https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. When living cells grow, divide or respond to drugs, they give off tiny amounts of heat that offer information about what the cells are doing. But because these heat signals are so vanishingly small, they have traditionally been impossible to measure directly. Researchers in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a calorimeter—a device that measures the heat transfer between a living system and its environment—that can detect metabolic heat signals on the order of 100 picowatts, or trillionths of a watt, in living cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-sensor-cells-views-cell-metabolism.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:40:05 EDT news700830721 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 Most laser sources produce Gaussian beams that diverge as they propagate. This natural spreading limits their effectiveness in applications that require light to remain concentrated over long distances. To overcome this challenge, structured light beams have been developed, whose amplitude, phase, and polarization can be carefully controlled. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-compact-flat-lens-generate-nondiffracting.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:00:02 EDT news694351201 As quantum computers continue to advance, many of today's encryption systems face the risk of becoming obsolete. A powerful alternative—quantum cryptography—offers security based on the laws of physics instead of computational difficulty. But to turn quantum communication into a practical technology, researchers need compact and reliable devices that can decode fragile quantum states carried by light. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-laserwritten-glass-chip-quantum-communication.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:53:38 EST news689878381 Cilia are micrometer-sized biological structures that occur frequently in nature. Their characteristic high-frequency, three-dimensional beating motions (5–40 Hz) play indispensable roles inside the body. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-hydrogel-cilia-standard-microrobotics.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:00:05 EST news687602761 Within tissues, cells are embedded in complex, three-dimensional structures known as the extracellular matrix. Their biomechanical interactions play a crucial role in numerous biological processes. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have now developed a novel lab-on-a-chip system based on intelligent hydrogel structures, which enables precise pressure forces to be applied to cellular microenvironments. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-smart-hydrogels-micromachines-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:02:40 EST news683917322 The Mamyshev oscillator (MO) is a type of fiber laser capable of producing high-energy laser pulses at a tunable repetition rate. It is a mode-locked laser which uses light traveling within a closed-loop cavity to produce laser emission. Harmonic mode-locking (HML) is an advanced form of mode-locking process where multiple laser pulses are produced within one round trip of light. MOs employing HML are used for several advanced applications such as optical communication, frequency metrology, and micromachining. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-harmonic-mode-mamyshev-oscillators-multiple.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:04:30 EDT news670154667 Researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan, in collaboration with the Institute of Translational Medicine and Biomedical Engineering (IMTIB) in Argentina and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, have advanced the "PDMS SlipChip," a versatile microfluidic device. By using a low-viscosity silicone oil and fine-tuning the fabrication process, they've made the SlipChip more reliable for cell-based experiments and simpler for creating concentration gradients. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-viscosity-oil-boosts-microfluidic-device.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 14 May 2025 16:58:04 EDT news666460682 A novel study has unveiled a technique that enhances stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases by combining magnetic guidance with localized ultrasound stimulation. This approach successfully navigates magnetically loaded stem cells to specific brain regions and promotes their differentiation into neurons using a miniaturized ultrasound device. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-ultrasound-microrobots-team-boost-stem.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:34:04 EDT news665249642 A new review article unveils the world of flexible micromachined ultrasound transducers (MUTs), an emerging technology at the intersection of wearables, ultrasound, and MEMS. These cutting-edge devices, which include both piezoelectric (PMUT) and capacitive (CMUT) variants, can offer flexibility and user-friendly health care solutions. Capable of conforming to the body's contours, flexible MUTs can enable continuous monitoring and targeted stimulation. The study dives deep into the fabrication methods, performance benchmarks, and potential applications of these revolutionary devices. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-emerging-biomedical-ultrasound-tech-flexible.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:44:42 EST news659367878 Inspired by the ancient East Asian method of constructing wooden structures using a "tongue and groove" technique, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a new approach to fabricating advanced ceramic microparticles, just slightly bigger than the width of a human hair. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-ancient-methods-fabricate-modern.html Materials Science Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:17:07 EDT news648209822 Glass materials are widely used in optical and optoelectronic devices due to their low cost and excellent mechanical and optical properties. Among them, glass concave/convex linear structures with feature sizes ranging from several micrometers to hundreds of micrometers find intensive applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-dimensional-multi-focus-laser-glass.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:16:04 EDT news647871362 Optical fiber, as a physical medium for information transmission, is the "highway" of modern economic and social development. However, with the continuous emergence of high-speed and high-capacity communication scenarios such as virtual reality, 5G, intelligent driving, and the Internet of Things (IoT), there is an upper limit to the communication capacity (traffic flow) of the traditional single-mode fiber-optic communication system (highway). https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scientists-dmg-equalization-strategy-femtosecond.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 28 Aug 2024 16:50:03 EDT news644082602 Just a few years ago, researchers discovered that changing the angle between two layers of graphene, an atom-thick sheet of carbon, also changed the material's electronic and optical properties. They then learned that a "twist" of 1.1 degrees—dubbed the "magic" angle—could transform this metallic material into an insulator or a superconductor, a finding that ignited excitement about a possible pathway to new quantum technologies. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-world-micromachine-2d-materials.html Nanophysics Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:00:03 EDT news643539601 Imagine the possibility of sending messages that are completely impervious to even the most powerful computers. This is the incredible promise of quantum communication, which harnesses the unique properties of light particles known as photons. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-source-emits-bright-entangled-photons.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 05 Aug 2024 09:02:38 EDT news642067355 Researchers have created tiny, vehiclelike structures that can be maneuvered by microscopic algae. The algae are caught in baskets attached to the micromachines, which have been carefully designed to allow them enough room to continue swimming. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-microscopic-vehicles-propelled-green-algae.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:05:03 EDT news639655501 Researchers have successfully demonstrated a novel biosensor capable of detecting single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides with high specificity without needing external labels. This advancement paves the way for more accessible and efficient point-of-care diagnostics. The study, reported in Engineering, is titled "Development of an Integrated CMUTs-based Resonant Biosensor for Label-Free Detection of DNA with Improved Selectivity by Ethylene-Glycol Alkanethiols." https://phys.org/news/2024-06-biosensor-dna-specificity.html Biotechnology Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:33:03 EDT news637417981 The interaction of solids with high-intensity ultra-short laser pulses has enabled major technological breakthroughs over the past half-century. On the one hand, laser ablation of solids offers micromachining and miniaturization of elements in medical or telecommunication devices. On the other hand, accelerated ion beams from solids using intense lasers may pave the way for new opportunities for cancer treatment with laser-based proton therapy, fusion energy research, and analysis of cultural heritage. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-elucidate-ultrafast-laser-solid-overdense.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 14 May 2024 13:43:24 EDT news634913001 Multi-photon 3D laser printing has revolutionized miniature fabrication, but limitations in speed and material compatibility have held it back. Now, researchers have taken a giant leap forward, achieving a tenfold increase in print speed while maintaining exquisite detail. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-microprinting-millions-microparticles-eye-multi.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:06:18 EDT news631814770 The demand for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resilient to harsh environments is growing. Silicon-based MEMS struggle under extreme conditions, limited by their performance at elevated temperatures. Silicon carbide (SiC) stands out as a promising solution, offering unmatched thermal, electrical, and mechanical advantages for creating enduring MEMS. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-composite-accelerometer-extreme-environments.html Nanomaterials Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:37:11 EDT news631809429 At first glance, Rabih O. Al-Kaysi's molecular motors look like the microscopic worms you'd see in a drop of pond water. But these wriggling ribbons are not alive; they're devices made from crystallized molecules that perform coordinated movements when exposed to light. With continued development, Al-Kaysi and colleagues say, their tiny machines could be used by physicians as drug-delivery robots or engineered into arrays that direct the flow of water around submarines. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-molecular-crystal-motors-microbes-exposed.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 19 Mar 2024 05:00:01 EDT news629996207 Supercontinuum (SC) white light (the spectrum stretching from the near ultraviolet to the infrared wavelengths) has advanced ultrafast laser spectroscopy in condensed matter science, biology, physics and chemistry. Compared with the frequently-used photonic crystal fibers and bulk materials, femtosecond laser filamentation in gases is damage-immune for SC generation. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-stable-intense-supercontinuum-generation-1khz.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:00:03 EST news626608802 The integration of mechanical memory in the form of springs has for hundreds of years proven to be a key enabling technology for mechanical devices (such as clocks), achieving advanced functionality through complex autonomous movements. Currently, the integration of springs in silicon-based microtechnology has opened the world of planar mass-producible mechatronic devices from which we all benefit, via air-bag sensors for example. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-soft-microrobots-super-compliant-picoforce.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 04 Jan 2024 09:07:03 EST news623581621 Observing distant objects is no easy task, thanks to our planet's thick and fluffy atmosphere. As light passes through the upper reaches of our atmosphere, it is refracted and distorted, making it much harder to discern objects at cosmological distances (billions of light years away) and small objects in adjacent star systems like exoplanets. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-next-generation-space-telescopes-deformable-mirrors.html Astronomy Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:19:04 EST news620313541 Femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing (FLDW) is a laser micro/nano manufacturing technology that can focus the laser pulses on the surface or inside the material, causing local changes in material properties through nonlinear laser-material interactions, which has been widely used in many fields such as micro/nano photonics, integrated optics, microfluidics. Conventional FLDW has the problem of asymmetric lateral and axial fabrication resolution, the axial resolution is significantly elongated, which limit the application of femtosecond lasers in 3D processing. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-3d-isotropic-microfabrication-glass-spatiotemporal.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:20:03 EDT news616861201 Have you ever imaged high-resolution 3D structures at the micro/nanoscale that react dynamically to their surroundings? The 4D printing technology is changing the game by using smart materials that exhibit remarkable shape deformation in response to external stimuli, showing the enormous potential for use in biomedicine, flexible electronics, soft robotics, and aerospace. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-micronanoscale-4d-revolution-high-resolution-3d.html Nanophysics Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:31:03 EDT news616249861 A research team led by Prof. Wu Dong from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) proposed a femtosecond laser 2-in-1 writing multi-material processing strategy to fabricate micromachined joints composed of temperature-sensitive hydrogels and metal nanoparticles, and developed multi-jointed humanoid micromachines with multiple deformation modes (>10). The results were published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-femtosecond-laser-technique-births-microrobots.html General Physics Fri, 11 Aug 2023 12:33:00 EDT news610975976 Quantum memory that depends on quantum-band integration is a key building block used to develop quantum networks that are compatible with fiber communication infrastructures. Quantum engineers and IT specialists have yet to create such a network with large capacity to form an integrated multimode photonic quantum memory at telecom band. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-telecom-band-integrated-multimode-photonic-quantum-memory.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:10:54 EDT news610027848 Lasers with ultra-low threshold and compact size are highly desirable components in photonic integrated circuits, aiming at the application of optical communications, chip-scale solid-state LIDAR and quantum information. The general approach to realizing such lasers is to effectively trap light and boost light-matter interaction by embedding gain materials into few- or sub-wavelength scale optical cavities with high quality (Q) factor and/or small mode volume (V-mode). https://phys.org/news/2023-07-ultra-low-threshold-continuous-wave-quantum-dot.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 07 Jul 2023 09:38:54 EDT news607941531 Vortices of light, null regions of intensity surrounded by spiral phases, make up the skeleton of a wavefield and influence the properties of light. Since the discovery of the tight connection of optical vortices and orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light in the seminal paper in 1992, considerable research progress has been made to unveil the beauty of vortices of light. https://phys.org/news/2023-05-latest-spatiotemporal-vortices.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 31 May 2023 12:01:17 EDT news604753275