An optical coating like no other
For more than a century, optical coatings have been used to better reflect certain wavelengths of light from lenses and other devices or, conversely, to better transmit certain wavelengths through them. For example, the coatings on tinted eyeglasses.....»»
Quantum computer performs error-resistant operations with logical qubits
QuEra gets ready for error correction, runs operations with over 40 logical qubits. Enlarge / Some of the optical hardware needed to get QuEra's machine to work. (credit: QuEra) There's widespread agreement that most use.....»»
Bowtie resonators that build themselves bridge the gap between nanoscopic and macroscopic
A central goal in quantum optics and photonics is to increase the strength of the interaction between light and matter to produce, for example, better photodetectors or quantum light sources. The best way to do that is to use optical resonators that.....»»
Researchers create first supermirrors in mid-infrared range
An international team of researchers from Austria, the United States and Switzerland have created the first supermirrors in the mid-infrared range. These mirrors are a key technology for many applications, such as optical spectroscopy of greenhouse g.....»»
Optical data storage breakthrough increases capacity of diamonds by circumventing the diffraction limit
Physicists at The City College of New York have developed a technique with the potential to enhance optical data storage capacity in diamonds. This is possible by multiplexing the storage in the spectral domain. The research by Richard G. Monge and T.....»»
Researchers develop a new approach to polarization-independent LC phase modulation
Liquid-crystal (LC) phase modulators are widely used in optical systems because of their advantages of low power consumption, lightweight, flexible bandwidth adjustment, and non-mechanical movements. However, most LC phase modulators are polarization.....»»
A low-cost microscope projection photolithography system for high-resolution fabrication
Integrated optical signal distributing, processing, and sensing networks require the miniaturization of basic optical elements, such as waveguides, splitters, gratings, and optical switches. To achieve this, fabrication approaches that allow for high.....»»
Two-photon lithography for photonic packaging: A promising solution
Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are compact devices that combine multiple optical components on a single chip. They have a wide range of applications in communications, ranging, sensing, computing, spectroscopy, and quantum technology. PICs are n.....»»
Photonic chips can calculate optimal shape of light for next-gen wireless systems
Optical wireless may no longer have any obstacles. A study by Politecnico di Milano, conducted together with Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, the University of Glasgow and Stanford University, and published in Nature Photonics, has made it possibl.....»»
Researchers develop coating process for fabrics that kills or inhibits growth of pathogens
Countless times a day, patients, visitors and medical staff in hospitals touch surfaces of all kinds. Door handles, railings or elevator buttons can serve as transport vehicles for pathogens such as hospital germs or viruses. Smooth surfaces are comp.....»»
Orbital-angular-momentum-encoded diffractive networks for object classification tasks
Deep learning has revolutionized the way we perceive and utilize data. However, as datasets grow and computational demands increase, we need more efficient ways to handle, store, and process data. In this regard, optical computing is seen as the next.....»»
The formation of an excitonic Mott insulator state in a moiré superlattice
When a negatively charged electron and a positively charged hole in a pair remain bound together following excitation by light, they produce states known as excitons. These states can influence the optical properties of materials, in turn enabling th.....»»
Astronomers discover the Milky Way"s faintest satellite
By analyzing the images from the Ultraviolet Near Infrared Optical Northern Survey (UNIONS), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new compact satellite of the Milky Way, which received designation Ursa Major III/UNIONS 1. The newfoun.....»»
CRONT: Empowering optical tweezers with "biometric eyes"
Optothermal nanotweezers, an innovative optical manipulation technique over the past decade, have revolutionized classical optical manipulation by efficiently capturing a broader spectrum of nanoparticles. While this technique has been primarily used.....»»
High-power fiber lasers emerge as a pioneering technology
Optical scientists have found a new way to significantly increase the power of fiber lasers while maintaining their beam quality, making them a future key defense technology against low-cost drones and for use in other applications such as remote sen.....»»
Scientists 3D print a robotic hand with human-like bones and tendons
As a layer is printed, an optical scan IDs flaws and corrects them in the next layer. Enlarge / The 3D-printed hand made via the new method. (credit: ETH Zurich/Thomas Buchner) Have you ever wondered why robots are unabl.....»»
NASA"s Deep Space Optical Comm demo sends, receives first data
DSOC, an experiment that could transform how spacecraft communicate, has achieved "first light," sending data via laser to and from far beyond the moon for the first time......»»
HDMI ARC or digital optical: what’s the difference, and which is best for you?
HDMI ARC and optical are the two go-to connections for sending digital sound from one device to another, but is there a difference between them? Let's find out......»»
Using eclipses to calculate the transparency of Saturn"s rings
A Lancaster University Ph.D. student has measured the optical depth of Saturn's rings using a new method based on how much sunlight reached the Cassini spacecraft while it was in the shadow of the rings......»»
How we"re building the world"s biggest optical telescope to crack some of the greatest puzzles in science
Astronomers get to ask some of the most fundamental questions there are, ranging from whether we're alone in the cosmos to what the nature of the mysterious dark energy and dark matter making up most of the universe is......»»
3D printing precisely: Low-cost error compensation for fabrication of high-precision microstructures
In today's fast-paced technological landscape, the proverb "the bigger the better" was turned upside down and a race to make everything smaller has started. From miniature optical components to micro-scale medical devices, the quest for creating ever.....»»