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,.....»»
Researchers propose inexpensive 2.2-kilometer telescope that could make exoplanet movies
Can a kilometer-scale telescope help conduct more efficient science, and specifically for the field of optical interferometry? This is what a study recently posted to the preprint server arXiv hopes to address......»»
Researcher explores how you can stretch your mind to grasp quantum entanglement
My new article, "Quantum Entanglement of Optical Photons: The First Experiment, 1964–67," is intended to convey the spirit of a small research project that reaches into uncharted territory. The article breaks with tradition, as it offers a first-pe.....»»
Researchers demonstrate metasurfaces that control thermal radiation in unprecedented ways
Researchers with the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have experimentally demonstrated that metasurfaces (two-dimensional materials structured at the nanoscale) can precisely control the optical properties of t.....»»
World"s first micromachine twists 2D materials at will
Just a few years ago, researchers discovered that changing the angle between two layers of graphene, an atom-thick sheet of carbon, also changed the material's electronic and optical properties. They then learned that a "twist" of 1.1 degrees—dubbe.....»»
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.....»»
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.....»»
Study finds Lausanne toxic soil did not worsen health
Soil pollution from an old incinerator in the Swiss city of Lausanne has not resulted in increased health risks to the local population, a study concluded Wednesday......»»
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.....»»
This flash drive became the Swiss army knife of my gaming setup
This external SSD looks like a flash driv,e but performs like an SSD, and it's turned into a jack-of-all-trades for my gaming needs......»»
Deer Island, Katrina Key expansions promise environmental benefits, storm protection
Amid predictions of sea level rise, higher storm surge and increased storm activity, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources have launched two projects to increase the security of the Mississippi coastline......»»
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,.....»»
Research team uses tunable laser to develop straightforward broadband spectroscopy method with Hz-level precision
Since the first demonstration of the laser in the 1960s, laser spectroscopy has become an essential tool for studying the detailed structures and dynamics of atoms and molecules. Advances in laser technology have further enhanced its capabilities. Th.....»»
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.....»»
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,.....»»
Knife-wielding attacker stabs 1, hits 2 others with car on LBJ, Dallas PD says
Knife-wielding attacker stabs 1, hits 2 others with car on LBJ, Dallas PD says.....»»
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......»»
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.....»»