Infrared techniques encompass analytical and imaging methods that exploit the interaction of infrared (IR) radiation with matter to probe molecular structure, dynamics, and composition. Core approaches include mid-IR absorption spectroscopy (e.g., FTIR), near-IR spectroscopy, and IR microscopy, which measure vibrational transitions associated with specific chemical bonds and functional groups. Variants such as attenuated total reflectance (ATR), diffuse reflectance (DRIFTS), and infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) extend applicability to diverse sample types and surfaces. Time-resolved and nonlinear IR methods (e.g., pump–probe, 2D-IR) enable investigation of ultrafast processes and complex environments, supporting applications in materials science, chemistry, biology, and environmental analysis.
Just as embroiderers, with needle and thread, can transform plain fabric into an intricate pattern, engineers can use lasers and polymers to create flexible, complex structures that could transform life-saving sensing technology. ...
Nanophysics
Apr 6, 2026
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A new, miniature laser source developed by applied physicists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) could soon pack the power of ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 31, 2026
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25
Finding life beyond our solar system goes beyond measuring an exoplanet's size, as rocky, Earth-sized worlds might not have the conditions for life as we know it. While exoplanets can be directly imaged by blocking their ...
Astrobiology
Mar 30, 2026
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13
As human-caused climate change continues to raise temperatures across the globe, understanding how birds regulate their temperature is vital for their conservation. But how much heat birds emit—an invisible spectrum of radiation ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 22, 2026
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147
Ultrashort mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser pulses are essential for applications such as molecular spectroscopy, nonlinear microscopy, and biomedical imaging, but their generation often relies on complex and power-intensive systems ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 11, 2026
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New research from Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks is using thermal and infrared drone technology to spot marine debris entanglements in Australian fur seals. Entanglement is an escalating threat to marine ...
Ecology
Mar 10, 2026
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After decades of intense research, surprises in the realm of semiconductors—materials used in microchips to control electrical currents—are few and far between. But with a pair of published papers, materials engineers at ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 5, 2026
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145
Electrical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated the fastest pyroelectric photodetector to date, which works by absorbing heat generated by incoming light. Capable of capturing light from the entire electromagnetic ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 4, 2026
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51
More and more papers are coming out about the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). As the telescope moves from theory to practice (and physical manifestation), various working groups are discovering, defining, and ...
Astrobiology
Feb 23, 2026
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44
Applied physicists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced "combs" of laser light on a photonic chip, a breakthrough ...
Optics & Photonics
Feb 19, 2026
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