https://phys.org/physics-news/optics-photonics/ en-us The latest news on Optics and Photonics In a paper published in Science Advances, researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and Kyung Hee University have found a new way to control quantum light sources, which is one of the key elements needed before quantum technologies can be used reliably in real-world systems. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tiny-quantum-sources-atomically-thin.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:06 EDT news701077501 Experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) require breathtaking precision. Each of the 192 lasers is focused to a width of a few millimeters to enter a 3-millimeter hole at the top or bottom of a 2-centimeter (0.8-inch) gold canister known as a hohlraum. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-circular-polarization-laser-backscatter-fusion.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:50:01 EDT news701019421 How does light turn into motion within a metal? A team of researchers from European XFEL, the University of Potsdam and other participating institutions has shown that ultrashort optical laser pulses can trigger extremely rapid lattice vibrations in periodically layered metal structures—not primarily by heating the atomic lattice, but through the pressure exerted by hot electrons. The results are published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-laser-pulses-layered-metals-vibrating.html Condensed Matter Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:10:03 EDT news701018641 Europe's first and only TES spectrometer at a synchrotron source is now in operation at BESSY II, developed within a collaboration between the HZB, the MPI-CEC (Mühlheim-an-der-Ruhr, Germany) and the NIST (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.). The photon detection efficiency of the new instrument exceeds that of wavelength-dispersive X-ray emission spectrometers by a factor of 100 to 1,000. It will be used to investigate the electronic properties of atomically thin layers, nanostructures and highly diluted atomic and molecular samples. The team is looking forward to receiving exciting research proposals from the user community. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-superconducting-tes-array-ray-spectrometer.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:40:03 EDT news700917181 What would it take to instantly transform a material from an electrical insulator into a conductive state without ever touching it? Using ultrafast laser pulses and powerful X-rays, scientists at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)—a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory—developed a methodology to generate "hidden" phases and understand why they work. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ultrafast-laser-pulses-reveal-material.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news700744741 Researchers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and CNSI (California NanoSystems Institute), led by Professor Aydogan Ozcan, introduced a snapshot 3D image projection system that integrates a digital encoder with a passive diffractive optical decoder, jointly optimized end-to-end through deep learning. The hybrid architecture projects multiple distinct images onto closely spaced axial planes in a single shot, marking a significant step toward compact, high-fidelity volumetric display technologies. The research is published in the journal Light: Science & Applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-layer-3d-images-shot.html Optics & Photonics Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:20:01 EDT news700642019 Quantum materials, materials with properties that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, have proved to be highly promising for the development of ultra-efficient electronic devices, quantum processors, highly precise sensors and various other technologies. Reliably controlling these materials' quantum phases would be highly advantageous, as it would enable engineers to tailor and optimize their properties for specific applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-quantum-hall-stripes-2d-materials.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:00:03 EDT news700304463 Nearly 100 years ago, a seemingly simple discovery revolutionized the microscope. The introduction of phase contrast, which garnered a Nobel Prize in 1953, brought into clear view structures inside cells that had previously been too faint or washed out for biologists to study. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physicists-phase-contrast-electron-microscopy.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:00:06 EDT news700394697 Many natural processes, ranging from magnetism to chemical reactions, entail the movement and rotation of particles at very small scales. In quantum mechanics, particles exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behaviors, and their states can be described mathematically using representations known as wavefunctions. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-electron-gain-ultrafast-torque-flips.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:00:01 EDT news700225602 Modern fluorescence microscopy can generate images of living cells as stunning to look at as they are informative to study. For techniques like fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), those images provide a window into cell metabolism, helping scientists study cancer treatment, autoimmune disease and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-source-flim-playground-analysis-complex.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:30:02 EDT news700325582 Nature is filled with remarkable visual phenomena created by microscopic surface structures that interact with light in fascinating ways. The iridescent wings of butterflies, the shimmering feathers of birds and the glossy surfaces of flower petals are all examples of how living organisms control the reflection, absorption and scattering of light. These optical effects are not only visually striking but also serve important biological functions, including attracting pollinators, communication, camouflage and protection from environmental stress. Understanding these naturally occurring photonic structures has become an important area of research, as they provide inspiration for the development of advanced biomimetic materials and optical technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hardy-ice-optical-possibilities.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:30:01 EDT news700243562 Researchers from the University of Cambridge and GlitterinTech, a startup founded by the same research group, have unveiled a fundamentally new type of optical spectrometer that delivers laboratory-grade precision in a device small enough to be embedded in portable and wearable technologies. By rethinking how spectra are measured and processed, the team has demonstrated a spectrometer costing only around $10, operating at a centimeter scale, and capable of applications ranging from industrial quality control to real-time health care monitoring. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spectrometer-chip-real-chemical-wearables.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:40:04 EDT news700146465 Raman optical activity, long thought to require chiral molecules or magnetic order, has been demonstrated in an achiral, nonmagnetic crystal by researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo. The effect arises through ferroaxial order, a coordinated rotation of atoms within the lattice, and is detected using circularly polarized Raman spectroscopy. The findings show that optically inactive materials can also display chirality-like optical responses and expand the scope of optical techniques for discovering new materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-achiral-crystal-reveals-raman-optical.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:20:04 EDT news700138441 Waves of light and sound interact to drive electronic and structural changes in a perovskite crystal. At the atomic scale, nothing is ever truly still. Materials that appear perfectly rigid and motionless to the naked eye are in fact swarms of vibrating atoms. This motion is generally random and uncoordinated, but with the right input, the atoms in certain materials will start to move together, vibrating in sync. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-pulses-uncover-higgs-mode-reshapes.html Condensed Matter Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news699875875 Quantum materials, materials with properties that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics describing many-body interactions, have proved promising for the development of various advanced technologies. Many of these materials undergo so-called phase transitions, switching between different physical states that alter how electrons flow through them. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-photoexcitation-flips-2d-moir-devices.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:00:04 EDT news699701022 Birgitta Schultze-Bernhardt and her team at the Institute of Experimental Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have developed a new type of UV dual-comb spectrometer that detects gaseous air pollutants with unrivaled accuracy and sensitivity. Using ultraviolet double laser light, the device measures the concentration of harmful gases such as formaldehyde within half a second. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-portable-uv-spectrometer-air-pollutants.html General Physics Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:20:10 EDT news699706829 Ultrafast lasers emit pulses lasting only a few hundred femtoseconds (quadrillionths of a second). These flashes of light power applications from precision micromachining to eye surgery to optical frequency combs, the Nobel Prize-winning technology behind today's most precise optical atomic clocks. Yet despite more than two decades of effort, ultrafast lasers have largely remained bulky, expensive systems confined to optical tables. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ultrafast-laser-chip-scale-potentially.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:26 EDT news699637261 In nature, there exist structures that are mirror images of each other but cannot be perfectly superimposed. These are known as chiral objects, derived from the Greek word for "hand," since left and right hands share the same relationship. Although similar in structure, chiral molecules exhibit different behaviors, and chirality is central to life itself. DNA has a twisted chiral structure, and living organisms prefer one handedness over the other. This distinction is equally important in drug design, materials science, and nanotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-terahertz-imaging-spatial-chirality-materials.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:00:01 EDT news699612187 By definition, elementary particles can't be broken into smaller pieces. But in a new theoretical study published in Physical Review Letters, Johannes Skaar and colleagues have revealed what would happen if you tried anyway for a single photon. The answer is deeply strange: attempting to cut a photon in two wouldn't produce two smaller photons, but instead conjure an infinite number of them out of thin air. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-photon-infinite-swarm-particles.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:20:08 EDT news699613528 Quantum entanglement is a state in which particles are entwined with each other. In this entwined state, the properties of one particle influence the other, even when they aren't physically close to each other. This phenomenon has often been observed in small quantum systems with only a few particles in them, where researchers can use it to store and process quantum information. Rice University professor Qimiao Si is interested in understanding and applying quantum entanglement to macroscopic systems with vast numbers of particles. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-entangle-easily-quantum-critical.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:00:04 EDT news699547479 Nonlinear interactions between light and matter are at the heart of some of the most powerful tools in modern optics, but pushing these processes to their limits has long been hampered by a fundamental constraint: the stronger you make the laser, the more likely it is to destroy whatever it illuminates. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-boost-ultrafast-laser.html Optics & Photonics Sat, 30 May 2026 13:00:02 EDT news699017292 A research group led by Assistant Professor Takafumi Tomita and Professor Kenji Ohmori at the Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, has developed a new microscopy technique called the Atom Camera, which uses a single ultracold atom at near absolute zero temperature trapped in an optical tweezer as a camera to visualize the intensity and polarization distributions of light at the nanometer (one-millionth of a millimeter) scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-atom-camera-laser-nanoscale-ultracold.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 29 May 2026 05:00:02 EDT news699205861 An extremely fast microscopy method to research the interaction of light and matter makes it possible to study optical processes on very short timescales. To this end, a German–Italian research team is combining holographic imaging with ultrafast spectroscopy in an innovative way. In this manner, even extremely short-lived electronic and magnetic phenomena—which play a major role in the development and application of novel energy materials—can be observed. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ultrafast-holographic-imaging-reveals-electron.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 28 May 2026 19:10:02 EDT news699206941 Physicists from Emory University have led work to develop a microscopic, nonlinear light source that can be switched on, off or tuned to a particular intensity by an electrical "knob." The paper is published in the journal Optica, and could aid in the design of smaller, more flexible technologies for communications, sensing and quantum computing. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrical-knob-tune-intensity-nanoscale.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 28 May 2026 17:50:01 EDT news699207961 Researchers at TU/e have demonstrated that energy transfer without loss via light or heat can occur over much greater distances than previously thought possible thanks to vibrations in microscopic gold rods. They succeeded in making energy jump from one particle to another over a distance of several millimeters without "spilling" energy along the way. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fundamental-limit-energy-particles.html General Physics Wed, 27 May 2026 18:00:06 EDT news699117002 Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have developed a new procedure, enabling them to speed up elaborate computer simulations that analyze matter under extreme conditions. In particular, this work improves the evaluation of experiments at large-scale research facilities like the European XFEL—and should facilitate substantial progress, among others, in fusion research and laboratory astrophysics. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-imaginary-technique-ray-simulations-extreme.html Condensed Matter Tue, 26 May 2026 10:20:02 EDT news699003482 Flashes of femtosecond laser light, lasting just a few trillionths of a second, have made it possible to observe new magnetic structures for the first time. By using light as a remote control, researchers were able to switch magnetism into previously unseen three-dimensional states at the nanoscale. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-threedimensional-magnetic-laser.html Condensed Matter Mon, 25 May 2026 17:00:01 EDT news698942462 Solar panels have become more efficient over the years, but even the best designs still lose a large fraction of the energy they absorb. Scientists around the world have been searching for ways to capture more energy from every ray of sunlight and unlock the true potential of solar technology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-supercharging-solar-cells-quantum-dot.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 25 May 2026 14:00:02 EDT news698932861 When a singer belts out a tune while a guitar player strums along, sound waves travel through the air, driving collective oscillations of the molecules within. Meanwhile, at the quantum level, something similar is going on. Atoms inside materials, everything from our bodies to metals and more, naturally jiggle around, creating tiny vibrational waves that ripple across the material. These vibrations are known as phonons: the quantum version of sound waves. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tuning-quantum-acoustic-devices-sensors.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 25 May 2026 11:40:02 EDT news698925147 Being able to see light and detect radiation is of utmost importance at any frequency. While this challenge has been solved in the visible range, radiation detectors in the far-infrared and terahertz regimes are either not sensitive, slow, or require bulky and expensive, often cryogenically cooled devices, which hinders practical applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-metasurface-boosts-terahertz-sensitivity.html Optics & Photonics Sat, 23 May 2026 11:00:02 EDT news698679842