Latest photonics and optics news

New violet laser developed at IKZ
Researchers at the Center for Laser Materials (ZLM) at the Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) have developed the most efficient direct violet-emitting solid-state laser:
Lasers with short-wave visible light in the blue or violet range have many practical applications. They are used in metalworking, for example, especially with metals such as copper, which strongly reflect infrared…

New materials as highly sensitive X-ray detectors
Organic-inorganic hybrid materials are ideally suited and can be produced in a green way using ball milling:
New bismuth-based organic-inorganic hybrid materials show exceptional sensitivity and long-term stability as X-ray detectors, significantly more sensitive than commercial X-ray detectors. In addition, these materials…

DLR pools expertise in space research
The new DLR Institute of Space Research is being formed from the internationally acclaimed Institutes of Optical Sensor Systems and Planetary Research:
Space is a key technology for the future, essential for exploring planets, Earth observation and security. Satellites and space probes equipped with highly specialised observation instruments are indispensable for all…

Insight into ultrafast spin processes with femtoslicing
Worldwide unique infrastructure for spintronics research at BESSY II:
An international team has succeeded at BESSY II for the first time to elucidate how ultrafast spin-polarised current pulses can be characterised by measuring the ultrafast demagnetisation in a magnetic layer system…

Ultrafast Plasmon-Enhanced Magnetic Bit Switching at the Nanoscale
MBI researchers demonstrated a way to control and manipulate nanoscale magnetic bits:
Researchers from Max Born Institute have demonstrated a successful way to control and manipulate nanoscale magnetic bits — the building blocks of digital data — using an ultrafast laser pulse and plasmonic gold…

An elegant method for the detection of single spins using photovoltage
The approach of an HZB team could lead to a much more compact design of quantum sensors:
Diamonds with certain optically active defects can be used as highly sensitive sensors or qubits for quantum computers, where the quantum information is stored in the electron spin state of these colour centres.…

New research unit to study the generation, transport and detection of chiral phonons
DFG funds spintronics research with 3.2 million euros / MBI involved:
Spintronics is already widely used in data storage, sensor technology and, increasingly, in communication technology. Many of our cars and cell phones already contain components based on spintronics. Spintronics means…

FBH leads European diode-pumped laser efforts
EuPRAXIA selects second laser-driven accelerator site:
The EuPRAXIA consortium has selected ELI Beamlines at ELI ERIC in the Czech Republic as the site for its laser-driven second plasma-accelerator pillar. This decision marks a major milestone in the consortium’s journey…

Breakthrough: First electron beam in SEALab advances accelerator physics
HZB team generates and accelerates an electron beam from a multi-alkali photocathode:
The SEALab team at HZB has achieved a world first by generating an electron beam from a multi-alkali (Na-K-Sb) photocathode and accelerating it to relativistic energies in a superconducting radiofrequency accelerator…

Efficient soil analysis – high-tech for sustainable agriculture
Mobile sensor platform from Leibniz Institutes ATB and FBH can precisely detect the composition of soil on the move:
Precise information about agricultural soils is key to managing them more efficiently and sustainably. Researchers at the Leibniz institutes FBH and ATB have recently enhanced an existing sensor platform for mobile…

Catalysis research with the X-ray microscope at BESSY II
Scientists studied changes in catalysts during the synthesis of ammonia from waste nitrates:
Contrary to what we learned at school, some catalysts do change during the reaction: for example, certain electrocatalysts can change their structure and composition during the reaction when an electric field is…

Bruker introduces a new EBSD detector for advanced materials characterization
eWARP combines direct electron detection and CMOS technologies:
Bruker announces the launch of eWARP, a new detector for Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) that marks the advent of a new era in EBSD technology. Featuring a revolutionary Bruker-engineered camera that combines…
Agreement on EUV reflectometry between PTB and ZEISS extended until the end of 2029
Cooperation strengthens the European technology network:
PTB's laboratory for metrology with synchrotron radiation in Berlin-Adlershof is an important node in the network of European research infrastructure that has helped to enable the monopoly position of European…

Hera space probe photographs Mars during flyby
The ESA mission is on its way to the Didymos asteroid system:
On 12 March 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) Hera space probe conducted a flyby of Mars. This event marks a significant milestone on Hera's journey to the Didymos asteroid system, where researchers aim to gain…

Berlin instrument flies to the Moon with IM-2 mission
New lunar mission to demonstrate search for water ice at Moon's south pole:
In the early hours of 27 February 2025, at 00:30 Central European Time, the IM-2 mission launches, carrying the Athena lander from the US New Space company Intuitive Machines on its second mission to the Moon. On…
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