Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Major step for flat and adjustable optics

Scientists at Linköping University have made a significant breakthrough in creating controllable flat optics using nanostructures on a flat surface. By precisely controlling the distance between antennas, they achieved up to tenfold improvement in performance, opening up new avenues for applications such as video holograms and biomedic...

SourceLinköping University·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 21, 2025

Turning up the signal

Osaka University researchers develop a new method for long-range enhancement of fluorescence and Raman signals using Ag nanoislands protected with column-structured silica layers. This leads to an astonishing ten-million-fold increase in signal strength, making it ideal for sensitive biosensing applications.

SourceOsaka University·JournalLight Science & Applications·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 28, 2024

Precision machining produces tiny, light-guiding cubes for advancing info tech

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory created tiny electrically conductive cubes that interact with light and organize them in patterned structures to confine and relay electromagnetic signals. The cubes support collective waves of electrons, called plasmons, with the same frequency as light waves but with much tighter confinement.

SourceDOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory·JournalSmall·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 28, 2022

Stretchable variable color sheet that changes color with expansion and contraction

Researchers have created a variable color sheet using elastomer nanosheets that change color in response to strain, achieving reversible wavelength control of transmitted light. The developed sheets utilize surface plasmon to produce extraordinary optical transmission and can be used for flexible displays and sensors.

SourceToyohashi University of Technology (TUT)·JournalAdvanced Optical Materials·DateJun 2, 2020

A multi-channel nano-optical device dramatically increases the parallel processing speed

Researchers have created a multi-channel nano-optical device that dramatically increases the parallel processing speed, allowing for faster data transfer between microprocessors. The device uses disordered arrangement of nano antennas to minimize redundancy and enable independent operation, resulting in a 40-fold increase in bandwidth.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 16, 2017

Pioneering research boosts graphene revolution

Researchers have developed a new technique to trap light at the surface of graphene using laser pulses, enabling the steered light to be directed across the material's surface. This breakthrough has significant implications for advances in electronic products, such as sensors and miniaturized integrated circuits.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalNature Physics·DateNov 16, 2015

New tool may yield smaller, faster optoelectronics

Researchers have developed a new technique to manipulate surface plasmons in real time, enabling the creation of ultra-small-scale optoelectronic devices and systems. This innovation allows for on-the-fly control and flexibility in nano-system design and manufacture.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Letters·DateAug 11, 2011

Frontiers of plasmonics

Researchers have made significant progress in plasmonics, a field that overcomes diffraction limitations to fabricate nano-scale optical components. These advancements enable the development of integrated nanophotonic circuits with substantial improvements in bandwidth and speed for next-generation information technologies.

SourceScience China Press·JournalChinese Science Bulletin·DateAug 4, 2010