Tunable "metasurface" is akin to optical swiss army knife
MIT engineers and colleagues report important new advances on a tunable metasurface, or flat optical device patterned with nanoscale structures, that they compare to a Swiss army knife while its passive predecessor can be thought of as just one tool,.....»»
Field-induced superconductivity in quantum materials
Field-induced superconductivity occurs when an applied magnetic field increases or induces superconductivity. In a new report published in Science Advances, Joshua J. Sanchez and a team of scientists applied stress as a switch between a field tunable.....»»
New technology for microscopy analysis provides precise maps of cell membrane lipid rafts
A research team led by Professor Dae-ha Seo at the Department of Physics and Chemistry, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, has successfully developed a new technology for optical microscopy analysis—known as lipid-MAP—which can.....»»
Conjoined "racetracks" make new optical device possible
When we last checked in with Caltech's Kerry Vahala three years ago, his lab had recently reported the development of a new optical device called a turnkey frequency microcomb that has applications in digital communications, precision time keeping, s.....»»
The 50 best shows on Netflix in December 2023
The best shows on Netflix in December include Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife, A Nearly Normal Family, Obliterated, and Squid Game: The Challenge......»»
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.....»»
Swiss project explores different storage pathways for CO₂
Switzerland has set itself an ambitious goal: to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. But this will require more than just a massive expansion of renewable energies and saving measures......»»
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.....»»
What’s new on VOD and Digital in December 2023
What's new on VOD and Digital in December 2023? Killers of the Flower Moon, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Trolls Band Together, It’s a Wonderful Knife, and more......»»
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.....»»
Amazon previewing iOS-only smart home mapping feature in redesigned Alexa app
The Amazon Alexa app isn’t just for configuring and managing service integrations. It’s also a smart home controller akin to Apple’s Home app. Amazon is putting that front and center with the redesigned Alexa app launching today. There’s als.....»»
Study unveils shape-configurable MXene-based thermoacoustic loudspeakers with tunable sound directivity
Recent research has led to the development of film-type shape-configurable speakers. These speakers, based on the unique properties of MXene, offer tunable sound directivity and hold immense promise for the rapidly growing field of wearable electroni.....»»
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.....»»
Study shows that inoculating soil with mycorrhizal fungi can increase plant yield by by up to 40%
Farmland often harbors a multitude of pathogens which attack plants and reduce yields. A Swiss research team has now shown that inoculating the soil with mycorrhizal fungi can help maintain or even improve yields without using additional fertilizers.....»»
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.....»»