Since 2019, many have become accustomed to a swab up the nose to test for COVID-19, using either at-home rapid antigen tests or the more accurate, though longer-to-process PCR tests commonly provided by clinics. Bridging speed and accuracy, a diagnostic tool developed by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and Brigham Young University (BYU) tests for COVID-19 and Zika virus in a matter of hours with the same or better accuracy as high-precision PCR tests. The researcher's lab-on-a-chip diagnostics system combines optofluidics and nanopore technology. Stemming from ..read more

Argon-fluoride (ArF) excimer lasers — deep UV (DUV) lasers emitting light with a wavelength of 193 nm — are used in lithography to create precise patterns. However, the limited coherence of conventional ArF excimer lasers hinders their effectiveness in applications requiring high-resolution patterns, like interference lithography. To generate highly coherent DUV for interference lithography and other applications, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed a hybrid ArF excimer laser that delivers both narrow linewidth and high coherence at 193 nm. In the hybrid ArF excime ..read more

Imaging solutions company Teledyne e2v has signed a technology and design collaboration with 3D vision solution provider Airy3D. The agreement targets the development of commercial 3D vision solutions supporting applications in numerous market segments. The first product to come out of the collaboration is the Topaz5D — a low power and passive 2 MP global shutter CMOS sensor that produces both 2D images and 3D depth maps. The collaborators have already released a Topaz5D evaluation kit, along with monochrome and color sensor samples ..read more

Researchers from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST) introduced a one-step method to generate holograms in real time. This approach to creating computer-generated holograms (CGH) could provide a practical solution to create immersive 3D visualizations, opening a path to adopt holographic displays in diverse industries and applications. The method uses a Split-Lohmann lens-based diffraction model based on a Fourier holography system between an RGB image and the hologram plane. The model enables rapid synthesis of 3D holograms through a single-step, backward propagatio ..read more

cleansort GmbH, a company using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the sorting of recyclable materials, earned the first place prize of the 2024 Innovation Award for Laser Technology. cleansort took this year’s award — and €10,000 (~$10,644) in prize money — for its "Cleansort process." The smart software-enhanced solution uses a combination of laser ablation and laser spectroscopy to increase resource efficiency and reduce material costs, energy costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. The Innovation Award for Laser Technology is presented every two years to laser manufacturers, users, re ..read more

INTECH, the annual in-house trade show of laser pioneer TRUMPF, is always an impressive event. This year, TRUMPF was prepared to welcome 3000 guests — many of them customers — to its Ditzingen, Germany premises, the site of the company’s global headquarters. When Intech started on April 9, the company made sure that all machines in the vast halls of TRUMPF’s application center were staffed with the appropriate technology experts, primed and ready to speak with the visitors. While showing around several dozen members of press, Manuel Thomae, who heads international media relations, at TRUMPF ..read more

Researchers from Tsinghua University have reported the development of a photonic AI chiplet called “Taichi” which empowers 160 TOPS/W artificial general intelligence (AGI). Developments in the field of AGI impose strict energy and area efficiency requirements on next-generation computing. Poised to break the plateauing of Moore’s Law, integrated photonic neural networks have shown the potential to achieve superior processing speeds and high energy efficiency. However, it has suffered severely limited computing capability and scalability such that only simple tasks and shallow models have bee ..read more

Researchers at Ohio State University are pioneering the field of “imageomics.” Founded on advancements in machine learning and computer vision, the researchers are using imageomics to explore fundamental questions about biological processes by combining images of living organisms with computer-enabled analysis. The field was the subject of a presentation by Wei-Lun Chao, an investigator at Ohio State University’s Imageomics Institute and a distinguished assistant professor, during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The presentation focused o ..read more

The European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) has named the winners of the EPIC Lifetime Achievement Award and the EPIC CEO Award. Viacheslav Artyushenko was named as the recipient of the EPIC Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions and leadership in the optical fiber industry. Artyushenkois is founder and CEO of art photonics GmbH, a manufacturer of fiber cables, bundles, and spectroscopy probes for industrial, medical, and scientific applications. The company was acquired last year by the Nynomic Group. Viacheslav Artyushenko, recipient of the 2024 EPIC Lifetime Achievement Awa ..read more

The PriFUSIO research project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT (Fraunhofer ILT), aims to develop key technologies for climate-neutral fusion power plants. The initiative, now underway, brings together fusion startups, medium sized companies, and large corporations, as well as Laser Zentrum Hannover and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF (Fraunhofer IOF). The project will focus on principles for targeted component development and explore practical photonic approaches for the commercial utilization of laser-driven inertial fusion e ..read more