Photonics

Making ‘light’ work of computing

Silk made into strong plastic-like materials with 6G potential

IMDEA Networks participates in the development of the photonic chip of the future

"Breaking the limits of OLED: Postech achieves low-votage freely color tunable ultra-pure laser emission"

Powerful shrinking technique could enable devices that compute with light

Toward smart light sources

Organic luminescent radicals enable bright circularly polarized light in the near-infrared region

Groundbreaking study in light control opens door to new technological frontiers

Scientists at Heriot-Watt University have developed a new way to control the polarization of light, opening up new possibilities for medical tools and quantum technologies. The breakthrough achieves full control over light oscillation in real-time using only light, with no electronics or moving parts.

Light responsive hydrogels enable fast and precise control of soft materials

Researchers at Tampere University have developed light responsive hydrogel thin films that enable programmable surfaces with high sensitivity, rapid response, precise spatial control and reversibility. The technology opens new possibilities for tunable devices in photonics, sensing and biomedicine.

MIT researchers find self-organizing “pencil beam” laser could help scientists design brain-targeted therapies

Researchers leveraged a surprise discovery to devise a new bioimaging method that captures 3D images of the human blood-brain barrier 25 times faster than existing technology. This technique enables scientists to test whether new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases reach their targets in the brain.

Double-slit experiment reveals hidden details between light and matter

Scientists successfully built the smallest X-ray interferometer to measure how X-rays interact with atomic nuclei. This breakthrough technology enables precise measurement of X-ray refraction and provides new avenues for research.

Twisted nanoparticles sorted by light

Researchers at Tokyo University of Science demonstrated a method for manipulating metallic chiral nanoparticles using circularly polarized light. By confining light to an evanescent field near the surface of ultra-thin optical fibers, they selectively transported left- and right-handed particles based on their chirality.

Quantum materials: Volkswagen Foundation provides €2 million for Eckhardt Endowed Professorship at Goethe University

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt are exploring modern quantum materials, which exhibit fascinating phenomena in response to external stimuli. Olena Fedchenko investigates electronic structure and properties of these materials using various photon sources.

Aston University researcher helps solve a decades-old ultrafast lasers puzzle

Researchers have developed a unified mathematical model explaining two types of 'breathing' solitons in ultrafast lasers, overcoming decades-old puzzle. The new framework accurately predicts complex behaviors and reveals underlying mechanisms.

PKU researchers pave the way toward high-performance photonic chips

Researchers at Peking University have developed a general nanofabrication strategy for van der Waals materials, allowing for the creation of low-loss and high-performance photonic structures. This enables the demonstration of efficient continuous-wave nonlinear optical processes in vdW microcavities.

Perovskite nanocrystals in glass for high-efficiency and ultra-high resolution dynamic displays

Researchers develop fluoride-engineered perovskite nanocrystal glass for high-efficiency, full-color emission and ultra-high-resolution holographic displays. The glass matrix enables stable and efficient photoluminescence of PNCs, driving the creation of high-quality dynamic displays.

Bright quantum light emission achieved at room temperature in 2D semiconductors

Researchers have successfully created a high-efficiency quantum light source that emits bright lights even at room temperature using 2D semiconductors. The achievement is made possible by confining excitons in a tiny region via nanohole-induced confinement and neutralizing excess charges.

When light gets trapped at nanoscale: New ways to power the future of optoelectronics

Researchers explore new design strategies for metasurfaces and BICs, enabling scalable light control and efficient optoelectronic platforms. These advances have practical implications for applications in lasing, sensing, nonlinear optics, wavefront shaping, and imaging.

Making light spin with a gold nanorod

By striking a gold nanorod off-center with an electron beam, researchers created rotating circular polarization in light, a property useful for controlling information encoding and transmission. This simple approach could enable new ways to encode, route, and process information using light.

A high-performance photodetector with precision in structure and power detection

A research team from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has developed a new type of photodetector that achieves impressive responsivity and detectivity. The device uses highly ordered superlattices to overcome the limitations of traditional quantum dot-based photodetectors.

Intelligent monitoring pipe detects and predicts 3D soil settlement

Researchers developed an intelligent monitoring pipe combining optical sensing and machine learning to monitor and predict 3D soil settlement. The system provides precision 3D measurements, capturing dynamic changes in soft or unstable soils like loess.

Racetrack-shaped lasers for bright, stable frequency combs

A new laser source generates a specific type of light source called a frequency comb in the mid-infrared region, paving the way for miniaturization. The device overcomes engineering challenges to produce bright, stable, and compact frequency combs.

A Bessel lens with a flat lens unveils technology that creates a nondiffracting bottle laser

Scientists at Chiba University developed a simple method to generate high-quality optical bottle beams that remain concentrated over long distances. The technique uses a binary axicon and a flat multilevel diffractive lens to create sharp light structures.

Anisotropic 2D crystal with hyperbolic localized plasmon resonances

Hyperbolic localized plasmon resonances were achieved in an anisotropic two-dimensional crystal, enabling tunable optical chirality and potential applications in miniaturized photonic components, spectroscopic sensors, and molecular fingerprinting.

Technion researchers measure ultrafast quantum light pulses for the first time

The study measures the temporal duration of individual pulses of bright squeezed vacuum (BSV), a unique quantum state of light. Each BSV pulse lasts just around 27 femtoseconds, placing it firmly in the ultrafast regime.

Researchers demonstrate integrated stabilized laser chips performing clock and quantum operations on a room temperature trapped ion qubit

Researchers from UCSB and UMass Amherst successfully integrated stabilized laser chips with a room temperature trapped ion qubit, enabling compact and portable quantum systems. This breakthrough paves the way for applications in quantum sensing, computing, and fundamental science.

Laser tornado in a synthetic magnetic field

Researchers from the University of Warsaw and other institutions created optical tornadoes by combining spatially variable birefringence with an optical microcavity. This allows for the creation of miniature light sources with complex structures, potentially enabling simpler and more scalable photonic devices.

Tiny LED design could power next-generation technology

Researchers from The University of Osaka propose a compact LED design that directly emits circularly polarized light, potentially simplifying optical devices. The new design uses robust inorganic materials and achieves high levels of both efficiency and polarization degree.

Terahertz imaging makes a leap toward real-time, non-invasive diagnostics

Scientists at the University of Warwick have developed a fully fibre-coupled terahertz imaging system that significantly improves the speed and clinical practicality of terahertz imaging. The system delivers near video-rate imaging with high spatial resolution, opening up possibilities for rapid, non-invasive diagnosis.

Topology helps build more robust photonic networks

Researchers have shown that topology can guide multiple, information-carrying light signals through chip-based photonic communication systems, making them more powerful and reliable. This breakthrough could enable the creation of networks of chips that communicate using light while taking advantage of topology's robustness.

Light trapped in a layer thousands of times thinner than a sheet of paper

Researchers have developed a structure that traps infrared light in a layer just 40 nanometers thick, opening up opportunities for faster and smaller photonic systems. They achieved this by creating a subwavelength grating using molybdenum diselenide, a material with a high refractive index.

A clear roadmap for engineering combs of light

Engineers at Harvard create microcombs on photonic chips, enabling compact, programmable frequency combs for precision measurement and telecommunications applications. The breakthrough makes electro-optic microcombs more practical, energy efficient, and diverse.

The power of photonics

The photonics technology can detect molecular signals long before symptoms emerge, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment. The technology uses nanomaterials and photonics to interact with microRNAs and detect cancer signals.

“Smart photonic healthcare devices” how light is transforming the future of healthcare

Recent advances in photonic nanomaterials and healthcare devices have led to the development of wearable and implantable medical devices. These devices utilize light for precise manipulation of cells and tissues, offering new possibilities for early disease detection, light-based therapies, and personalized precision medicine.

IEEE researchers achieve low-power ultrashort mid-IR pulse compression

A team of researchers from SASTRA Deemed University demonstrates a fiber-based method for compressing mid-infrared laser pulses into ultrashort, low-noise bursts efficiently. The system reduces input power from kilowatts to 80 watts, improving energy efficiency and thermal stability.

IEEE researchers achieve 20x signal boost in cerebral blood flow monitoring with next-generation interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy

Researchers optimize interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy technique to boost weak optical field returning from the brain, achieving over 20x signal to noise ratio. The novel approach provides higher brain sensitivity compared to DCS-inspired approaches and is approximately two orders of magnitude less expensive.

New photonic device, developed by MIT researchers, efficiently beams light into free space

MIT researchers have developed a new photonic device that efficiently beams light into free space, enabling advanced displays, high-speed optical communications, and larger-scale quantum computers. The device uses an array of microscopic structures to project detailed, full-color images and precisely control quantum bits, paving the wa...

Ultrafast computers controlled by light: a new frontier opened by Politecnico di Milano and CNR

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano and CNR have developed a new ultrafast computer technology controlled by light, potentially hundreds of times faster than traditional electronics. The technology manipulates the state of electrons in matter using oscillating light, enabling operations at rates above 10 terahertz.

Massive-scale spatial multiplexing with 3D-printed photonic lanterns achieved by researchers

The Hebrew University team designed an adiabatic transition to convert multiple few-mode sources into a single multimode fiber, enabling efficient combining of dozens of small semiconductor lasers. The technology simplifies high-power laser systems and optical communications, preserving brightness and easing alignment constraints.

Sydney researchers build ultra-compact AI chip operating at speed of light

Scientists at the University of Sydney have developed an ultra-compact AI chip that harnesses the power of light to perform calculations, potentially lowering energy consumption and increasing speed. The prototype, built in-house, achieved 90-99% classification accuracy in image classification tasks.

Photonic chips advance real-time learning in spiking neural systems

Researchers developed photonic computing chips that enable fast, all-optical learning and decision making, overcoming key limitations for photonic spiking neural systems. The new chips could improve autonomous driving technologies and enable robotic systems that learn through real-world interactions.

Toward practical laser-driven light sails using photonic crystals

Scientists developed a photonic crystal light sail with high reflectivity and low mass, enabling faster travel across the solar system. The structure features a narrow photonic band gap centered at the propulsion wavelength, resulting in high reflectivity within that spectral window.

Trapping light on thermal photodetectors shatters speed records

Electrical engineers at Duke University have developed the fastest pyroelectric photodetector, capable of capturing light from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The device requires no external power and operates at room temperature, making it suitable for on-chip applications and multispectral cameras.

Transient Pauli blocking for broadband ultrafast optical switching

This study reveals that a femtosecond laser can induce a rise in electronic temperature, transiently blocking optical absorption and enabling multicolor modulation from a single material platform. The discovery opens a new pathway toward ultrafast, broadband, and energy-efficient photonic devices.

Ateneo spearheads int’l cooperation for photonics R&D in the Philippines

The Ateneo de Manila University's ROSES Lab is the country's first facility for designing Photonic Integrated Circuits and training PIC designers. The lab has over 85 scientific publications and support from various global partners, positioning it as a driver of international collaboration in photonics research and innovation.

Shine a light, build a crystal

Researchers developed a simple and reversible method for forming crystals using light-sensitive molecules, allowing for precise control over particle attraction and repulsion. This enables the creation of adaptable materials with tunable properties, such as reconfigurable optical coatings and adaptive sensors.

Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed high-performing optical microresonators that can trap light and build up its intensity. By guiding light smoothly through the resonator, they dramatically reduced light loss, allowing photons to circulate longer and interact more strongly inside the device.

Generating micro-combs of light

Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced laser light combs on a photonic chip. This breakthrough could miniaturize optical platforms like spectroscopic sensors or communication systems.

Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks

The Harvard team developed a new microfabrication method to produce high-performance, curved optical mirrors with extremely smooth surfaces. The mirrors can control light at near-infrared wavelengths, enabling fast and efficient quantum networking.

Roberto Morandotti wins prestigious Max Born Award for pioneering research in quantum photonics

Roberto Morandotti, a world-renowned physicist at INRS, has received the Max Born Award for his breakthroughs in integrated quantum photonics, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast lasers. His work bridges quantum theory with experimental innovation, enabling next-generation optical and quantum technologies.

SUANPAN: Scalable Photonic Linear Vector Machine

The SUANPAN architecture proposes a novel approach to optical inner product computation, leveraging an array of emitter-detector pairs to perform linear vector operations. This scalable and reconfigurable design enables high-dimensional vector computations without requiring large-scale ADC or DAC arrays.

Microscopic laser can halve a computer’s energy use

Researchers at Technical University of Denmark developed a groundbreaking nanolaser that can halve a computer's energy consumption. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including information technology and healthcare, by enabling ultra-small and energy-efficient lasers.

SNU researchers successfully implement topological non-Abelian photonic computing platforms using photonic integrated circuits

Researchers demonstrate programmable spinor lattice on a photonic integrated circuit, enabling non-Abelian physics and topological quantum computing. They propose novel topological physical phenomena that differ from previous implementations.

Seeing the unseen: Scientists demonstrate dual-mode color generation from invisible light

Researchers develop a rigid organic crystal that emits red light under UV irradiation through excimer formation and generates green light through second harmonic generation under near-infrared exposure. The dual-mode optical behavior operates independently within the same crystal without interference.

Gentle implant can illuminate, listen, and deliver medication to the brain

Researchers have developed a long, needle-thin brain electrode with channels that enables neural signal recording and precisely targeted medication delivery across different brain regions. The technology has primarily been developed for basic research but may be important for future treatments in epilepsy and other neurological diseases.

Extending optical fiber's ultralow loss performance to photonic chips

Researchers create ultra-coherent and efficient photonic integrated circuits by extending optical fiber's ultralow loss performance to silicon wafers. This breakthrough paves the way for precision measurements, AI data-center communications, and quantum computing applications.

New chip-sized, energy-efficient optical amplifier can intensify light 100 times

A new optical amplifier developed at Stanford University can intensify light signals up to 100 times with minimal power loss. The device's efficiency allows it to be powered by a battery, enabling its potential use in smartphones and laptops.

Five researchers at Italian Institute of Technology win new ERC funding

Five IIT researchers receive Proof-of-Concept grants to develop innovative health technologies, including a smart microscope and edible pills. These projects aim to tackle cancer, dyslexia, and diagnostics with cutting-edge technologies like quantum computing and near-infrared photonic chips.

A new route to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops

Researchers develop versatile molecular platform to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops, exhibiting high circularly polarized luminescence and other advanced photophysical properties. The breakthrough method enables multi-site functionalization and creation of chiral nanohoops with remarkable optical performance.

Spectral slimming for single-nanoparticle plasmons

Scientists have developed a novel method to control the optical spectra of single-nanoparticle plasmons, enabling high-quality plasmonic hotspots in individual metal nanoparticles. By engineering the photonic substrate beneath the particle, researchers can reshape the electromagnetic environment and dramatically sharpen plasmon resonan...