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Streamlined microcomb design provides control with the flip of a switch

Researchers at the University of Rochester developed a new microcomb laser design that provides low power efficiency, high tunability, and easy operation. The simplified approach enables direct control over the comb with a single switch, opening up potential applications in telecommunications systems, LiDAR for autonomous vehicles.

Speedy, secure, sustainable — that's the future of telecom

A new device uses small amounts of light to process information, offering significant energy improvements over conventional optical switches. This technology could enable quantum communications, providing a promising alternative for data security against rising cyberattacks.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Scientists develop an affordable sensor for lead contamination

A new, affordable sensor technology can detect lead concentrations as low as one part per billion, making it a significant step forward in addressing global health issues. The handheld device can be used for on-site monitoring and requires only a droplet of water.

A new, low-cost, high-efficiency photonic integrated circuit

A new, low-cost, high-efficiency photonic integrated circuit has been developed using lithium tantalate technology. The breakthrough platform offers scalable and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced electro-optical PICs, paving the way for volume manufacturing.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Beat the heat with radiative cooling

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a novel approach to manage waste heat in microcircuits by adding a tiny coating of silicon dioxide. This increases the rate of heat dissipation, allowing for faster cooling and potentially leading to smaller and cheaper electronic devices.

Unveiling a polarized world – in a single shot

Scientists at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a compact, single-shot polarization imaging system that can provide a complete picture of polarization. The system uses two thin metasurfaces to capture the most complete polarization response of an object in real-time.

Airborne single-photon lidar system achieves high-resolution 3D imaging

Researchers have developed a compact and lightweight single-photon airborne lidar system that can acquire high-resolution 3D images with a low-power laser. The system uses single-photon detection techniques to measure time-of-flight, enabling highly accurate 3D mapping of terrain and objects even in challenging environments.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Making light ‘feel’ a magnetic field like an electron would

Researchers at Penn State have made light effectively experience a magnetic field within a photonic crystal structure. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient lasers and other photonic technologies by increasing the interaction between light and matter.

Photonic computation with sound waves

A research team has successfully created a new dimension in photonic machine learning by incorporating sound waves, enabling the creation of reconfigurable neuromorphic building blocks. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize computing tasks by providing high-speed and large-capacity solutions.

A chip unique in the world

Researchers at UPV and iPRONICS have developed a groundbreaking photonic chip that can implement twelve basic functionalities required by various systems. This chip allows on-demand programming and interconnecting wireless and photonic segments of communication networks, increasing efficiency and reducing bottlenecks.

Enhancing radiative cooling with aperture mirror structures

Researchers demonstrate how a simple mirror design can amplify radiative cooling processes for buildings. The mirror structure effectively guides thermal radiation towards the most transmissive portion of the atmosphere, increasing cooling power.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Researchers use smartphone screen to create 3D layered holographic images

A new approach uses a smartphone screen to create full-color 3D holographic images by leveraging computer-generated holography (CGH) and an optical component called a spatial light modulator. The method has the potential to enhance near-eye displays in virtual reality headsets, creating more realistic and interactive user experiences.

Photonic feature extractor for broadband radio-frequency signals

A team of scientists developed a photonic scheme to extract key features from broadband RF signals, reducing data rate by 4 times while maintaining high target recognition accuracy. The system achieves 97.5% accuracy and outperforms one-dimensional feature extraction.

Focusing ultra-intense lasers to a single wavelength

Researchers have developed a technique to focus ultra-intense ultrashort lasers onto a single wavelength using rotational hyperbolic mirrors. This breakthrough enables the highest intensity condition for ultra-intense ultrashort lasers, revolutionizing strong-field laser physics applications.

Rice research shows promise for advancing quantum networks

Rice University engineers have demonstrated a way to control the optical properties of T centers, paving the way toward leveraging these point defects for building quantum nodes. By embedding a T center in a photonic integrated circuit, they increased the collection efficiency for single photon emission by two orders of magnitude.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Pixelated non-volatile programmable photonic integrated circuits

The researchers achieved 20-level intermediate states of phase change materials using a micron-scale laser writing system. This allows for the demonstration of ultra-high flexibility in phase modulation and potential applications in neuromorphic photonics, optical computing, and reconfigurable metasurfaces.

Synthetic dimension dynamics to manipulate light

Scientists have developed a new method to manipulate light using synthetic dimension dynamics, enabling precise control over light propagation and confinement. This breakthrough has significant implications for applications such as mode lasing, quantum optics, and data transmission.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Scientists at uOttawa reveal how light behaves in formless solids

Researchers at uOttawa have found that amorphous solids selectively absorb light of different polarizations, contradicting prior beliefs. The study reveals the importance of short-to-medium range order within disordered solids in influencing how materials react to light.

Encoding computers of the future

Researchers have created a computer using an array of VCSELs that leverages optical feedback to efficiently solve complex optimization problems. The system encodes information in linear polarization states, minimizing interactions between variables and overcoming the von Neumann bottleneck.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

How does light propagate in integrated circuits on chips?

Photonic integrated circuits use photons instead of electrons for calculations, enabling improved performance and cost-effectiveness. A new study maps the internal light motion without damaging the chip, paving the way for applications in communication, imaging, and quantum computing.

Photonics-based wireless link breaks speed records for data transmission

Researchers from Osaka University and IMRA AMERICA have developed a photonics-based wireless link that breaks speed records for data transmission. The system achieved a single-channel transmission rate of 240 gigabits per second using ultra-low phase noise, paving the way for near-instantaneous global communication.

Cells respond quickly to small light-induced micro-environment movements

Researchers studied how epithelial cells sense small changes in their environment using ion channels. They found that even small movements can trigger rapid intracellular calcium changes via mechanosensitive cation channels, which play a key role in touch sensation and other physiological functions.

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Holography breakthrough with OAML multiplexing

A new technique using optical orbital angular momentum lattice (OAML) multiplexed holography boosts information storage capacity and offers novel approaches for implementing high-capacity holographic systems. The research unlocks supplementary encrypted dimensions, enhancing storage capacity and overcoming limitations of traditional me...

Water as a nonlinear medium for ultrabroadband white laser

Researchers use water as a nonlinear medium to create a supercontinuum white laser covering an impressive spectral range from UV to far infrared. The resulting ultrabroadband source has potential in ultrafast spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, and scientific research.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Bridging light and electrons

Researchers at EPFL and Max Planck Institute have successfully bridged the gap between light and electrons using a transmission electron microscope. They achieved this by generating dissipative Kerr solitons that interact with free electrons, allowing for ultrafast modulation of electron beams.

Glass packaging with a mix of thermoelectric in the vias

Researchers have developed a thermal management technique for photonic packages using glass substrates and thermoelectric vias, enabling precise temperature control. The technology, termed SimTEC, combines through glass vias partially filled with copper and thermoelectric materials to reduce thermal resistance between chips.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Breaking the 10-petawatt limit with a new laser amplification

Researchers have developed a method to coherently tile multiple titanium:sapphire crystals together, breaking through the current 10-petawatt limit. This technology enables ultra-intense ultrashort lasers with high conversion efficiencies, stable energies, and broadband spectra.

From PIC to probe

A team of researchers at Ghent University and imec developed a silicon photonic temperature sensor that measures up to 180°C. The sensor was realized in the framework of the European SEER project, where partners focus on integrating optical sensors in manufacturing routines for composite parts.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Bringing quantum computing to light

Researchers explore quantum optical technology to solve scalability and accuracy issues in quantum computing, aiming to develop new drugs faster and more efficiently. Photon-based systems offer a solution by reducing physical components, increasing opportunities for scaling and stability.

Researchers create stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers

The researchers successfully created a stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers, reducing the size and cost of traditional lasers. The new design enables high-power laser sources with compactness and robustness, opening up opportunities for applications such as autonomous vehicles, medical procedures, and lithography.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Thermal impact of 3D stacking photonic and electronic chips

The study found that 3D integration can lead to significant heat spreading and crosstalk, reducing heater efficiency by up to -43.3% and increasing thermal crosstalk by up to +44.4%. However, optimizing design variables, such as spacing between µbumps and interconnect linewidth, can minimize the thermal penalty of 3D integration.

TPL for photonic packaging: a promising solution

A team of scientists has developed new packaging technologies using TPL to address the challenges of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The technology offers several unique advantages, including high-resolution 3D structures and customizable connections, which relax the alignment tolerance during PIC assembly.

Broadband buzz: Periodical cicadas' chorus measured with fiber optic cables

A new proof-of-concept study demonstrates the use of distributed fiber optic sensing to detect and analyze the sound of periodical cicadas. The technology shows promise for charting the populations of these famously ephemeral bugs, with potential applications in monitoring insect abundance across seasons and years.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

The chip that makes calculations with light

Scientists at Politecnico di Milano have created photonic chips that can mathematically calculate the ideal shape of light to pass through any environment, increasing transmission capacity. The devices generate multiple overlapping beams with unique shapes, reducing interference and enabling high-bandwidth data transfer

Nextgen computing: Hard-to-move quasiparticles glide up pyramid edges

Researchers at the University of Michigan developed a new way to move quasiparticles, which could lead to more efficient devices and room temperature quantum computers. The team used a laser to create a cloud of quasiparticles that migrated up the pyramid's edge and settled at the peak.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.