Optical signatures of charge- and energy transfer in TMDC/TMDC and TMDC/perovskite heterostructures

Heterostructures (HSs) based on two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are highly intriguing materials because of the layers’ pronounced excitonic properties and their nontrivial contributions to the HS. These HSs exhibit unique properties that are not observed in either of the constituent components in isolation. Interlayer...

Connecting the dots: key insights on ParB for chromosome segregation from single-molecule studies

Bacterial cells require DNA segregation machinery to properly distribute a genome to both daughter cells upon division. The most common system involved in chromosome and plasmid segregation in bacteria is the ParABS system. A core protein of this system - partition protein B (ParB) - regulates chromosome organization and chromosome...

Optical Methods for Brain Tumor Detection: A Systematic Review

In brain tumor surgery, maximal tumor resection is typically desired. This is complicated by infiltrative tumor cells which cannot be visually distinguished from healthy brain tissue. Optical methods are an emerging field that can potentially revolutionize brain tumor surgery through intraoperative differentiation between healthy and tumor...

Integrated Electrochemical and Optical Biosensing in Organs-on-Chip

Demand for biocompatible, non-invasive, and continuous real-time monitoring of organs-on-chip has driven the development of a variety of novel sensors. However, highest accuracy and sensitivity can arguably be achieved by integrated biosensing, which enables in situ monitoring of the in vitro microenvironment and dynamic responses of tissues...

Opto-thermo-mechanical phenomena in satellite free-space optical communications: survey and challenges

Growing interest in free-space optical communication, due to the high bandwidth and security provided by these links, has generated the necessity of designing high-performance satellite terminals. In order to develop these terminals, the opto-thermo-mechanical phenomena that appear in the space environment and their effect on optical...

Cavity magnonics

Cavity magnonics deals with the interaction of magnons — elementary excitations in magnetic materials — and confined electromagnetic fields. We introduce the basic physics and review the experimental and theoretical progress of this young field that is gearing up for integration in future quantum technologies. Much of its appeal is derived...

Steering light in fiber-optic medical devices: a patent review

Introduction: Steering light is relevant to many medical applications that require tissue illumination, sensing, or modification. To control the propagation direction of light beams, a great variety of innovative fiber-optic medical devices have been designed. Areas covered: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the patent...

A review on innovative optical devices for the diagnosis of human soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis: From research and development to commercialisation: from research and development to commercialization

Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and schistosome infections relies largely on conventional microscopy which has limited sensitivity, requires highly trained personnel and is error-prone. Rapid advances in miniaturization of optical systems, sensors and processors have enhanced research and development of digital and automated...

Detecting forest response to droughts with global observations of vegetation water content

Droughts in a warming climate have become more common and more extreme, making understanding forest responses to water stress increasingly pressing. Analysis of water stress in trees has long focused on water potential in xylem and leaves, which influences stomatal closure and water flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. At the...

Thin film and nanostructured Pd-based materials for optical H₂ sensors: A review

In this review paper, we provide an overview of state-of-the-art Pd-based materials for optical H2 sensors. The first part of the manuscript introduces the operating principles, providing background information on the thermodynamics and the primary mechanisms of optical detection. Optical H2 sensors using thin films (i.e., films without any...

Roadmap on signal processing for next generation measurement systems

Signal processing is a fundamental component of almost any sensor-enabled system, with a wide range of applications across different scientific disciplines. Time series data, images, and video sequences comprise representative forms of signals that can be enhanced and analysed for information extraction and quantification. The recent advances in...

Residual stress evaluation of adhesively bonded composite using central cut plies specimens

The present study reports on the evaluation of residual stress field formation and distribution in Central Cut Plies (CCP) specimens. Real-time measurements were performed using a distributed sensing fiber optic system based on Rayleigh Backscattering, which was successfully able to capture strain distribution inside the adhesive layer at...

Review on thermal and mechanical challenges in the development of deployable space optics

Deployable optics promise a revolution in the capability of observing the universe by delivering drastically reduced mass and volume needs for a desired level of performance compared to their conventional counterparts. However, this places new demands on the mechanical and thermal designs of new telescopes, essentially trading mass and volume...

Mini-review: novel non-destructive in situ biofilm characterization techniques in membrane systems

Membrane systems are commonly used in the water industry to produce potable water and for advanced wastewater treatment. One of the major drawbacks of membrane systems is biofilm formation (biofouling), which results in an unacceptable decline in membrane performance. Three novel in situ biofouling characterization techniques were assessed: ...