Lasers

Scatter pattern produced by doughnut-shaped beams of light bouncing off of an object with a regularly repeating structure. Credit: Wang, et al., 2023, “Optica”To study nanoscale patterns in tiny electronic or photonic components, a new method based on lensless imaging allows for near-perfect high-resolution microscopy. Ptychography, a powerful form of lensless imaging, uses a scanning beam to collect scattered light for image reconstruction, facing challenges with periodic samples.To study nanoscale patterns in tiny…

Illustration of a shoebox-sized accelerator. An electron source and buncher/injector feeds into a sub-relativistic DLA (the device described in this article), which accelerates electrons up to 1MeV in energy. These electrons are further accelerated by SiO2 waveguide-driven relativistic DLA, and finally pass through an undulator to produce coherent free-electron radiation. Credit: Moore Foundation / Payton BroaddusA new advance by Stanford engineers could lead to particle accelerators being widely available in science,…

Positronium cooling. The AEgIS collaboration at CERN has experimentally demonstrated the laser cooling of positronium using an alexandrite-based laser system. Credit: CERN – Politecnico di MilanoResearchers successfully cooled positronium atoms, significantly impacting antimatter research and enabling new experiments in quantum electrodynamics and the potential for an antimatter Bose-Einstein condensate.The international AEgIS (Antimatter Experiment: gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy) collaboration at CERN, in which…

Illustration of the crystal structure of the yttrium alloy, with the red line at left representing the laser pulse in and the blue and green lines at right representing the two types of magnons created. Credit: Illustration courtesy of University of Texas at Austin & MIT researchersA recent study has advanced the understanding of magnonics by showing how magnons can interact nonlinearly, marking a critical step towards faster and more stable computing technologies.If computers used ripples in magnetic fields, called…

Research in ultrafast laser technology has unlocked new potential in cancer treatment by achieving electron acceleration to megaelectronvolt levels, promising advancements in FLASH radiotherapy for more effective care, but also necessitating safer laboratory practices due to heightened radiation exposure risks.Canadian research team at INRS makes discovery that could enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy in oncology.Ultrafast laser technology consistently delivers unexpected advancements. At first look, studies…

Orbital observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can see far back into the universe—so far, in fact, that they have revealed some of the earliest galaxies to form in the first 500 million years of our universe’s 13.8-billion-year-history. Much further back, we can see the remnant heat left over from the big bang, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, which was emitted about 400,000 years into cosmic history. But what about the period after the CMB appeared and…

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander. Later this month, a Nova-C lunar lander will deliver several NASA science and technology payloads, including the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL), to the surface of the moon. Credit: Intuitive MachinesNASA’s Navigation Doppler Lidar technology, set for a lunar demonstration, highlights advancements in landing technology with implications beyond space exploration.Later this month, NASA’s commercial lunar delivery services provider Intuitive Machines will launch its Nova-C lunar lander…

By Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science February 10, 2024New research demonstrates how laser light can amplify the nonlinear optical properties of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The research successfully generated new optical frequencies and significantly increased third-harmonic generation, marking a significant advancement in the field of nonlinear optics and quantum material research.A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that engineers from Columbia University, in…

New research discovered a groundbreaking connection between light and magnetism, promising revolutionary advancements in light-controlled memory technologies and magnetic sensors. This discovery challenges conventional understanding and could significantly impact data storage and device manufacturing across multiple sectors. Credit: Amir CapuaRecent research conducted at Hebrew University has uncovered a previously unknown connection between light and magnetism. This finding paves the way for the development of ultra-fast…

Deep Space Station 13 at NASA’s Goldstone complex in California – part of the agency’s Deep Space Network – is an experimental antenna that has been retrofitted with an optical terminal. In a first, this proof of concept received both radio frequency and laser signals from deep space at the same time. Credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechNASA’s introduction of a hybrid antenna into the DSN marks a significant advancement in space communication, enabling faster data transmission and supporting the demands of future exploration.Capable…