Category Physics

‘Scrambled light’ Wavemeter Breakthrough

Wavemeter setup: (a) Laser light is delivered into an integrating sphere (S) of diameter Dsphere, via an angled single mode fibre (SMF), where it undergoes numerous scattering events. A camera (C) located at a distance L from the integrating sphere observation port captures the speckle patterns. A wavemeter or Fabry–Perot interferometer (REF) is used to benchmark the speckle wavemeter. (b) An example of a speckle pattern captured by the camera at a wavelength of 780 nm with an image size of 512 × 512 pixels (with individual pixels of 4.5 × 4.5 μm2). The white scale bar denotes 200 pixels, and the colour bar shows the intensity in normalized units.

Wavemeter setup: (a) Laser light is delivered into an integrating sphere (S) of diameter Dsphere, via an angled single mode fibre (SMF), where it undergoes numerous scattering events. A camera (C) located at a distance L from the integrating sphere observation port captures the speckle patterns. A wavemeter or Fabry–Perot interferometer (REF) is used to benchmark the speckle wavemeter. (b) An example of a speckle pattern captured by the camera at a wavelength of 780 nm with an image size of 512 × 512 pixels (with individual pixels of 4.5 × 4.5 μm2). The white scale bar denotes 200 pixels, and the colour bar shows the intensity in normalized units.

A breakthrough innovation in the measurement of lasers can measure changes one millionth of the size of an atom and could revolutionize...

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Takeoff and cruise: Toyota making ‘Flying Car,’ Luxury Boat (Update)

1. Tsubasa Nakamura, project leader of Cartivator, second from left, watches the flight of the test model of the flying car on a former school ground in Toyota, central Japan, Saturday, June 3, 2017. Cartivator Resource Management, in which Toyota invested 42.5 million yen ($386,000), showed to reporters Saturday a test flight of a concoction of aluminum framing and propellers. It took off several times, hovering at eye level for a few seconds, before falling to the ground. (AP Photo/Koji Ueda) 2. This undated artist rendering released by Cartivator shows a flying car Cartivator plans to develop in the future. Cartivator Resource Management, in which Toyota invested 42.5 million yen ($386,000), showed to reporters Saturday, June 3, 2017, a test flight of a concoction of aluminum framing and propellers in Toyota, central Japan. It took off several times, hovering as high as eye level for a few seconds, before falling to the ground. Cartivator's goal is to deliver seamless transition from driving to flight so a tiny car can fly and light the Olympic torch in the 2020 games, according to project leader Tsubasa Nakamura. (Cartivator via AP) 3, In this May 26, 2017, photo, staff operate a Lexus luxury concept "yacht," in Tokyo Bay. With a streamlined curvaceous design, inspired by a dolphin and as evocative of a Lexus car, it's being promised as a commercial product in the next few years. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

1. Tsubasa Nakamura, project leader of Cartivator, second from left, watches the flight of the test model of the flying car on a former school ground in Toyota, central Japan, Saturday, June 3, 2017. Cartivator Resource Management, in which Toyota invested 42.5 million yen ($386,000), showed to reporters Saturday a test flight of a concoction of aluminum framing and propellers. It took off several times, hovering at eye level for a few seconds, before falling to the ground. (AP Photo/Koji Ueda)
2. This undated artist rendering released by Cartivator shows a flying car Cartivator plans to develop in the future. Cartivator Resource Management, in which Toyota invested 42...

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Molecular System for Artificial Photosynthesis

Photosystems (PS) I and II are large protein complexes that contain light-absorbing pigment molecules needed for photosynthesis. PS II captures energy from sunlight to extract electrons from water molecules, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen ions (H+) and producing chemical energy in the form of ATP. PS I uses those electrons and H+ to reduce NADP+ (an electron-carrier molecule) to NADPH. The chemical energy contained in ATP and NADPH is then used in the light-independent reaction of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide to sugars. Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory

Photosystems (PS) I and II are large protein complexes that contain light-absorbing pigment molecules needed for photosynthesis. PS II captures energy from sunlight to extract electrons from water molecules, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen ions (H+) and producing chemical energy in the form of ATP. PS I uses those electrons and H+ to reduce NADP+ (an electron-carrier molecule) to NADPH. The chemical energy contained in ATP and NADPH is then used in the light-independent reaction of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide to sugars.
Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory

Photosynthesis in green plants converts solar energy to stored chemical energy by transforming atmospheric CO2 and water into sugar molecules that fuel plant growth...

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Muon Magnet’s Moment has arrived

The Muon g-2 electromagnet at Fermilab, ready to receive a beam of muon particles. The ring generates a remarkably uniform magnetic field with which scientists will study properties of the muon in a hunt for undiscovered particles and forces. Credit: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab

The Muon g-2 electromagnet at Fermilab, ready to receive a beam of muon particles. The ring generates a remarkably uniform magnetic field with which scientists will study properties of the muon in a hunt for undiscovered particles and forces. Credit: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab

The Muon g-2 experiment has begun its search for phantom particles with its world-famous and well-traveled electromagnet. On May 31, the 50-foot-wide superconducting electromagnet at the center of the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab saw its first beam of muon particles from Fermilab’s accelerators, kicking off a 3-year effort to measure just what happens to those particles when placed in a stunningly precise magnetic field. The answer could rewrite scientists’ picture of the universe and how it works.

“The Muon g-2 experim...

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