In this episode of Photonics Hot List...
With its difficult-to-access terrain and frigid temperatures, the Arctic has historically been a very poor data source for scientists. But a potentially game-changing solution by Sandia National Labs is in the works to better study and understand marine permafrost and its environmental impacts.
A novel terahertz focal-plane array is among advancements helping a University of California Los Angeles-led team to overcome some long-standing imaging challenges. The technology can, among other breakthroughs, rapidly generate images and produce rich, high-quality terahertz information.
In a first-of-its-kind development, a team at the University of Stuttgart is using precision 3D printing to create polymer-based microscale optics to produce a hybrid laser. It’s significantly smaller than others and has demonstrated a high damage threshold, while also maintaining the strength and benefits of conventional lasers.