Here’s your Photonics Hot List for April 4, 2022, peeking into what’s happening in the exciting world of photonics.
Hydrogen gas inside galaxy clusters is about the same temperature as the center of the sun, but by the standard laws of physics, that gas should cool along with the age of the universe. It hasn’t so far, and now researchers are working to find out why.
Since real-world study of these galaxy clusters isn’t possible, the research team has created its own model of white-hot plasma with intense magnetic fields using 196 lasers. This is guiding them toward a better understanding of the universe, everything in it, and our place in its evolution.
Using a laser confocal super-resolution microscopy system and a novel molecular process, researchers are getting a closer look at the coral-algae relationship at the cellular level. The imaging system has allowed them to see deeper into the coral membrane that surrounds the algae in a microenvironment that’s dynamically controlled on its own. Providing a resolution that’s more than double that of a traditional microscope, the new system can isolate features that are just 120 nm apart.
A better understanding of these processes will benefit the future of coral and algae health, and ultimately that of all living things.
A research team has developed a flexible, multipoint, ultrathin microLED array film for more comprehensive study of the brain than is possible with existing technologies and methods.
This development could be particularly useful in optogenetics, helping researchers to better understand neural activity, including behaviors and disorders. And as the microLEDs are nontoxic and less than 100 microns in size, the device shows potential for implantable devices that can observe brain activity freely, and perform functions such as targeted medicine delivery.
Researchers are working to help combat counterfeiting and tampering of documents including banknotes and passports, which could prompt tighter encryption security.
The team developed an anticounterfeiting and tampering prevention system that is essentially an optical encryption platform. Using a metasurface that’s capable of freely controlling light, the device works simultaneously in both UV and visible light.
The researchers say the resulting encryption is difficult to decrypt because it uses invisible UV light to prevent exposing, and tampering with, a password or code.
