 'self-driving lab' that uses artificial intelligence and fluidic systems to advance our understanding of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals. The technology can autonomously dope MHP nanocrystals, adding manganese atoms on demand, allowing for faster control over properties.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalAdvanced Intelligent Systems·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 16, 2022

Double locked: polymer hydrogels secure confidential information

A novel 'double lock' system uses thermoresponsive polymer hydrogels to encrypt information, readable only at specific temperature and time windows. The system combines physical methods for decoding, increasing security while maintaining simplicity.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 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

Strong magnets put new twist on phonons

Rice University scientists discovered that strong magnetic fields can manipulate the material's optical phonon mode, a phenomenon previously unseen. The effects were much stronger than expected by theory, revealing a new way of controlling phonons.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 15, 2022

Creating invisibility with superconducting materials

Researchers have discovered a new material, α-MoO3, that can be used to create invisibility concentrators with improved performance and lower production costs. The study suggests the use of α-MoO3 to control energy flow and scatter light, enabling the creation of devices with near-perfect invisibility.

SourceDe Gruyter·JournalNanophotonics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 21, 2021

Transforming materials with light

Scientists create a process called 'coherent optical engineering' that can dramatically change the properties of materials without generating heat. The breakthrough uses lasers to alter electron energy levels in a way that is reversible and free from unwanted heating.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

Nanoscale lattices flow from 3D printer

Rice materials scientists develop a method to print arbitrary 3D shapes, creating micro-scale electronic, mechanical and photonic devices. The process involves two-photon polymerization and doping with rare earth salts for photoluminescent properties.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 14, 2021