Watching the Ultrafast Dance Moves of a Hot, Dense Laser Plasma
Great leaps in science and technology have been propelled by recent advances in seeing fast-evolving physical phenomena, as they happen. Femtosecond lasers from the infrared…
Optics
New Holographic Light Collector Boosts Solar Panel Efficiency
Holograms Increase Solar Energy Yield A newly developed holographic light collector boosts solar panel efficiency for an energy conversion increase of approximately five percent over…
5D Imaging of Ultrafast Phenomena With Spectral-Volumetric Compressed Ultrafast Photography
Spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography simultaneously captures 5D information in a single snapshot. Information-rich optical imaging can provide multidimensional information to enable observation and analysis of…
Harnessing the Dark Side: Optical Singularities Could Be Used for a Wide Range of Applications
When we think about singularities, we tend to think of massive black holes in faraway galaxies or a distant future with runaway AI, but singularities…
Seeing With Radio Waves: Breakthrough May Advance Quantum Computing
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba use radio-frequency waves to image “spin-locked” defects in diamond with record-breaking resolution, which may lead to advances in material…
New Method Developed for High-Speed Spectroscopic Measurements
Researchers at Tampere University and their collaborators have shown how spectroscopic measurements can be made much faster. By correlating polarization to the color of a…
Laser “Comb” Systems Now Measure All Primary Greenhouse Gases in the Air
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have upgraded their laser frequency-comb instrument to simultaneously measure three airborne greenhouse gases — nitrous…
“Agricomb” Measures Gas Emissions From … Cows
After the optical frequency comb made its debut as a ruler for light, spinoffs followed, including the astrocomb to measure starlight and a radar-like comb…
Creating Precise Colors: New Algorithms Give Digital Images More Realistic Color
Method could help improve color for electronic displays and create more natural LED lighting. If you’ve ever tried to capture a sunset with your smartphone,…
New Cold Atom Source Technology Enables Portable Quantum Devices
Technology advance could enable space-based atomic clocks, improving communications and GPS navigation. Although quantum technology has proven valuable for highly precise timekeeping, making these technologies…
Optical Tweezer Technology Breakthrough Overcomes Dangers of Heat
Three years ago, Arthur Ashkin won the Nobel Prize for inventing optical tweezers, which use light in the form of a high-powered laser beam to capture and…
Physicists Use Ultrashort Laser Pulses to Probe the Dynamics of Photoemission
Physicists at Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich (LMU) and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (MPQ) have used ultrashort laser pulses to probe the dynamics…
Build a High-Resolution Microscope From LEGO and Affordable Phone Parts
Research led by Göttingen University shows constructing microscope improves children’s understanding. Microscopy is an essential tool in many fields of science and medicine. However, many…
Breakthrough Ultra-Thin Tech to Revolutionize Night Vision – “We Have Made the Invisible Visible”
Let there be light! Ultra-thin film could one day be used on reading glasses. Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have developed new technology…
Highly Chirped Laser Pulses Defy “Conventional Wisdom”
University of Rochester researchers describe first highly chirped pulses created by a using a spectral filter in a Kerr resonator. The 2018 Nobel Prize in…
Impenetrable Encryption for Data Communication: Researchers Take Quantum Key Distribution Out of the Lab
Field trial shows simple QKD system works with existing telecommunication network in Italy. In a new study, researchers demonstrate an automated, easy-to-operate quantum key distribution…
Switchable Mirrors Created From Liquid Metal
Approach could be used to create electrically controlled mirrors for art or advanced devices. Researchers have developed a way to dynamically switch the surface of…
New Ultrathin Liquid Crystal Metalens Offers Electric Zoom
Researchers from Cornell’s School of Applied and Engineering Physics and Samsung’s Advanced Institute of Technology have created a first-of-its-kind metalens – a metamaterial lens – that can…