Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) may power various optical devices that produce light in the near- and mid-infrared (IR) spectral ranges. But basic physical constraints reduce the power of IR-emitting QDs. According to Fermi’s golden rule, the quantum yield of such QDs declines at longer wavelengths as the radiative emission rate falls, while nonradiative recombination channels [..]

Using pseudo-random speckle patterns to image targets is efficient (high-resolution imaging), but most approaches require bulky, expensive, complex, and slow machinery. A smaller device capable of generating random speckles is required to apply this technique to biomedical imaging, such as ultra-thin endoscopy or in vivo neural imaging. A group of scientists demonstrated using a multimode [..]

While living tissue significantly attenuates and scatters visible light, attenuation, and scattering are less for two spectral regions at slightly longer wavelengths. The first and second near-infrared (NIR) windows refer to these frequencies. Although labels emitting in the NIR-II band are challenging, this band is especially attractive. A group of scientists has created an organic [..]

A research team has created a low-cost colloidal quantum dot photodetector that can sense long-wave infrared (IR) light and may eventually replace more expensive commercially available options. According to the researchers, the new technology closes a gap in the photodetection spectrum and may be helpful for environmental monitoring, food inspection, and gas analysis. With silicon [..]

Non-line-of-sight imaging (NLoS), which is the task of recovering image data from objects hidden from direct observation or hidden by corners, can be approached in several ways, frequently requiring techniques to recover data from highly scattered or diffuse optical signals. In recent years, methods for reconstructing images using the intrinsic spatial correlations encoded in scattered [..]

Particularly when it comes to a 3-D scanner in cutting-edge technology, faster is sometimes better. Researchers are working to create a 3-D lidar sensor that is portable and simple to use, with uses in autonomous vehicles, robots and drones, security systems, and more. In a field where speed is frequently valued above other factors, researchers [..]

Accurate identification and segmentation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) are crucial for detecting and treating exudative age-related macular degeneration. (AMD). Cross-sectional and en-face imaging of CNV is possible with PR-OCTA or projection-resolved optical coherence tomographic i.e., OCT angiography. Due to the persistence of residual artifacts, CNV segmentation and detection remain challenging even with PR-OCT Angiography. In [..]

In real-time, scientists observed that helium nanodroplets respond ultrafast after being excited by XUV radiation (extreme ultraviolet radiation). Researchers now have new opportunities for thoroughly examining the basic characteristics of matter thanks to lasers that produce intense, brief XUV and X-ray bursts. Nanometer-sized material samples are of special interest in many of these experiments. Some [..]

In mammalian brains, neuronal activity is frequently investigated at cellular and subcellular levels using two-photon laser scanning microscopy imaging. These investigations are still limited to a particular functional area of the brain. A novel method known as the multiarea two-photon real-time in vitro explorer ie, MATRIEX Imaging, was recently reported by researchers. The technique enabled [..]

Scientists have created a brand-new kind of optical metasurface that only allows light to reflect in one way. The researchers empirically proved nonreciprocal light reflection at wavelengths around 860 nm by utilizing an ultrathin nonlinear metasurface’s spatial and temporal phase manipulation. The novel metasurface may facilitate the creation of scalable, magnetic-free, nonreciprocal devices that can [..]

Infrared wavelengths, which have been challenging to produce with silicon chip technology, can now be converted into visible wavelengths thanks to the developing of a novel chip-integrated light source. This adaptable method of on-chip light production is set to make it possible to produce highly compact photonic instruments that are reliable enough to be used [..]

The majority of people find having an ultrasound to be a simple procedure: A technician applies gentle pressure to a probe against a patient’s skin, sending out sound waves that pass through the skin and bounce off muscle, fat, and other soft tissues before returning to the probe, which picks up the waves and interprets [..]

For the first time, scientists could identify very low concentrations of a cancer protein biomarker in a urine sample using a chip-based optical sensor with an embedded laser. The new technology is more sensitive than previous models and may result in non-invasive, low-cost methods to identify molecules that signify the existence or progression of a [..]

A study team has demonstrated real-time monitoring of enzyme reactions using a quantum sensor. The scientists created a system that enabled them to regulate light down to the level of a single particle. It allowed for dim illumination without affecting the enzymes, potentially leading to increased sensitivity. The ability to directly address the sample enabled [..]

The visual system of the mantis shrimp, a marine crustacean whose eyes handle data about both the hue and the polarization of light, has long captivated optical scientists. These capabilities have been the driving force behind several optical devices that extract 3-D spatial and polarization information concurrently. However, cramming both characteristics into a small optical [..]

Researchers have developed a method for expediting the creation and customization of templates used in medical image analysis to aid in disease diagnosis. The new technique can be used to crunch datasets of patients’ medical images and capture structural relationships that may indicate disease progression. In many cases, analysis necessitates using a common image template known [..]

Biomimetics, the ability to imitate nature, gives scientists a blueprint for creating intricate micro- and nanoscale structures that mimic the beneficial properties of the plant or animal being mimicked. Researchers were able to make lens arrays from “liquid marbles” that have the same wide field of view, nearly infinite depth of field, peripheral vision without [..]

An international team of researchers used an optical probe to capture and pinpoint the brain’s neural activity epicenter. The method lays the groundwork for new ways to map connections across different brain regions, which could lead to the development of devices to image different brain areas and even treat conditions caused by malfunctions in the [..]

Researchers have created a tiny low-energy device – an optical switch that can move the light from one computer chip to another in 20 billionths of a second, faster than any other similar device. The compact switch is the first to redirect light with very low signal loss while operating at voltages low enough to [..]

Researchers have devised a method to perform optical coherence tomography (OCT) in difficult-to-reach body parts like joints. The development might make new surgical and medical uses possible for this high-resolution biomedical imaging method. OCT is the best tool for detecting minute changes in tissue that could be signs of illness or damage because it can [..]