Articles tagged with Optical Materials
Stephanie Law, associate professor of materials science and engineering, received the Young Investigator Award for advances in growing novel optical materials, including heavily doped semiconductors and topological insulators. The award recognizes her work on improving material quality for infrared and terahertz optics and plasmonics.
Researchers at Far Eastern Federal University develop a new approach to high-speed synthesis of Nd3+:YAG optical ceramics, reducing consolidation time by 10-100 times and improving their transparency. The technique enables the production of diode-pumped microlasers with short lasing pulse duration, high peak power, and beam quality.
Researchers have developed a novel inkjet printing method to fabricate biocompatible polymer microdisk lasers for biosensing. The approach allows for the production of both laser and sensor in an open-air environment, enabling on-site biosensing for health monitoring and disease diagnostics.
Scientists have designed a zero-index material based on a purely dielectric photonic crystal slab that supports low-order mode-based design, reducing radiation loss. This design enables applications such as arbitrarily shaped waveguides, phase-mismatch-free nonlinear propagation, and extended super radiance with low propagation loss.
Researchers developed two analytical models to evaluate retro-reflective materials' reflection directional characteristics, achieving more accurate results than traditional methods. The study aims to mitigate urban heat islands and reduce building energy consumption.
The new method enables precision fabrication of optical components and multimaterial structures, eliminating assembling processes. It allows the production of devices with high precision and low cost, and could aid in the miniaturization of optical devices used for medical treatments and diagnoses.
Physicists at the University of Bath have accurately measured and characterised a single, twisted nanoparticle using a new method, taking them closer to producing medicines on demand. The discovery could lead to mini-labs that can mix substances in a completely new way, producing pharmaceuticals from minute droplets of active ingredients.
Researchers developed a new precision spray-coating method to create multilayer perovskite solar cells with better performance and stability. The technique allows for customizable device designs, enabling specific performance and stability requirements.
Researchers from USTC applied moiré engineering to correlated transition metal oxides (CTMOs), realizing electronic modulations with mesoscale patterns. This breakthrough enables spatially patterned electronic textures on demand in strained epitaxial materials, providing a new route for achieving novel properties.
Researchers developed a templating technique to instill order in self-assembling inorganic materials, forming new eutectic materials. The results show that these composites can have unique microstructures such as square, triangular and honeycomb-shaped structures with specific properties.
Researchers developed a platform to organize nanomaterials of different types into desired 3-D structures using DNA-programmable nanofabrication. The platform can create materials with unique optical, chemical, and other properties at the nanoscale, enabling new applications in fields like display technology and nanomanufacturing.
Researchers created excited electrons that briefly doubled the frequency of a beam as it bounced off an amorphous TiO2 slab. This breakthrough widens the range of optical materials useful for micro- and nanoscale optoelectronic applications, enabling new options for creating second-order nonlinear effects.
Scientists at the University of Washington create a method to assemble nanoscale semiconductor materials into larger structures using optical tweezers. The technique allows for precise control over material size and shape, with potential applications in quantum computing.
Researchers developed a simple and low-cost method to create meter-scale transparent conductive circuits based on silver nanowires, enabling rigid and flexible transparent LED screens with improved transparency and conductivity. The new technology could expand the applications of transparent LED screens to large-angle curved areas.
Researchers create biofuel precursors from municipal waste and discover unique optical phenomena in moire superlattices. A new model uses cellphone data to improve urban building occupancy estimates, aiming to enhance energy efficiency.
Physicists have accidentally discovered a material that can change shape without breaking, a property that could lead to new applications in fields like artificial muscles and pumps. The material, called 4-DBpFO, changes shape at temperatures around 180 degrees Celsius due to molecular movement.
Researchers at MIT developed a material that is 10 times blacker than anything reported previously, using vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The new coating absorbs greater than 99.995% of incoming light from any angle, making it the blackest material on record.
Researchers at Ehime University discovered a molecular insulating crystal that reversibly exhibits metal-like conducting behavior under UV-irradiation. This unique property indicates the existence of other photoexcited states of matter with novel properties.
The study reveals that the green photoluminescence in CsPB2Br5 is caused by a small overgrowth of nanocrystals composed of CsPbBr3 along its edges. This understanding paves the way for designing and fabricating novel optoelectronic devices.
A new laser fabrication method called laser catapulting enables the creation of customized microlenses with varying shapes and optical properties. This technology has the potential to improve the performance of cameras, solar cells, and microscopes in various applications.
University of Rochester researchers create a transistor-scale device platform that combines 2D materials with oxide materials, enabling phase changes in response to applied strain. This technology has the potential to transform electronics, optics, computing, and other technologies by controlling previously uncontrollable properties.
Scientists have successfully synthesized helical ladder polymers using a novel electrophilic aromatic substitution method. The resulting molecules exhibit well-defined right-handed helical geometry and can be modified to create nanoscale architectures for various applications.
Scientists at NRL discovered a new method to passivate defects in next generation optical materials, improving optical quality and enabling miniaturization of light emitting diodes. The technique produces a 100-fold increase in material's optical emission efficiency, paving the way for high-efficiency optoelectronic devices.
Engineers at Tufts University have created novel optical devices using 3D printed metamaterials with unique microwave or optical properties. The researchers developed a hybrid fabrication approach to create complex geometries and novel functionalities for wavelengths in the microwave range.
Researchers developed new plastic films that deflect or trap heat with zero energy required. The versatile materials can be used to regulate the temperature of buildings and people, and have potential applications in wearable technologies and solar cells.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory create a new technique called ultrafast surface X-ray scattering to study the motion of atoms in single atomic crystals. The method reveals counterintuitive effects on atomic behavior, shedding light on the properties of two-dimensional materials.
Thermally-painted metasurfaces yield perfect light absorbers that can be used for sensing, solar panels, anti-counterfeiting and stealth technologies. The technique creates a nanostructured surface that absorbs more than 99% of red light.
Researchers developed three techniques for laser colorization on metal, creating optical effects that change the color of the treated surface. The techniques can be used to produce colorful artwork on metals with high reproducibility and potential for mass production.
The TOCHA project aims to develop novel topological photonic/phononic waveguides and heterostructures to enhance information transfer and metrology. It will advance the handling and transport of quantum information with enhanced precision demands.
Pedot is an organic polymer that has been the subject of much experimental research, but few theoretical studies have been conducted. Researchers at Linköping University have developed a new theory of electronic structure and optical properties of PEDOT, overturning previous research. This new understanding has significant implications...
The review highlights the development of advanced nano-materials for electrochemical geno-sensors, showcasing their high surface area, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and charge-sensitive conductance. These materials are used to detect chemical analytes with potential as a next-generation field-deployable analytical tool.
A new graphene-based sensor design can detect multiple substances simultaneously, including bacteria and pathogens, offering improved food safety. The sensor's high sensitivity and adjustable properties make it suitable for a wide range of applications.
Researchers have developed inorganic perovskite-based photodetectors that transfer both text and music, offering a promising material for future rapid optical communication. The new materials have rapid response times, are simple to manufacture, and are extremely stable.
Researchers have created designer materials that can be used in various photonic applications, outperforming individual metals like gold and silver. The materials exhibit tuned optical properties, enabling lighter load and enhanced power for Soldier devices.
Researchers from Far Eastern Federal University have developed a new type of optical ceramic material that outperforms commercial glass and single crystals in physical and mechanical characteristics. The innovative material, YAG:Nd with high neodymium ion concentration, enables faster synthesis and improved control over its functionality.
Researchers demonstrate large-scale fabrication of transparent conductive electrode film based on nanopatterned silver, offering high-performance and long-lasting option for use with flexible screens. The silver-based films could also enable flexible solar cells and improve existing flexible displays.
New nanoparticle-based films can holographically archive more than 1000 times more data than a DVD in a small piece of film. The technology could enable tiny wearable devices that capture and store 3-D images with realistic detail.
Researchers at NRL have developed a method to reduce optical losses in hexagonal boron nitride devices, enabling more efficient lasers and nanoscale optics. This breakthrough has significant applications for ultra-high resolution microscopes, solar energy harvesting, optical computing, and targeted medical therapies.
Researchers from Russia, Sweden, and the US demonstrate a highly unusual optical effect by creating a transparent material that appears to absorb light. The material, made of a thin layer of a transparent dielectric, accumulates light energy through mathematical properties of the scattering matrix, making it appear perfectly absorbing.
INRS professors François Légaré and Federico Rosei have been elected OSA Fellows for their groundbreaking work in ultrafast molecular imaging and photonic materials development. The distinction reflects their leadership, publication record, and significant impact on optics and photonics research.
Researchers developed a single-step, laser-based method to produce hybrid microstructures of silver and silicone. These structures exhibit both electrical conductivity and flexibility, making them suitable for sensing mechanical forces and enabling new types of optical and electrical devices.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed a method to produce patterned monolayers that can perform multiple functions, such as catalyzing chemical reactions and sensing molecules. These materials offer a new option for device designers, allowing for the creation of single materials with two functionalities.
University of Leeds scientists have discovered a way to measure the strength of modern concrete forms using light-refracting coatings. The birefringent coating displays stress positions, allowing researchers to assess concrete toughness against fractures with high precision.
Scientists develop self-assembled organic molecular lattices with controlled geometry and atomic precision on top of graphene, inducing periodic potentials and unprecedented electrical, magnetic, piezoelectric, and optical functionalities. The approach allows for pre-programming and adjustment of the induced potentials.
A new type of light-enhancing optical cavity has been developed, representing a step toward brighter single-photon sources. This breakthrough could help propel quantum-based encryption and secure networks.
A team led by Professor Cordt Zollfrank from the Technical University of Munich created the first controllable random laser based on cellulose paper. The laser uses a biogenic structure to scatter light in different directions, but can still be controlled and localized.
A new semiconductor nanocomposite material can convert photons into mechanical motion, enabling microscopic robotic grippers and more efficient solar cells. The material's unique exciton resonance contributes to its extraordinary strength and optical absorption.
Researchers from Aalborg University have developed a heat-resistant device made of tungsten and alumina layers that can absorb sunlight across a broad spectrum, enabling more efficient energy conversion. The device can operate at high temperatures and absorb light from UV to near-infrared wavelengths.
Researchers developed a new method to kill bacteria in seconds using gold nanoparticles and light, outperforming traditional sterilization methods. The technique shows promise for biomedical applications, including reducing urinary tract infections and improving water quality.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have devised a method to trap and arrange nanoparticles in a way that mimics the atomic structure of diamond using DNA scaffolds. The technique, developed by Oleg Gang, employs fabricated DNA as a building material to organize nanoparticles into 3D spatial arrangements.
A special metal oxide glass created by researchers in China can effectively protect living cells and organic dyes from UV radiation damage. The glass uses self-limited nanocrystallization to block damaging ultraviolet rays and has high optical transparency.
Professor Nanfang Yu has received the DARPA Young Faculty Award to develop metasurface-based flat optical modulators. He aims to create high-speed, light-weight spatial light modulators (SLMs) with tunable materials for various applications including LIDAR and remote sensing.
Researchers have developed an open-source computational tool to calculate van der Waals forces between molecules and predict molecular organization. The software, Gecko Hamaker, enables the design and fabrication of new mesoscale systems with improved stability and functionality.
Researchers design multicomponent materials by combining molecular and structural properties to form a 3D architecture. The spatial distribution of molecules and electronic properties of building blocks significantly impact optical properties. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using active pharmaceutical ingredients as building...
Researchers have discovered a new material that combines light-emitting capabilities with shape-shifting characteristics. The material, known as organic 'supercooled' liquid, has potential applications in optical storage systems and biomedical sensors.
The project aims to synthesize different atomically thin two-dimensional semiconducting layers, which possess novel properties. The team will investigate the electronic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides in various layer configurations, with potential applications in photovoltaics and photoelectronics.
A review by Virginia Tech scientist Maren Roman highlights discrepancies in studies about cellulose nanocrystals' impact on the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and cells. More research is needed to determine their potential adverse health effects.
A new type of thin film, composed of both inorganic and organic materials, has been developed to create flexible and durable touch screens. The hybrid films show higher transparency and flexibility compared to traditional inorganic materials.
Jon Schuller, UCSB assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is studying how light interacts with complex materials like plastics, which have unique optical properties. The research could lead to the development of new organic photonic devices with enhanced performance and low-cost semiconductors.
Researchers have developed bioinspired materials with potential applications in detecting heavy metals and fostering faster surgery recovery time. The materials interact with light to enable applications in therapy, biosensing, and bioimaging.