Making the cut
Lincoln Laboratory spinout is commercializing the first direct-diode laser bright enough to cut and weld metal.
New ultrastiff, ultralight material developed
Nanostructured material based on repeating microscopic units has record-breaking stiffness at low density.
NIST awards $539,990 grant to photonics consortium
MIT Microphotonics Center joins iNEMI for 19-month project to develop technology road map.
A new angle on controlling light
System could provide first method for filtering light waves based on direction.
Two-dimensional material shows promise for optoelectronics
Team creates LEDs, photovoltaic cells, and light detectors using novel one-molecule-thick material.
A new wrinkle in the control of waves
Flexible materials could provide ways to manipulate sound and light.
How to tap the sun’s energy through heat as well as light
New approach developed at MIT could generate power from sunlight efficiently and on demand.
Enhancing solar cells with heat
Thermophotovoltaic system converts high heat to narrow spectrum tailored to solar cell profile
Faculty highlight: Evelyn Wang
Device Research Laboratory scientists aim to control changes in phase of gases and liquids to reduce power consumption in heating and cooling systems.
Persuading light to mix it up with matter
MIT team documents a never-before-seen coupling of photons with electrons on the surface of an exotic crystal.
Graphene could yield cheaper optical chips
Researchers show that graphene — atom-thick sheets of carbon — could be used in photodetectors, devices that translate optical signals to electrical.
A new way to trap light
MIT researchers discover a new phenomenon that could lead to new types of lasers and sensors.
Ferroelectric-graphene-based system could lead to improved information processing
New system uses two-dimensional structures to guide plasmonic waves at ultrashort wavelength, offering a new platform for memory and computer chips.
Patterning defect-free nanocrystal films with nanometer resolution
New process developed at MIT could enable better LED displays, solar cells and biosensors — and foster basic physics research.
Riding herd on photons
A new ‘metamaterial’ prevents electromagnetic waves from reflecting backward, pointing the way toward computer chips that move data with light.