In-depth articles written by our editorial team focusing on the latest developments in materials science and technology
A research collaboration has demonstrated precisely controlled single-cycle waveforms in ultrashort mid-infrared pulses.
By Ilamaran Sivarajah
21 Jun 2022
Researchers at Shizuoka University in Japan have found a way to use an attenuated total reflection version of terahertz spectroscopy to identify drugs in plastic packaging even for compounds with high terahertz absorption.
By Rebecca Ingle, Ph.D
21 Jun 2022
Research has led to the possibility of producing lasers that involve biological cells, opening up a new avenue of exploration in biophotonics, the field of cellular lasers and biolasers.
By Sarah Moore
20 Jun 2022
There are several methods for determining the nutritional content and quality of cereal crops and many of these involve different microscopy techniques.2 Optical microscopy enables visual inspection of the grains and, with the right microscopy technique, identification of the amount of starch and other nutrients.
By Rebecca Ingle, Ph.D
8 Jun 2022
This article looks at how laser-based ultrasounds can be used to enhance 3D printing processes.
By Rebecca Ingle, Ph.D
6 Jun 2022
Metalenses are flat lenses that use metasurfaces to focus light. The metasurfaces are a series of artificial antennae that manipulate the optical response of the incident light, including its amplitude phase and polarization.
By Rebecca Ingle, Ph.D
26 May 2022
The advantages of laser scan micrometers are their accuracy, fast scan speeds and relative ease of operation. Laser micrometers can be used for object sizing and as helpful auxiliary tools in measurement – such as measuring the displacement of delay stages more precisely.
By Rebecca Ingle, Ph.D
25 May 2022
A new technique has been developed using “slow light” that enables simple detection and quantification of virus particles using a basic optical microscope and readily available antibody proteins.
By Ben Pilkington
19 May 2022
Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is the most widely used experimental material characterization and analysis technique. This article takes a closer look at the method and its importance within several industries.
By Ilamaran Sivarajah
19 May 2022
Researchers have confirmed the chemical inertness of PtSe2 surfaces to ambient gases (oxygen and water) and, as a result, the long-term durability of PtSe2-based devices using synchrotron-based surface-science methods.
By Laura Thomson
18 May 2022