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.
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have developed a nanoscale device that converts low-energy infrared and red light into higher-energy visible light, a breakthrough that could eventually improve solar panels, sensing technologies, ...
Optics & Photonics
May 18, 2026
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Near-infrared light is invisible to humans. And yet, under the right conditions, the human eye can perceive it. Researchers from Poland's International Center for Translational Eye Research (ICTER) have now shown that the ...
Optics & Photonics
May 14, 2026
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Your phone warms up after a 20-minute FaceTime call. Your laptop hums loudly while editing a large video file. Heat is a by-product of modern electronics—from everyday gadgets to the high-resolution screens and processors ...
Nanophysics
May 8, 2026
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In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is our best bet for "living off the land" for a future Martian base, but tracking down those resources is no easy task. As of now, we have two options—send a rover to a specific location ...
Space Exploration
May 6, 2026
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Eggs and poultry provide important sources of protein globally, driving a major industry with large economic impacts. Challenges to hatchery operations include embryo mortality, fertility, sex determination, and eggshell ...
Biotechnology
Apr 28, 2026
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Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighboring planets, in nebulae—clouds of interstellar dust and gas—hundreds or thousands of light-years away, or in galaxies beyond the far ...
Astronomy
Apr 27, 2026
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Fine particulate matter in the air or nanoparticles in water—a remarkable new technology developed at TU Wien makes it possible to detect tiny amounts of a wide range of substances in a very short time.
Nanomaterials
Apr 23, 2026
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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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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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