Optical techniques articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chemo-mechanical stress within Li-based batteries detrimentally affects the performance and lifetime of these devices. Here, the authors propose an operando technique using optical fibers embedded in electrodes for internal stress monitoring of cells containing either solid or liquid electrolytes.

    • Laura Albero Blanquer
    • , Florencia Marchini
    •  & Jean-Marie Tarascon

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A continuum spanning from 300 and 3000 nm is used to synthesize a single-cycle field transient and measure its waveform through electro-optic sampling, speeding up this sensitive technique so that it can access the electric field of visible light.

    • Enrico Ridente
    • , Mikhail Mamaikin
    •  & Nicholas Karpowicz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a simple yet effective solution to dramatically boost the performances of an upconversion imaging system, which leads to unprecedented mid-infrared imaging features with large field of view, single-photon sensitivity and a MHz-level frame rate.

    • Kun Huang
    • , Jianan Fang
    •  & Heping Zeng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Spectral super-resolution methods generally apply only to laser spectroscopy. Here, thanks to a Gradient Echo Memory with time-frequency processing capabilities, the authors are able to resolve frequency differences with precision below the Fourier limit for narrowband and ultra-low input-light level.

    • Mateusz Mazelanik
    • , Adam Leszczyński
    •  & Michał Parniak

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Focus-locking improves localization precision in single-molecule microscopy, but fiducials are often deposited at random and provide limited 3D compensation. Here, the authors fabricate 3D optical fiducials with nanometer accuracy by two-photon direct laser writing, and demonstrate isotropic 3D focus locking.

    • Simao Coelho
    • , Jongho Baek
    •  & Katharina Gaus

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Many conventional two-photon microscopes restrict the size of the imaging field-of-view and the specific shape of the effective excitation volume. The authors present a low-cost non-telecentric optical design that expands the 3D field of view and permits the bending of imaging planes to follow natural curvatures in biological structures.

    • F. K. Janiak
    • , P. Bartel
    •  & T. Baden

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Excitons play an important role in the optical properties of 2D semiconductors, but their spatial characterization is usually constrained by the diffraction limit. Here, the authors report near-field optical spectroscopy of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides with 20 nm resolution, revealing their spatially dependent excitonic spectra and complex dielectric function.

    • Shuai Zhang
    • , Baichang Li
    •  & D. N. Basov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Single-molecule localisation microscopy does not give orientation information. Here the authors combine Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) with single molecule orientation and wobbling measurements using four-polarisation image splitting, 4polar-STORM.

    • Caio Vaz Rimoli
    • , Cesar Augusto Valades-Cruz
    •  & Sophie Brasselet

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Precision measurement plays an important role in frequency metrology and optical communications. Here the authors compare two geographically separate ultrastable lasers at 7 × 10−17 fractional frequency instability over a 2220 km optical fibre link and these measurements can be useful for dissemination of ultrastable light to distant optical clocks.

    • M. Schioppo
    • , J. Kronjäger
    •  & G. Grosche

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Though theory suggests that highly energy efficient optical neural networks (ONNs) based on optical matrix-vector multipliers are possible, an experimental validation is lacking. Here, the authors report an ONN with >90% accuracy image classification using <1 detected photon per scalar multiplication.

    • Tianyu Wang
    • , Shi-Yuan Ma
    •  & Peter L. McMahon

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The photophysical mechanism by which nucleosides dissipate energy after UV light irradiation is still under debate. Here the authors, using ultrafast time resolved optical spectroscopies and quantum chemical computations, resolve the early steps of such mechanism in uridine and 5-methyluridine in aqueous solution.

    • Rocío Borrego-Varillas
    • , Artur Nenov
    •  & Giulio Cerullo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photothermal microscopy is limited for imaging of thermal dynamics. Here, the authors introduce a lock-in free, mid-infrared photothermal dynamic imaging system, which significantly increases SNR and imaging speed, and demonstrate metabolism analysis at single-cell level and background removal.

    • Jiaze Yin
    • , Lu Lan
    •  & Ji-Xin Cheng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors demonstrate a far-field approach for height profile measurements with sub-millimetre waves. By evaluating Fabry-Pérot oscillations within surface-structured samples, combined with a Hilbert-transform approach, they visualize structures with a height of 49 nm, with 31 nm precision.

    • Alonso Ingar Romero
    • , Amlan kusum Mukherjee
    •  & Sascha Preu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    While meta-optics have the potential to dramatically miniaturize camera technology, the quality of the captured images remains poor. Co-designing a single meta-optic and software correction, here the authors report on full-color imaging with quality comparable to commercial cameras.

    • Ethan Tseng
    • , Shane Colburn
    •  & Felix Heide

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Optical manipulation of large objects is challenging as optical trap positions are blindly chosen. Here, the authors present off-focus interferometric tracking, which localises optimal grabbing positions with increased refractive index, by analysing the beam deformations of several holographic optical traps.

    • Benjamin Landenberger
    • , Yatish
    •  & Alexander Rohrbach

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors design a planar photonic chip with several multilayers of photonic band gaps and a region of dielectric nanoparticles for tailored angular transmission. They use it as sample substrate for high-contrast darkfield and total internal reflection microscopy on a conventional microscope.

    • Yan Kuai
    • , Junxue Chen
    •  & Douguo Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors demonstrate a sensing approach for effectively monitoring organic micropollutants in water. They first use mesoporous nanosponge and magnetic nanoparticles for fast enrichment of micropollutants, and demonstrate SERS-based sensing with 2-3 orders of magnitude improvement in detection limits.

    • Lingling Zhang
    • , Yu Guo
    •  & Jixiang Fang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a super-resolution hyperspectral imaging technique using a nanoscale white light source generated by superfocusing light from a tungsten-halogen lamp. They achieve 6 nm resolution, measuring longitudinal and transverse optical electronic transitions in single-walled carbon nanotubes.

    • Xuezhi Ma
    • , Qiushi Liu
    •  & Ming Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The integration of 2D materials on photonic devices provides advanced functionalities in sensing applications. The authors demonstrate a graphene functionalized microcomb sensor by exploiting spectrally trapped Stokes solitons. They obtain both multispecies gas identification and individual molecule sensitivity.

    • Teng Tan
    • , Zhongye Yuan
    •  & Baicheng Yao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors present Synthetic Wavelength Holography, an approach for Non-Line-of-Sight imaging. By exploiting spectral correlations in scattered light, the authors transform real world surfaces such as walls or scatterers into High-Resolution, Wide-Field-of-View imaging portals that provide holograms of objects obscured from view.

    • Florian Willomitzer
    • , Prasanna V. Rangarajan
    •  & Oliver Cossairt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    High data volumes from multidimensional imaging techniques can lead to slow collection and processing times. Here, the authors implement multispectral fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) that uses time-correlated photon counting technology to reach simultaneously high imaging rates combined with high spectral and temporal resolution.

    • Gareth O. S. Williams
    • , Elvira Williams
    •  & Mark Bradley

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chip-based architectures for mid-infrared gas sensing could enable many applications. In this direction, the authors demonstrate a microcomb-based dual-comb spectroscopy sensor with GHz resolution in the mid-IR band, with stability completely determined by a single high-Q microresonator.

    • Chengying Bao
    • , Zhiquan Yuan
    •  & Kerry J. Vahala

  • Article
    | Open Access

    When trying to characterise a bath coupled to a sensor qubit, one should consider that quantum environments change their properties in response to external perturbations. Here, the authors show how back-action of the qubit on the bath leads to a quench, which can be used to infer the bath spectral function.

    • Yu-Xin Wang
    •  & Aashish A. Clerk

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Non-line-of-sight imaging can recover the 3D geometry of hidden objects, but is limited by weak multibounce signals. Here, the authors introduce a multipixel time-of-flight NLOS imaging approach, combining array detectors and a fast algorithm, for live reconstruction of natural nonretroreflective objects.

    • Ji Hyun Nam
    • , Eric Brandt
    •  & Andreas Velten

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Insect-like biomimetic compound eyes have many technological applications. Here, the authors present a facile fabrication scheme involving microfluidics assisted 3D printing that permits to completely separate design, optimization and construction of optical and sensor components.

    • Bo Dai
    • , Liang Zhang
    •  & Dawei Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photoluminescence lifetime imaging of upconverting nanoparticles is useful for optical thermometry, but is limited for dynamic samples. Here, the authors present a wide-field and single shot approach based on compressive sensing, for video-rate upconversion temperature sensing of moving samples.

    • Xianglei Liu
    • , Artiom Skripka
    •  & Jinyang Liang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tracking of nanoparticle dynamics in solution often require labelling. Here, the authors use a high-finesse microcavity and simultaneously measure dispersive frequency shifts of three transverse modes, demonstrating 3D tracking of unlabelled single nanospheres, and quantitatively determine their physical properties.

    • Larissa Kohler
    • , Matthias Mader
    •  & David Hunger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Weak value amplification in a compact format can lead to improved measurement capabilities in practical applications. Here the authors demonstrate weak value amplification in an integrated photonic chip with a multimode interferometer.

    • Meiting Song
    • , John Steinmetz
    •  & Jaime Cardenas

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Molecular orientation is often ignored during single-molecule localisation microscopy. Here, the authors use a Vortex point spread function in order to simultaneously estimate the 3D position, dipole orientation and degree of rotational constraint, within 30% of the Cramér-Rao bound limit.

    • Christiaan N. Hulleman
    • , Rasmus Ø. Thorsen
    •  & Bernd Rieger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In classical wetting, the spreading of a drop on a surface is preceded by a bridge directly connecting the drop and the surface, yet it ignores the solubility of the drop phase in the medium. Here, the authors show that dissolved drop fluid from the parent drop can nucleate on the surface as islands, one of which coalesces with the parent drop to effect wetting.

    • Suraj Borkar
    •  & Arun Ramachandran

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The behaviour of Tungsten ditelluride (WTe2) in few-layer form is not yet fully characterized. Here the authors use a near-field terahertz microscopy technique to observe the electromagnetic responses of WTe2 flakes from one to several layers and to study their semimetallic/ semiconducting behavior.

    • Ran Jing
    • , Yinming Shao
    •  & D. N. Basov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cherenkov detectors are used to detect high energy particles and their performance capabilities depend heavily on the material used. Here, the authors propose use of a Brewster-optics-based angular filter for a detector with increased sensitivity and particle identification capability.

    • Xiao Lin
    • , Hao Hu
    •  & Yu Luo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Light-driven micromotors can convert energy to motion in sub-millimeter dimensions. Here, the authors extend this concept and introduce reconfigurable micromachines with multiple components, driven by optoelectronic tweezers, and demonstrate new functionalities.

    • Shuailong Zhang
    • , Mohamed Elsayed
    •  & Aaron R. Wheeler

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The limit of X-ray detection is an important figure of merit for X-ray detectors, yet the suitability of method adopted from Currie’s 1968 paper and the following international standard is in doubt. Here, the authors propose a statistical model that correlates dark current and photo-current, show how it can be used to determine detection limit.

    • Lei Pan
    • , Shreetu Shrestha
    •  & Lei R. Cao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Single-pixel holography generates holographic images with a single-pixel detector making this relatively inexpensive. Here the authors report a high-throughput single-pixel compressive holography method for imaging biological tissue which can either provide a large field of view or high resolution.

    • Daixuan Wu
    • , Jiawei Luo
    •  & Zhaohui Li

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