A new silicon metasurface capable of rapidly controlling wide-bandwidth light pulses could help advance compact technologies for optical communications, computing, LiDAR and photonic information processing. The approach combines broad spectral operation with picosecond-scale switching, addressing a longstanding trade-off between modulation strength and bandwidth in ultrafast optical devices.

By reinforcing ice with tiny plant-based crystals and a specially designed protein, researchers created a material that rivals concrete in strength and absorbs 70 times more energy before breaking.

A pixel-controlled programmable metasurface capable of dynamically reshaping terahertz (THz) waves could open new possibilities for compact imaging, communications and optical systems. The device functions as a phase-type spatial terahertz modulator, combining independent pixel-level encoding with the ability to switch between multiple optical functions on a single platform.

In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers have solved a rigid manufacturing compromise between geometric complexity and magnetic performance by laser 3D-printing, successfully weaving metal powders into intricate and highly responsive magnetic devices.

In a major step forward in wearable technology, researchers have used machine learning to reveal how stretching flexible materials impacts their electrical performance. The study shows that pulling a material in one direction can boost conductivity by over 50%, while pulling it in another can hinder it, providing a crucial design guide for future electronic skin and sensors.

In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers paired an ultrafast picosecond laser with a recurrent neural network that acts as an automated optical sculptor to address an enduring dilemma: devices sensitive enough to register a faint arterial pulse usually max out under moderate contact, while sensors built for heavy loads fail to detect gentle touch.