Encoding quantum information into discrete optical frequencies, or "frequency bins," uses different colors of light as additional information channels, allowing each photon to carry more information t...

Glucose is an incredibly annoying bodily component to work with.

Through these awards, we recognize and elevate the people whose contributions strengthen our institutional excellence and advance the university’s role as a driver of discovery and meaningful change.

npj Drug Discovery - Accelerating GPCR drug discovery through computation and experiment integrated with direct detection of ligand binding events

A robust free-space-coupled FLOWER platform is demonstrated for label-free, part-per-trillion gas sensing. By integrating frequency-locked microtoroid resonators with selective polymer functionalizat...

Optica is the leading society in optics and photonics. Quality information and inspiring interactions through publications, meetings, and membership.

This special issue of Optics & Photonics News highlights exciting peer-reviewed optics research that has emerged over the past year.

Fast, Ultrasensitive, Label-Free Molecular Detection with FLOWER and Beyond

Fast, Ultrasensitive, Label-Free Molecular Detection with Light

We demonstrate ultra-sensitive photothermal microscopy with whispering gallery mode microtoroid resonators, detecting single 5 nm quantum dots with SNR > 104 and achieving a minimum heat dissipation detection of 0.75 pW, which is below that from single dye molecules.

Fast, Ultrasensitive, Label-Free Molecular Detection with FLOWER

Challenge.gov is the official government website supporting prize challenges and prize competitions that are sponsored by the US federal government. Here federal agencies provide prize awards to publi...

The ability to detect trace amounts of biomolecules, chemicals, and environmental contaminants is critical for advancing diagnostics, drug discovery, and public health. Most high-sensitivity detection...

Sulfur mustard remains a serious chemical warfare threat, but its extreme toxicity complicates sensor development. As a chemically and physically similar simulant, 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES)...

Judith Su explains how optical frequency combs can provide new insights into molecular diagnostics and disease mechanisms.

Toward whole human health

npj Biosensing - Optical biosensors for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases

Materials and Process Simulatiom Center Conference 2025 (MSC2 2025)

Microtoroid resonators, when paired with noise reduction via the frequency locked whispering evanescent resonator technique, can detect zeptomolar concentrations and single molecules. This protocol de...