Articles tagged with Optics
A team of scientists has successfully demonstrated a more practical and robust method for quantum key distribution, which could lead to secure and cost-effective communication networks worldwide. The breakthrough uses composable security and achieves a secure key rate using simple telecom hardware combined with digital postprocessing.
Scientists create a spatiotemporal light system that emulates the behavior of potential-free Schrödinger equations, generating localized wavepackets without potential energy constraints. This breakthrough could provide new insights into quantum physics and applications in studying light-matter interactions.
A new microscopy technique, Confocal² Spinning-Disk Image Scanning Microscopy (C²SD-ISM), has been developed to overcome limitations of existing super-resolution techniques in deep tissue environments. The system achieves high-fidelity super-resolution with a lateral resolution of 144 nm and performs 3D imaging over large volumes.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated soliton microcombs in X-cut LiNbO3 microresonators, overcoming the challenge of Raman nonlinearity. This breakthrough enables the monolithic integration of fast-tunable, self-referenced microcombs for applications in optical communication, computation, timing, and spectroscopy.
Prof. Andreas Macke receives the Elsevier van de Hulst Prize for Light Scattering, recognized for his work on ice crystal scattering properties and models. Dr Moritz Haarig wins the AS&T Young Scientist Award for outstanding presentation at the International Electromagnetic and Light Scattering Conference.
Researchers have identified diatoms as the dominant microorganisms in a previously mysterious area of the Southern Ocean. The study's findings suggest that diatoms are responsible for the high levels of reflectance observed in satellite images, providing new insights into carbon cycling and ocean biology.
A study found that semaglutide and liraglutide use are associated with a higher risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in older patients with type 2 diabetes. The GLP-1 receptor agonists showed varying levels of risk, with liraglutide posing the greatest threat.
Researchers developed a low-cost visual microphone that listens with light instead of sound, capturing tiny vibrations on surfaces caused by sound waves and turning them into audible signals. The system uses single-pixel imaging to detect sound and can recover high-quality audio using everyday objects like paper cards and leaves.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin develop a method to harness structural colour using microfabrication technique, enabling ultra-sensitive materials for environmental sensing and biomedical diagnostics. The breakthrough also paves the way for next-generation medical sensors that can track biochemical changes in real-time.
Researchers developed a new 3D printing method that creates strong, high-quality silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic parts at lower temperatures. The method uses vat-polymerization and adds silica to improve material quality, resulting in comparable strength to ceramics sintered at higher temperatures.
A new microscopy technique allows scientists to observe active cells, even in the presence of diseases, and understand how drugs interact with living tissues. The technique has been made available to the scientific community as Open Science, enabling rapid dissemination and further innovation.
Researchers have successfully created photon pairs whose entanglement can be tuned, from fully entangled to not entangled at all, by leveraging the asymmetry of the surface. The process uses an asymmetric metasurface made of indium gallium phosphide and exploits optical resonances to enhance efficiency.
Researchers propose sparse-view irradiation processing VAM (SVIP-VAM) to reduce projection data and computation time. The method enables structure manufacturing with a reduced number of projections, increasing the feasibility of sparse-view printing.
Researchers developed a new scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (S-SNOM) technique achieving 1-nm resolution, enabling atomic-scale imaging of materials. This enables studying of atomic defects and nanoscale structures with unprecedented precision.
Researchers at Chuo University have developed chemically enriched photo-thermoelectric (PTE) imagers using semiconducting carbon nanotube (CNT) films, achieving enhanced response intensity and noise reduction. This enables efficient remote and on-site inspections with palm-sized wireless circuits.
Researchers at Macquarie University developed a new technique to narrow laser linewidth by factors exceeding 10,000 using diamond crystals and Raman scattering. This breakthrough could revolutionize quantum computing, atomic clocks, and gravitational wave detection with improved spectral purity.
Researchers develop flexible/stretchable displays using ECLDs, which offer lightweight and intelligent wearable devices. The study explores material selection principles, preparation processes, and applications for ECLDs, highlighting the potential for multi-color displays and wearables.
Researchers developed misaligned bilayer metagratings to overcome intrinsic dispersion locking, enabling precise angular and wavelength control. This breakthrough offers new opportunities for compact optical imaging and computing technologies.
The Uncertainty-Aware Fourier Ptychography (UA-FP) framework offers a highly robust and flexible solution for computational imaging, overcoming traditional calibration constraints. It can maintain reliable performance even when confronted with substantial physical imperfections, setting a new standard for the field.
Researchers have developed highly polycrystalline WxV1-xO2 films that exhibit exceptional dynamic radiative properties, paving the way for innovative thermal management systems. The films can modulate infrared radiation in response to temperature changes, allowing buildings and devices to optimize heat loss or retention adaptively.
Rice University professor Lei Li has received a NSF CAREER Award to develop wearable medical imaging technology capable of visualizing deep tissue function in real time. The project aims to miniaturize hospital-grade imaging systems into compact, energy-efficient wearables.
Researchers introduce a novel method for generating topological optical textures using simple photonic crystal slabs, leveraging BICs to achieve alignment-free and high-fidelity topological light generation. This discovery paves the way for practical applications in communication, sensing, and data processing.
Operando ZnO recrystallization improves device performance by reducing carrier concentration and enhancing electron mobility, leading to increased EQE in red QLEDs. This process also suppresses exciton quenching within the quantum dot layer.
A custom CNN trained on synthetic datasets decomposes modes in multimode fiber, eliminating coherent detection. This approach achieves high frame rates and low power consumption with FPGA acceleration.
Researchers developed a novel platform addressing limitations of conventional plasmonic systems, enabling large-area high-brightness emission at low power. The breakthrough paves the way for future display and optical communication technologies.
Professor Roberto Morandotti has won the 2025 IEEE Photonics Society Quantum Electronics Award for his groundbreaking research on entanglement generation and processing of complex quantum states in photonic devices and systems. His work at INRS's Ultrahigh Speed Light Manipulation Laboratory has led to numerous patents and collaboratio...
Researchers at EPFL's Bionanophotonic Systems Laboratory developed a biosensor that detects biomolecules using inelastic electron tunneling, enabling ultra-sensitive and real-time detection without bulky equipment. The sensor can detect amino acids and polymers at picogram concentrations, rivaling advanced sensors.
Researchers from Hunan University uncover buildup dynamics of harmonic mode-locking in fiber-based Mamyshev oscillators, achieving high stability and signal-to-noise ratio. The study identifies five distinct phases in the generation of stable harmonic mode-locking, challenging conventional understanding of laser emission.
The latest issue of Optica Quantum features research on cryogenic photonic links for superconducting qubits, spatio-spectral quantum state estimation of photon pairs from optical fiber, and quantum optical reservoir computing powered by boson sampling. These studies demonstrate breakthroughs in measuring and optimizing quantum states, ...
A nanometer-thin spacer layer has been inserted into exciplex upconversion OLEDs (ExUC-OLEDs) to improve energy transfer, enhancing blue light emission by 77-fold. This design enables the use of previously incompatible materials, paving the way for lightweight, low-voltage, and more flexible OLEDs.
Researchers developed a new method to estimate PN junction depth in Si wafers with nanometer scale resolution, using terahertz emission spectroscopy. This technology enables rapid, non-destructive, and non-contact access to the interior of wafers, contributing to improving device reliability and reducing manufacturing resources.
Scientists from Institute of Science Tokyo create photo-switchable binding of DNA nanostructures that generate two distinct directional motions. The research paves the way for innovative fluid-based diagnostic chips and molecular computers.
Scientists at Rice University have developed a scalable method to create high-performance single-photon emitters in carbon-doped hexagonal boron nitride, paving the way for practical quantum light sources. The findings overcome long-standing challenges in the field and set a new benchmark for qubit production.
Researchers observe anomalous saturable absorption behavior in CsPbBr3 thin films under sub-bandgap excitation, revealing a new mechanism for ultrafast nonlinear optical absorption. The study proposes that band energy fluctuations induced by lattice polarons enable polaronic states to facilitate saturable absorption.
The UCLA team introduces a framework for arbitrary 3D point spread function engineering, enabling adaptive optical imaging systems with precise control of light distribution in three dimensions. This development has significant implications for advanced imaging modalities, such as snapshot 3D multispectral imaging.
Researchers at Aston University have developed a new class of ultralow loss optical microresonators that can be widely tunable and precisely controlled. The devices, formed at the intersection of two optical fibers, hold potential applications in communication, computing, sensing and more.
A research team from Tampere University and Université Marie et Louis Pasteur has demonstrated a novel way to process information using light and optical fibers. The study used femtosecond laser pulses and an optical fiber to mimic the processing of artificial intelligence, achieving accuracy of over 91% in under one picosecond.
MIT researchers create a novel AI hardware accelerator that performs machine-learning computations at the speed of light, classifying wireless signals in nanoseconds. The photonic chip is scalable, flexible, and energy-efficient, making it suitable for future 6G wireless applications.
The Rice University team created a soft robotic arm capable of performing complex tasks using smart materials, machine learning, and an optical control system. The arm is guided and powered remotely by laser beams without any onboard electronics or wiring.
Researchers have developed glass-epoxy-based waveguides with low polarization-dependent loss and differential group delay, suitable for stable signal transmission in co-packaged optics. The waveguides demonstrated high power stability and reliability under six hours of continuous use.
Researchers demonstrate a novel system for neuromorphic computing utilizing perovskite microcavity exciton polaritons operating at room temperature. The system achieves high-speed digit recognition with 92% accuracy using only single-step training, opening new opportunities for scalable and light-driven neural hardware.
Researchers used AI to approach the fundamental limit of precision in optical methods, calculated using Fisher information. The team's algorithm achieved impressive results, only minimally worse than the theoretically achievable maximum, demonstrating its effectiveness.
Dr. Jonas Ohland will lead the ALADIN project to develop stable, efficient lasers for inertial confinement fusion. The goal is to improve beam guidance and reduce manual intervention, benefiting not only fusion research but also other high-power laser applications.
Researchers have developed a new laser device smaller than a penny that can conduct extremely fast and accurate measurements by precisely changing its color across a broad spectrum of light. The laser has applications ranging from guiding autonomous vehicles to detecting gravitational waves, a delicate experiment to observe our universe.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new method for fabricating ultra-thin metalenses using lithium niobate nanostructures. These devices can convert infrared light to visible radiation, enabling new applications in security, microscopy, and electronics.
Researchers developed a metalens-based microscope that achieves both wide field of view and high-resolution imaging in a compact design. The system uses a doublet configuration and annular illumination to overcome traditional metalens limitations, enabling practical applications in biomedical imaging.
A team of physicists has developed a new quantum sensor that can detect vectorial magnetic fields with large dynamic range and multi-axis capabilities. The sensor is based on spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride, a two-dimensional material that offers new degrees of freedom compared to existing nanoscale sensors.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking adaptive optics system that removes blur from images of the Sun's corona, revealing clearest images to date. The technology has produced remarkable observations of fine-structure in the corona, including raindrops and turbulent internal flows.
Researchers have developed a novel approach to achieve high-speed data transmission over long distances using platicon frequency microcombs. The technology demonstrates stable terabit/s coherent optical communication in free-space links, overcoming previous challenges such as beam stabilization and phase recovery. This breakthrough sup...
Researchers developed a multilayer device with high absorptivity in H/K bands and low emissivity in MWIR/LWIR bands, while utilizing VLWIR for efficient radiative heat dissipation. The device successfully concealed thermal radiation and reflected signals, achieving significant temperature reductions.
Researchers have introduced a novel class of three-dimensional topological structures, 'incoherent links and knots', constructed from coherence singularities. Despite the random distribution of the instantaneous electric field, these structures exhibit stable topological configurations.
Researchers have demonstrated a cryogenic circuit that allows light quanta to be controlled more quickly than ever before, reducing delay by a quarter of a billionth of a second. This breakthrough could contribute to developing modern technologies in quantum information science and communication.
A portable and highly sensitive ethanol sensor has been developed using a copper-based metal–organic framework thin film, enabling precise optical measurements without complex lab equipment. The sensor can visually detect varying ethanol levels, even at low concentrations, and can be integrated with a smartphone app for easy use.
A new imaging system can capture high-quality still images of rotating objects in real-time, enabling early detection of wear or damage. The system uses a single-pixel detector and structured illumination to overcome challenges of traditional cameras.
Researchers have developed a new technique called electro-optic sampling that uses ultrashort laser pulses to probe electric fields in crystals. This allows for the accurate capture of molecular spectra and detection of faint signals, providing profound insights into quantum physics.
Researchers propose a novel in-situ chlorination post-treatment method to renovate defects and reconstruct phase structure, enhancing optoelectronic performance. Deep-blue LEDs achieved an external quantum efficiency of 6.17%, demonstrating faster carrier transport and increased operational stability.
This special issue highlights cutting-edge developments in subwavelength optics, including nonlinear meta-devices, chiral optical signals, and hybrid-layer data storage. Researchers explore new phenomena at the subwavelength scale, enabling enhanced imaging, sensing, and communication capabilities.
Researchers successfully integrated femtosecond-pulse VSFG spectroscopy with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to detect VSFG signals from molecules in nanoscale gaps. Phase analysis revealed molecular orientation, and the technique's spatial confinement enabled detection of signals from a limited number of molecules.
Researchers have developed a monolithically integrated asynchronous optical recurrent accelerator, mapping time sequences to wavelength channels for efficient parallel processing. This breakthrough improves computational efficiency without requiring high-speed electronic components for synchronization.
Researchers developed a three-dimensional varifocal meta-device to address AR display challenges, including vergence-accommodation conflict. The device dynamically adjusts focal length and position using tunable metasurfaces, enabling virtual content display at different depths and positions without bulky components.