Optical techniques are experimental and analytical methods that exploit the generation, manipulation, and detection of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared ranges to probe material properties, structures, and dynamics. They encompass approaches such as absorption, fluorescence, Raman and elastic scattering measurements, interferometry, and imaging modalities that rely on well-defined light–matter interactions. These techniques enable quantitative characterization of refractive indices, absorption coefficients, energy level structures, molecular conformations, and nanoscale morphology, often with high spatial and temporal resolution. Optical techniques are widely integrated with spectroscopy, microscopy, and metrology platforms and can be implemented in both far-field and near-field configurations.
By adding a sound-mediated way to control light to the toolkit of light-based chips, University of Twente researchers have pushed the boundaries of the technology. This opens up the possibility of making atomic clocks small ...
Optics & Photonics
May 1, 2025
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198
Polarization, along with intensity, wavelength, and phase, is a fundamental property of light. It enhances contrast and resolution in imaging compared to traditional intensity-based methods. On-chip polarization devices rely ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 30, 2025
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51
Researchers at Swansea University have discovered a way to use mirrors to dramatically reduce the quantum noise that disturbs tiny particles—a breakthrough that might seem magical but is rooted in quantum physics.
Quantum Physics
Apr 30, 2025
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76
A research team from Skoltech and the University of Wuppertal in Germany determined that an all-optical universal logic gate that was previously developed at Skoltech can operate at a speed of 240 GHz at room temperature.
Condensed Matter
Apr 30, 2025
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200
Charged surfaces in contact with liquids—such as biological cell walls or battery electrodes—attract oppositely charged ions from the liquid. This creates two distinct charged regions: the surface itself and a counter-charged ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 25, 2025
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144
A research group at the University of Stuttgart has manipulated light through its interaction with a metal surface so that it exhibits entirely new properties. The researchers have published their findings in Nature Physics.
Optics & Photonics
Apr 22, 2025
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112
Concentrating light in a volume as small as the wavelength itself is a challenge that is crucial for numerous applications. Researchers from AMOLF, TU Delft, and Cornell University in the U.S. have demonstrated a new way ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 18, 2025
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196
Fiber optic cable deployed on a Swiss glacier has detected the seismic signals of crevasses opening in the ice, confirming that the technology could be useful in monitoring such icequakes, according to a report at the Seismological ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 15, 2025
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43
Today's super-resolution microscopes have made it possible to observe the nanoscale world with unprecedented detail. However, they require fluorescent tags, which reveal structural details but provide little chemical information ...
Nanophysics
Apr 14, 2025
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225
Microplastics and much smaller nanoplastics enter the human body in various ways, for example through food or the air we breathe. A large proportion is excreted, but a certain amount remains in organs, blood, and other body ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 14, 2025
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