Optical techniques articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Direct visualization of the chemical dynamics of surfaces in solution is essential to gain mechanistic insights into nanocatalysis and electrochemistry. Here, the authors demonstrate the imaging of dynamic interfacial changes on a single nanowire during chemical reactions using azimuthally modulated plasmonic scattering interferometry.

    • Gang Wu
    • , Chen Qian
    •  & Xian-Wei Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Traditional optical microscope, while bulky, often fails to deliver optimal performance. Here, the authors have engineered an integrated microscope of 0.15 cm3 in volume and a weight of 0.5 g, which outperforms a commercial microscope and can be seamlessly integrated with a smartphone.

    • Yuanlong Zhang
    • , Xiaofei Song
    •  & Qionghai Dai

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a fast mid-infrared hyperspectral chemical imaging technique that uses chirped pulse upconversion of sub-cycle pulses at the image plane, with lateral resolution of 15 µm and an adjustable field of view and large spectral range. They demonstrate identification and mapping different components in a microfluidic device, plant cell, and mouse embryo.

    • Yue Zhao
    • , Shota Kusama
    •  & Takao Fuji

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Most non-line-of-sight imaging requires scanned illumination, limiting applicability for dynamic scenes. Here the authors exploit occlusion and a sensor array to estimate locations and sizes of moving foreground objects and a static background map.

    • Sheila Seidel
    • , Hoover Rueda-Chacón
    •  & Vivek K Goyal

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The optical field inside a nanophotonic particle accelerator is revealed. To this end, the authors developed a field imaging technique for spatial and spectral resolution on the nanometer scale.

    • Tal Fishman
    • , Urs Haeusler
    •  & Ido Kaminer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    This report describes a 3D microelectrode array integrated on a thin-film flexible cable using traditional thin-film processing techniques and direct laser writing of 3D structures at micron resolution via two-photon lithography for neural recording.

    • Morgan A. Brown
    • , Kara M. Zappitelli
    •  & Timothy J. Gardner

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors develop a deep learning-based incoherent holographic camera system in order to deliver visually enhanced holograms in real-time. The neural network filters the noise in the captured holograms, and by integrating a holographic camera and a display, they demonstrate a holographic streaming system.

    • Hyeonseung Yu
    • , Youngrok Kim
    •  & Hong-Seok Lee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Compact atomic clocks and atom interferometers are desired for on-chip integration. Here the authors demonstrate a chip-scale atomic beam of 87Rb atoms and its application as an atomic beam clock

    • Gabriela D. Martinez
    • , Chao Li
    •  & William R. McGehee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Coherent Stokes Raman scattering (CSRS) has never been explored previously for chemical imaging due to a strong fluorescence background. Here, the authors demonstrate the first fluorescence-free CSRS laser scanning microscope and predict CSRS’ unique backscattering properties.

    • Sandro Heuke
    •  & Hervé Rigneault

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Traditional 2D cell culture platforms do not accurately reflect the physiology of human tumors. Here, authors combine bioprinting and high-speed live cell interferometry with machine learning to measure drug sensitivity at single-organoid resolution in a label-free manner.

    • Peyton J. Tebon
    • , Bowen Wang
    •  & Alice Soragni

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Optical singularities are typically 1D structures like vortices. This study used metasurfaces to position ten identical point singularities with tight confinement. This could miniaturize optical systems for super-resolution microscopy and dark traps.

    • Soon Wei Daniel Lim
    • , Joon-Suh Park
    •  & Federico Capasso

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors propose a confocal complemented signal-object collaborative regularization method for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging without specific requirements on the spatial pattern of measurement points. The method extends the application range of NLOS imaging.

    • Xintong Liu
    • , Jianyu Wang
    •  & Lingyun Qiu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The sparse, noisy, and distorted raw photon data captured by single-photon cameras make it difficult to estimate scene properties under challenging illumination conditions. Here, the authors present Collaborative photon processing for Active Single-Photon Imaging (CASPI), a technology-agnostic, application-agnostic, and training-free photon processing pipeline for high-resolution single-photon cameras.

    • Jongho Lee
    • , Atul Ingle
    •  & Mohit Gupta

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Creating compact, lightweight and powerful optics that work well under visible light has been challenging. Here, the authors 3D print optically transparent polymers inside nanoporous glass in order to densely integrate refractive and diffractive elements, forming thin, high-performance hybrid achromatic imaging micro-optics.

    • Corey A. Richards
    • , Christian R. Ocier
    •  & Paul V. Braun

  • Article
    | Open Access

    This study presents a deep learning pipeline to automatically locate and count large herds of migratory ungulates (wildebeest and zebra) in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem using fine resolution satellite imagery. The results achieve accurate detection of nearly 500,000 individuals across thousands of square kilometers and multiple habitat types.

    • Zijing Wu
    • , Ce Zhang
    •  & Tiejun Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Multi-frame super-resolution microscopy is hampered by long acquisition times and phototoxicity, which hinder its use for live-cell imaging. Here, authors propose a deep-learning-based single-frame super-resolution approach to image cellular dynamics with high spatiotemporal resolution.

    • Rong Chen
    • , Xiao Tang
    •  & Shuhuai Yao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Spontaneous Raman scattering is classically understood as an incoherent process. Here, the authors demonstrate that macroscopic quantum coherence among billions of vibrating molecules in a liquid is generated when single photon detection and single spatio-temporal mode excitation are implemented.

    • Valeria Vento
    • , Santiago Tarrago Velez
    •  & Christophe Galland

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors show computationally optimized, multilayer scattering structures in the mid-infrared for high efficiency imaging. Multispectral and polarization sorting devices are fabricated via two-photon lithography and characterized optically.

    • Gregory Roberts
    • , Conner Ballew
    •  & Andrei Faraon

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Authors investigate quasi-2D nanoscale emitters on different substrates with tapping mode tip-enhanced spectroscopy. They visualize in-plane near-field and radiative energy propagation via Surface plasmon polaritons launched by the nanoscale emitters on dielectric/Au or SiO2/Si substrates.

    • Kiyoung Jo
    • , Emanuele Marino
    •  & Deep Jariwala

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In time-resolved measurements it is crucial to know the time delay between the exciting and probing light pulses. Here the authors demonstrate a self-referencing common-path interferometer method measuring the arrival time between the X-ray free electron laser and the optical pulse to the target and thus their inherent timing jitter.

    • Michael Diez
    • , Henning Kirchberg
    •  & Christian Bressler

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a method for super-resolution quantum microscopy at the Heisenberg limit by using pairs of entangled photons with balanced pathlengths. They improve the spatial resolution, imaging speed, and contrast-to-noise ratio in practice while providing a theoretical interpretation of the super-resolution feature.

    • Zhe He
    • , Yide Zhang
    •  & Lihong V. Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a metasurface-assisted isotropic DIC microscopy technique. It is based on an original pattern of radial shear interferometry, that converts rectilinear shear into rotationally symmetric radial shear, enabling single-shot isotropic imaging capabilities.

    • Xinwei Wang
    • , Hao Wang
    •  & Xumin Ding

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors induce a nanoscale strain gradient in monolayer MoS2 suspended on a waveguide and take advantage of propagating surface plasmon polaritons to localize hot electrons in the suspended area. They funnel excitons in the waveguide, facilitating all-optical control of exciton-to-trion conversion.

    • Hyeongwoo Lee
    • , Yeonjeong Koo
    •  & Kyoung-Duck Park

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Usual methods for optical encryption suffer from a tradeoff between the level of security and the complexity of operation given by multiple optical measurements or digital postprocessing. Here, the authors show a multi-d.o.f. metasurface-based vector optical manipulation protocol enabling secure decryption in real time.

    • Fei Zhang
    • , Yinghui Guo
    •  & Xiangang Luo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors develop an imaging-based intelligent spectrometer on a plasmonic “rainbow” chip. It can accurately and precisely determine the spectroscopic and polarimetric information of the illumination spectrum using a single image assisted by suitably trained deep learning algorithms.

    • Dylan Tua
    • , Ruiying Liu
    •  & Qiaoqiang Gan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Current holographic approaches for neuronal stimulation have limitations in their temporal resolution and the number of targeted neurons. Here, the authors demonstrate an approach for ultra-fast holographic light targeting which, combined with optogenetics, enables sub-millisecond control of sequential neuronal activation and high throughput simultaneous multicell illumination.

    • Giulia Faini
    • , Dimitrii Tanese
    •  & Valentina Emiliani

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The resolution of orbital angular momentum holography is limited by a fundamental sampling criterion. Here, the authors break the resolution barrier by temporal multiplexing of binary holograms and enhance the resolution and capacity by several times.

    • Zijian Shi
    • , Zhensong Wan
    •  & Xing Fu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors demonstrate a single shot polarimetry of vector beams without requiring polarization optics. They map the beam polarization content into a spatial intensity distribution and utilize supervised learning for single-shot measurements of multiple polarizations.

    • Davide Pierangeli
    •  & Claudio Conti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors demonstrate a single-shot ultrafast terahertz (THz) photography system that can provide both the 2D spatial and 1D temporal imaging capabilities of ultrashort transient scenes with sub-picosecond temporal resolutions by engineering the electro-optic detection system.

    • Junliang Dong
    • , Pei You
    •  & Roberto Morandotti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Manipulation of Janus particles is challenging and has limited precision. Here, the authors propose manipulation of Janus particles by optical forces in the evanescent field of an optical nanofiber, and demonstrate that they exhibit strong transverse localization on the nanofiber and much faster propulsion compared to all-dielectric particles of the same size.

    • Georgiy Tkachenko
    • , Viet Giang Truong
    •  & Síle Nic Chormaic

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Single-molecule 3D tracking is critical to understand macromolecular dynamics but achieving this at a sub-millisecond resolution remains challenging. Here the authors present a 3D tracking method based on cross-entropy minimization and the true excitation point spread function.

    • Elias Amselem
    • , Bo Broadwater
    •  & Johan Elf

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Rhodamines are privileged fluorescent dyes for labelling intracellular structures in living cells. Here, the authors present a facile protecting-group-free synthesis permitting generation of a wide range of symmetrical and unsymmetrical 4-carboxyrhodamines covering the whole visible spectrum.

    • Jonas Bucevičius
    • , Rūta Gerasimaitė
    •  & Gražvydas Lukinavičius

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present an implementation of mid-infrared single-photon computational imaging with a single-element silicon detector. In addition to unique features of single-pixel simplicity and room-temperature operation, the infrared imager offers a superior sensitivity at the single-photon level.

    • Yinqi Wang
    • , Kun Huang
    •  & Heping Zeng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present an artifact-free circularly polarized luminescence spectrophotometer using a single camera and two polarization encoding paths. The spectra are measured in a few seconds without the need of calibration by inverting the role of the paths.

    • Bruno Baguenard
    • , Amina Bensalah-Ledoux
    •  & Stéphan Guy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors introduce and demonstrate cross-comb spectroscopy in the mid-infrared as a variant of dual-comb spectroscopy. It provides enhanced performance and allows mid-infrared spectral information to be obtained by near-infrared detection.

    • Mingchen Liu
    • , Robert M. Gray
    •  & Alireza Marandi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present a monocular camera equipped with a single-layer metalens for passive single-shot 4D imaging. It can simultaneously perform high-accuracy depth sensing and highfidelity polarization imaging over an extended depth of field.

    • Zicheng Shen
    • , Feng Zhao
    •  & Yuanmu Yang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors present an intelligent metasurface system that uses a target detection algorithm combined with a depth camera, to automatically detect the position of moving targets and achieve real-time wireless communications. The system can operate for multiple targets in limited ambient light, outdoor and other realistic environments.

    • Weihan Li
    • , Qian Ma
    •  & Tie Jun Cui

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