New quasi-particle bridges microwave and optical domains
In a paper published today (Sept. 18) in Nature Communications, researchers from the Paul-Drude-Institut in Berlin, Germany, and the Instituto Balseiro in Bariloche, Argentina, demonstrated that the mixing of confined quantum fluids of light and GHz.....»»
Repurposing pencil lead as an optical material using plasma
Optical materials are essential in many modern applications, but controlling the way a material reflects light on its surface is costly and difficult. Now, in a recent study, researchers from Japan found a simple and low-cost way of tuning the reflec.....»»
Astronomers think they’ve found a plausible explanation of the Wow! signal
Magnetars could zap clouds of atomic hydrogen, producing focused microwave beams. Enlarge / The Wow! signal, represented as "6EQUJ5," was discovered in 1977 by astronomer Jerry Ehman. (credit: Public domain) An unusually.....»»
Advanced orbital angular momentum mode switching in multimode fiber utilizing an optical neural network chip
The rapid development of technologies such as the internet, mobile communications, and artificial intelligence has dramatically increased the demand for high-capacity communication systems. Among various solutions, mode-division multiplexing (MDM) ha.....»»
Quality control: Neatly arranging crystal growth to make fine thin films
Table salt and refined sugar look white to our eyes, but that is only because their individual colorless crystals scatter visible light. This feature of crystals is not always desirable when it comes to materials for optical and electrical devices, h.....»»
Scientists uncover exciton behavior in van der Waals magnets
A research group led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has uncovered details about the formation and behavior of mobile, microscopic, particle-like objects called "excitons" in a class of materials.....»»
A first definitive demonstration of nonthermal particle acceleration in magnetorotational turbulence
Researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder; KU Leuven; the Flatiron Institute and the University of Wisconsin–Madison recently set out to answer a long-standing research question, specifically whether charged particles in the turbulent flow.....»»
Coherence entropy unlocks new insights into light-field behavior
Light technology is at the heart of many cutting-edge innovations, from high-speed internet to advanced medical imaging. However, transmitting light through challenging environments, such as turbulent atmospheres or deformed optical systems, has alwa.....»»
Advanced microscopy method reveals hidden world of nanoscale optical metamaterials
Scientists from the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society have made a significant discovery in the field of nanotechnology, as detailed in their latest publication in Advanced Materials. Their paper,.....»»
Scientists observe first neutrinos with prototype detector
In a major step for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), scientists have detected the first neutrinos using a DUNE prototype particle detector at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermila.....»»
Researchers discover new material for optically-controlled magnetic memory
Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) have made unexpected progress toward developing a new optical memory that can quickly and energy-efficiently store and access computational data. While studying a.....»»
Ars asks: What was the last CD or DVD you burned?
With the demise of Apple's SuperDrive, we reminisce on our final homemade optical discs. Enlarge / This is one method of burning a disc. (credit: 1001slide / Getty Images) We noted earlier this week that time seems to ha.....»»
New membrane technology could lead to more effective and efficient water purification systems
A team of NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) researchers has developed a novel approach that utilizes microwave technology to more easily synthesize and fine-tune a new type of membrane which effectively purifies water from a wide range of contaminants......»»
Precise stirring conditions key to optimizing nanostructure synthesis
Stirring allows for homogenization and efficient gas exchange—this fact has been known for decades. Controlling the stirring rate during the nanocluster synthesis is pivotal in achieving nanostructures with well-defined sizes, structures, optical p.....»»
Towards high quality transferred barium titanate ferroelectric hybrid integrated modulator on silicon
Future optical communication and signal processing systems will require high-volume optical links, wherein photonic integrated devices play a key role. Si photonics is currently among the most advanced techniques for realizing low-cost PIC. However,.....»»
Microbes conquer the next extreme environment: Your microwave
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for example, marine oil spills, plastic floating in the oceans, industrial brownfields, and even the interior of the International Space St.....»»
Optical navigation tech could streamline planetary exploration
In a dim, barren landscape like the surface of the moon, it can be easy to get lost. With few discernable landmarks to navigate with the naked eye, astronauts and rovers must rely on other means to plot a course......»»
Broadway embraces particle physics with musical about Higgs boson discovery
The 2013 documentary Particle Fever is being turned into a Broadway musical. A collision between subatomic particles in the Large Hadron Collider's CMS detector. (credit: Research.gov) Particle physics is poised to hit t.....»»
New computer vision-based system monitors seasonal dynamics of tropical water
Understanding how water moves and changes around the world is more important than ever due to climate change, but monitoring inland water in the tropics is not easy. Most satellites are optical and simply take photos of surfaces. They cannot see thro.....»»
End of an era: Apple"s SuperDrive has finally sold out after 16 years
The 2008 MacBook Air didn't have an optical drive, so Apple sold a separate SuperDrive accessory, which has finally seemingly been discontinued from sale.RIP Apple USB SuperDriveVisit Apple's website, and you'll see the SuperDrive is sold out. That m.....»»
The Higgs particle could have ended the universe by now—here"s why we"re still here
Although our universe may seem stable, having existed for a whopping 13.7 billion years, several experiments suggest that it is at risk—walking on the edge of a very dangerous cliff. And it's all down to the instability of a single fundamental part.....»»