https://phys.org/physics-news/ en-us The latest news in physics, materials science, quantum physics, optics and photonics, superconductivity science and technology. Updated Daily. You may not realize it, but the Doppler effect is everywhere in our lives, from tracking the speed of cars with radar to locating satellites in the sky. It's all about how waves change their frequency when a source (like a radar signal) and a detector are in motion relative to each other. However, traditional radar systems hit a roadblock when trying to detect objects moving at right angles to their radar signals. This limitation has driven researchers to explore an entirely new approach. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-revolutionizing-radar-thz-emitter-precise.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:44:03 EDT news617028241 Ultraviolet (UV) rays are electromagnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 100 to 380 nanometers (nm). These wavelengths can be classified into three regions: UV-A (315–380 nm), UV-B (280–315 nm), and UV-C (100–280 nm), with the latter two comprising deep UV rays. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-vertical-ultraviolet-b-semiconductor-laser-diodes.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 10:53:03 EDT news617017981 Whenever light interacts with matter, light appears to slow down. This is not a new observation and standard wave mechanics can describe most of these daily phenomena. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-major-problems-physics.html General Physics Optics & Photonics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:45:40 EDT news617013937 Bulk acoustic resonators—stacked material structures inside which acoustic waves resonate—can be used to amplify sounds or filter out undesired noise. These resonators have found wide use in today's RF telecommunication, like Front-End Modules (FEM) in iPhones. They could also be valuable components for various cutting-edge scientific applications, including quantum technologies and imaging devices. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-strategy-spin-acoustic-silicon-vacancies-4h.html Condensed Matter Quantum Physics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:02 EDT news616933556 The timeliness and accuracy of detection technology is directly related to the safety of people's lives and property. In the application of this technology, temperature is a physical quantity that must to be focused on. Compared with other temperature measurement technologies, Raman distributed optical fiber sensors have the advantages of corrosion resistance, strong resistance to electromagnetic interference, small size of the system, low maintenance and cost, so they are widely used in pipeline leakage detection, high rock cable overload detection, warehouse fire detection and other situations. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-chaos-raman-optical-fiber.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:10:07 EDT news616950601 In June, an IBM computing executive claimed quantum computers were entering the "utility" phase, in which high-tech experimental devices become useful. In September, Australia's Chief Scientist Cathy Foley went so far as to declare "the dawn of the quantum era". https://phys.org/news/2023-10-quantum-theyre.html Quantum Physics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:15:04 EDT news616940101 Researchers led by Prof. Wang Zhenzhu from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators have explored the optical properties of hollow cirrus clouds for enhanced lidar data interpretation, with a focus on hollow column ice crystal particles. Their study was published in Optics Express on Oct. 5. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-exploring-optical-properties-hollow-cirrus.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:58:02 EDT news616939082 When we illuminate something, we usually expect that the brighter the source we use, the brighter the resulting image will be. This rule also works for ultra-short pulses of laser light—but only up to a certain intensity. The answer to the question why an X-ray diffraction image 'darkens' at very high X-ray intensities not only deepens fundamental understanding of the light-matter interaction, but also offers a unique perspective for the production of laser pulses that have significantly shorter pulse duration than those currently available. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-x-ray-lasers-brighter-darker.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:35:15 EDT news616934111 Researchers at the Max-Born-Institute have now mapped the linear and nonlinear optical polaron response using ultrafast two-dimensional spectroscopy in the THz frequency range. As they discuss in the current issue of Physical Review Letters, multi-photon ionization of isopropanol molecules by a femtosecond pulse in the near-infrared generates free electrons and the resulting changes of the dielectric properties of the liquid are probed and/or manipulated in the THz frequency range. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-motions-electrons-solvent-molecules-polar.html General Physics Condensed Matter Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:12:56 EDT news616932772 A new electrical method to conveniently change the direction of electron flow in some quantum materials could have implications for the development of next-generation electronic devices and quantum computers. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-electrical-quantum-phenomenon-future-electronic.html Condensed Matter Quantum Physics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:00:01 EDT news616926339 An international team of scientists is rethinking the basic principles of radiation physics with the aim of creating super-bright light sources. In a new study published in Nature Photonics, researchers from the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in Portugal, the University of Rochester, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée in France proposed ways to use quasiparticles to create light sources as powerful as the most advanced ones in existence today, but much smaller. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-super-bright-sources-powered-quasiparticles.html Optics & Photonics Quantum Physics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:00:01 EDT news616926349 The development of tumors begins with miniscule changes within the body's cells; ion diffusion at the smallest scales is decisive in the performance of batteries. Until now, the resolution of conventional imaging methods has not been high enough to represent these processes in detail. A research team lead by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed diamond quantum sensors which can be used to improve resolution in magnetic imaging. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-miniature-magnetic-resonance-imager-diamond.html Optics & Photonics Quantum Physics Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:21:21 EDT news616929676 The sensitivity of a fiber sensor can be enhanced severalfold using an exceptional point (EP), according to a recent paper published in Opto-Electronic Advances. The technique has the potential to transform fiber sensing technology toward a new era of precision and accuracy. While the researchers demonstrated this remarkable capability using a bending sensor, the true power of EP-enhanced sensitivity extends far beyond, with potential applications across various existing fiber sensors. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-exceptional-point-enhanced-sensitivity-paradigm-high-sensitivity-fiber.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 16:00:26 EDT news616863624 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 A new publication in Opto-Electronic Science reports how high-quality diamonds empower narrowband deep ultraviolet photodetection. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-high-quality-diamonds-empower-narrowband-deep.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:10:06 EDT news616860601 Atoms of the metal ytterbium-171 may be the closest things in nature to perfect qubits. A recent study shows how to use them for repeated quantum measurements and qubit rotations, which may aid in the development of scalable quantum computing. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-nondestructive-ytterbium-qubits-aiding-scalable.html Quantum Physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:22:03 EDT news616857721 A soccer player can kick a static ball on its side, forcing the ball to rotate and travel in an arc trajectory, left or right curved, depending on the ball's rotation sense. This requires skill/experience. And if the ball is not static but approaches the player already spinning—the control of the ball demands knowledge on how to manipulate/kick it depending on its characteristics and the intended trajectory. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-vectorial-spin-orbital-hall-effect-tight.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:48:03 EDT news616855681 The most comprehensive view of the history of the universe ever created has been produced by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). The study also offers new ideas about how our universe may have started. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-view-universe.html General Physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:19:10 EDT news616853948 A widely tunable and high resolution mid-infrared radiation source operating in the 3–5 µm region has been applied to numerous frontier applications, including remote sensing, molecular spectroscopy, and atmosphere environmental monitoring. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-widely-tunable-high-resolution-mid-infrared.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:29:28 EDT news616850967 Quantum mechanics is full of weird phenomena, but perhaps none as weird as the role measurement plays in the theory. Since a measurement tends to destroy the "quantumness" of a system, it seems to be the mysterious link between the quantum and classical world. And in a large system of quantum bits of information, known as "qubits," the effect of measurements can induce dramatically new behavior, even driving the emergence of entirely new phases of quantum information. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-generate-quantum-entanglement-teleportation.html Quantum Physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:24:40 EDT news616850678 Rotating objects carry angular momentum; this fact extends even to the tiniest of particles, such as photons. Photons possess not one but two distinct forms of angular momentum: spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM). https://phys.org/news/2023-10-technique-precise-photonic-angular-momentum.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:35:03 EDT news616847702 Noninvasive inspection of layered structures is challenging for time-resolved imaging methods, where the resolution and contrast can be compromised by prominent signal attenuation with interlayer reflections and dispersions. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-hidden-layered-terahertz-imaging.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:20:01 EDT news616846040 One way physicists seek clues to unravel the mysteries of the universe is by smashing matter together and inspecting the debris. But these types of destructive experiments, while incredibly informative, have limits. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-technique-near-miss-particle-physics-tau.html General Physics Quantum Physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:07:40 EDT news616846057 Holograms that offer a three-dimensional (3D) view of objects provide a level of detail that is unattainable by regular two-dimensional (2D) images. Due to their ability to offer a realistic and immersive experience of 3D objects, holograms hold enormous potential for use in various fields, including medical imaging, manufacturing, and virtual reality. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-generation-three-dimensional-holographic-displays.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:41:04 EDT news616844428 University of Otago physicists have used a small glass bulb containing an atomic vapor to demonstrate a new form of antenna for radio waves. The bulb was "wired up" with laser beams and could therefore be placed far from any receiver electronics. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-physicists-antenna-radio.html Optics & Photonics Quantum Physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:52:03 EDT news616841521 Ever since Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovered the world of bacteria through a microscope in the late seventeenth century, humans have tried to look deeper into the world of the infinitesimally small. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-superlensing-super-lens-physicists-boost.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:00:01 EDT news616773425 With the growth in artificial intelligence (AI), 5G systems, cloud computation, and the Internet of Things, transmitters with extremely high capacities are required for data communication. Ultrafast optical modulation is an essential technology for high-capacity transmitters. High-speed optical modulators have attracted considerable interest. Significant progress has been achieved using different mechanisms in various material systems. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-photonic-chips-high-capacity-transmissions.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:07:04 EDT news616770422 We live in an era of data deluge. The data centers that are operated to store and process this flood of data use a lot of electricity, which has been called a major contributor to environmental pollution. To overcome this situation, polygonal computing systems with lower power consumption and higher computation speed are being researched, but they are not able to handle the huge demand for data processing because they operate with electrical signals, just like conventional binary computing systems. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-ushering-era-light-powered-multi-level-memories.html Condensed Matter Quantum Physics Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:00:02 EDT news616759201 Conservation laws are central to our understanding of the universe, and now scientists have expanded our understanding of these laws in quantum mechanics. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-thought-laws-reevaluating-quantum-principles.html Quantum Physics Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:50:01 EDT news616693014 A collaborative group of researchers has manipulated the behavior of light as if it were under the influence of gravity. The findings, which were published in the journal Physical Review A on September 28, 2023, have far-reaching implications for the world of optics and materials science, and bear significance for the development of 6G communications. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-photonic-crystals-gravity.html Condensed Matter Optics & Photonics Mon, 16 Oct 2023 11:17:02 EDT news616673821