optics

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01662-2 The OCTCube models integrate optical coherence tomography and other imaging modalities to achieve state-of-the-art performance in predicting retinal diseases with strong generalizability across cohorts, devices and modalities.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-51362-9 Optimized simultaneous generation of dual-wavelength phase and polarization singularities

Scientific Reports, Published online: 07 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-50214-w Photonic topological transitions for surface waves with resonant plasmonic metasurfaces: interplay between meta-atom and lattice stretching

Is it possible to split a single light beam as on the diagram below, where the source of light S sends a beam of light A to the optical device X and device X splits beam A into beams B and C which ...

A new sound-based laser could measure gravity with unprecedented precision and reshape navigation technology. Since their introduction in the 1960s, lasers have fueled major advances in science and everyday technology, from supermarket scanners to eye surgery. Traditional lasers operate by controlling photons, which are particles of light. Over the past two decades, researchers have expanded [...]

Nature Electronics, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41928-026-01623-2 This Review explores parity–time (PT) symmetry and exceptional points in electronic circuits, considering the fundamental principles and implementations of PT symmetry in electronics and highlighting the key applications of such systems, including telemetry, sensing, hardware encryption and wireless power transfer.

On Star Wars Day, we put to rest a question that has bedeviled sci-fi nerds for years.

Consider two perfectly reflecting mirrors facing each other and printed vertically as in this infinity mirror effect. The two mirrors are perfectly parallel: A ruler placed perpendicular to mirror A ...

Inside a radio-frequency trap at Oxford’s Clarendon Laboratory, a single strontium ion hangs in a vacuum, cooled to near stillness, vibrating with an energy so close to nothing that quantum mechanics itself sets the floor. The ion is about ten nanometres across. Its motion is the harmonic oscillator, the same mathematical beast that describes a child’s swing, a plucked guitar string, the electrom…

A newly uncovered property of light suggests it may be far more self-sufficient than previously believed. Researchers at the University of East Anglia have identified a previously unknown property of light that allows it to twist, spin, and behave in unusual ways – without the need for mirrors, materials, or specialized lenses. In a finding [...]

MIT researchers found that chaotic laser light can transform into a precise, stable beam. This breakthrough enables much faster, high-resolution imaging of how drugs move into the brain. Researchers at MIT have identified an unexpected effect in optical physics that could lead to a new kind of bioimaging technology with both higher speed and strong [...]

Automated polarization rotation for multi-axis rotational-anisotropy second harmonic generation experiments Morey, Karna A; Fichera, Bryan T; Lv, Baiqing; Shen, Zongqi; Gedik, Nuh Rotational anisotropy second harmonic generation (RA-SHG) is a nonlinear optical technique used to probe the symmetry of condensed matter systems. Measuring the dependence of the SHG susceptibility on one or more extern…

Scientists have achieved a major step toward chip-scale ultraviolet light by converting red light into powerful UV within a tiny photonic device. Ultraviolet light, beyond what comes naturally from the sun, plays a central role in modern technology, including sterilization, biological imaging, and chip manufacturing. Researchers also expect tiny sources of UV light on photonic [...]

Researchers from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology have created an ultra-thin optical film capable of enhancing light quality in LCD resin-based 3D printers, a development that may bring professional-grade precision within reach of budget systems used in medical, industrial, and consumer applications. Resin-based 3D printing, also known as vat photopolymerization, works by&…

A recent experiment revealed that individual dark points on a light wave can move faster than the wave itself

Researchers at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), working with international partners, have developed a new laser system that could significantly simplify multicolour two-photon microscopy. The technology is based on a compact ultrafast fibre laser and makes it possible to visualise several ce...

Researchers at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), working with international partners, have developed a new laser system that could significantly simplify multicolour two-photon microscopy. The technology is based on a compact ultrafast fibre laser and makes it possible to visualise several ce...

Nature Communications, Published online: 30 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72774-1 The authors propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme for weaving optical topological knots and links that are fully localized in space–time, thereby breaking the conventional constraint of longitudinal space-filling via Milnor polynomials.

Scientists have developed a high-speed, low-maintenance X-ray microscope that achieves images with less than 10-nanometer resolution. This system can produce a full 3D image in about an hour. This task once took a full day.

Scientists have developed a new type of semiconductor material that can do something unusual: it can tell the difference between left- and right-handed light while also responding to visible light. This breakthrough could help create more advanced technologies in areas like optical communication, sensing, and energy conversion. The research was led by a team at […] The post Scientists create smar…