Optics & Photonics news

Breakthrough Made in Metamaterial Optics

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Dec 03, 2008 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (57) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have solved one of the significant remaining challenges with photonic “metamaterials,” discovering a way to prevent the loss of light as it passes through these materials, and opening the door ...


Chinese scientists create metamaterial black hole

Chinese scientists create metamaterial black hole

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Oct 16, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (56) | comments 20 weblog

(PhysOrg.com) -- Two physicists in China have used metamaterials to create the first artificial electromagnetic black hole. The scientists, Qiang Cheng and Tie Jun Cui from the Southeast University in Nanjing, ...


A Polymer Solar Cell with Near-Perfect Internal Efficiency

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Jun 17, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (42) | comments 13 feature

An international group of scientists has developed a polymer-based solar cell with an ability not yet seen in similar cells: almost every single photon it absorbs is converted into a pair of electric-charge carriers, and ...


Regular light bulbs made super-efficient with ultra-fast laser

Regular Light Bulbs Made Super-Efficient with Ultra-Fast Laser

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created May 29, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (40) | comments 23

(PhysOrg.com) -- An ultra-powerful laser can turn regular incandescent light bulbs into power-sippers, say optics researchers at the University of Rochester. The process could make a light as bright as a 100-watt ...


UCLA Engineering Announces Breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Devices

Scientists Announce Breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Devices

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Jun 28, 2006 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (35) | comments 0

Building on a series of recent breakthroughs in silicon photonics, researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a novel approach to silicon devices that combines ...


Discovery brings new type of fast computers closer to reality

Discovery brings new type of fast computers closer to reality

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Sep 27, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (35) | comments 1

Physicists at UC San Diego have successfully created speedy integrated circuits with particles called "excitons" that operate at commercially cold temperatures, bringing the possibility of a new type of extremely ...


Scientists discover repulsive side to light force

Scientists Discover Light Force with 'Push' Power

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Jul 13, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (26) | comments 10

(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of Yale University researchers has discovered a "repulsive" light force that can be used to control components on silicon microchips, meaning future nanodevices could be controlled ...


World's smallest semiconductor laser heralds new era in optical science

World's smallest semiconductor laser heralds new era in optical science

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Aug 30, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (25) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have reached a new milestone in laser physics by creating the world's smallest semiconductor laser, capable of generating visible light ...


Physicists lay the groundwork for cooler, faster computing

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (25) | comments 5

University of Toronto quantum optics researchers Sajeev John and Xun Ma have discovered new behaviours of light within photonic crystals that could lead to faster optical information processing and compact computers that ...


New nanolaser key to future optical computers and technologies

New nanolaser -- spaser -- key to future optical computers and technologies

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Aug 16, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (23) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- Because the new device, called a "spaser," is the first of its kind to emit visible light, it represents a critical component for possible future technologies based on "nanophotonic" circuitry, ...


A sonic boom in the world of lasers

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Jun 17, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (22) | comments 6

It was an idea born out of curiosity in the physics lab, but now a new type of ‘laser’ for generating ultra-high frequency sound waves instead of light has taken a major step towards becoming a unique and highly useful 21st ...


A road of no return

A road of no return: Team implements the first '1-way roads' for light

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Oct 08, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (21) | comments 2

Light readily bounces off obstacles in its path. Some of these reflections are captured by our eyes, thus participating in the visual perception of the objects around us. In contrast to this usual behavior ...


Silicon Photonics Advancement Aims to Accelerate Future Computing, Communications

Silicon Photonics Advancement Aims to Accelerate Future Computing, Communications

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Dec 08, 2008 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (22) | comments 6

(PhysOrg.com) -- Intel researchers have made the next advance in the field of Silicon Photonics by achieving world-record performance using a silicon-based Avalanche Photodetector (APD) that could lower costs ...


Liquid crystal lasers promise cheaper, high colour resolution laser television

Liquid crystal lasers promise cheaper, high colour resolution laser television

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Apr 20, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (21) | comments 4

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE) (part of the Department's Photonics Research Group at the University of Cambridge) are leading the way ...


Mantis shrimps could show us the way to a better DVD

Mantis shrimps could show us the way to a better DVD

Physics / Optics & Photonics

created Oct 25, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (19) | comments 5

(PhysOrg.com) -- The remarkable eyes of a marine crustacean could inspire the next generation of DVD and CD players, according to a new study from the University of Bristol published today in Nature Photonics.