{"title":"Electrically activated quasi-BICs in metasurfaces through atomically thin semiconductors.","authors":"Ramón Paniagua-Domínguez, José A Sánchez-Gil","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02451-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02451-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A new class of electrically tunable nanophotonic devices is presented combining atomically thin 2D materials and metasurfaces supporting quasi bound states in the continuum, with appealing potential applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13507211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148818870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xin Zhang, Zi-Lan Deng, Chaofan Zhang, Xiangping Li
{"title":"Sculpting non-Hermitian light in the continuum.","authors":"Xin Zhang, Zi-Lan Deng, Chaofan Zhang, Xiangping Li","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02450-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02450-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PT- or anti-PT-symmetric non-Hermitian photonic systems can exhibit responses such as phase transitions, slow light, and asymmetric modal evolution near an exceptional point (EP), but realizing a phase-transition process that satisfies anti-PT symmetry and passes through an EP on an integrated platform remains challenging. A smart research from Xiankai Sun's group at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recently demonstrated that two quasi-BIC modes generate dissipative coupling to the same radiative continuum, enabling anti-PT phase transitions and EPs on a silicon-based integrated photonic platform without additional lossy materials or auxiliary lossy waveguides. This provides a new physical framework for exploring the intersection of BIC photonics and non-Hermitian photonics.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13507069/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148819003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging polarization generation and analysis on a photonic chip.","authors":"Francesco Morichetti","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02447-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02447-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polarization is one of the most widely exploited degrees of freedom in photonics, yet controlling it within integrated circuits remains challenging. A reconfigurable silicon photonic circuit now combines polarization generation and analysis on a single chip, opening new opportunities for advanced communications, sensing, and optical information processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13507109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148818836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lin Wang, Xichang Zhang, Konstantin Manannikov, Nir Davidson, Ying Hu, Dongdong Hao, Yanhong Xiao
{"title":"Large-scale array of squeezed light and synchronization using atomic vapor.","authors":"Lin Wang, Xichang Zhang, Konstantin Manannikov, Nir Davidson, Ying Hu, Dongdong Hao, Yanhong Xiao","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02428-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02428-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quantum light sources such as squeezed light are essential for quantum information science and technologies, but the scalable production of multiple beams of them remains a challenge. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a novel approach to the generation of a large spatial array of polarization-squeezed light beams via atomic-coherence-enhanced nonlinear optical processes using a single atomic vapor cell. Unlike schemes based on independent squeezing generators, the squeezing dynamics of each channel here are governed by a common collective ground-state atomic coherence, produced by all input beams, homogenized by the thermal motion of the atoms, and protected against wall collisions by a paraffin coating. Consequently, the optical states of all channels are coupled and regulated by each other via the moving atoms, leading to synchronization behavior. We realized a 30-beam array of polarization squeezed state with 2.03 ± 0.02 dB of squeezing, experimentally verified the synchronization, and observed improved purity of the squeezed state as well as the system's response to perturbations when the size of the array increases. This work provides a pathway towards scalable high-performance quantum light sources for applications in precision measurement, quantum imaging and quantum information processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13519026/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148829759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chris Gustin, Juanjuan Ren, Sebastian Franke, Stephen Hughes
{"title":"Dissipation in the broadband and ultrastrong coupling regimes of cavity quantum electrodynamics: an ab initio quantized quasinormal mode approach.","authors":"Chris Gustin, Juanjuan Ren, Sebastian Franke, Stephen Hughes","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02406-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02406-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phenomenological approaches to photon loss have long been the workhorse of cavity-QED, but prove inadequate in the presence of sufficiently broadband light-matter interactions. We present a rigorous and ab initio derivation of a quantum master equation for a quantized optical cavity mode coupled to a dipole, using a quasinormal mode (QNM) quantization procedure for plasmonic and dielectric open-system cavity-QED, which is valid in broadband light-matter interaction regimes, including ultrastrong coupling (USC). The theory supports general three-dimensional resonators with arbitrary dispersion and loss, and thus can be applied to a wide range of realistic open cavities. Our ab initio and gauge-invariant approach fully recovers a recent result for the spectral density of a quantized cavity with a single dipole and reveals important departures from previous heuristic assumptions about system-reservoir coupling. We identify a new criterion for what we term the \"broadband dissipative\" regime of cavity-QED, where phenomenological models require corrections in accordance with the intrinsic and spatially-dependent complex phase of the QNM, and also shed light on fundamental limits to single-mode models in extreme coupling regimes. Using experimentally motivated plasmonic and dielectric cavity examples, we show validity ranges of our QNM master equation and spectral USC calculations, and discuss prospects for near-term experimental observation of the broadband dissipative effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13518348/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148829800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Giant anomalous exciton-multiphoton nonlinearities in layered hybrid perovskites.","authors":"Yanming Xu, Yi Liu, Chao Yu, Jinlong Xu, Wenqi Huang, Weichu Mo, Canhua Xu, Zhihua Sun, Yantang Huang, Xun Cao, Zhenda Xie, Ruifeng Lu","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02286-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02286-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Directly full-color frequency-upconversion under high-order multiphoton absorption (MPA) nonlinearities in NIR-III (1550-1870 nm) and NIR-IV (2100-2300 nm) windows is highly desirable for advanced photonics and bioimaging. However, it has remained beyond the reach of current materials due to their inherently weak high-order MPA. Here, we demonstrate that, driven by Bloch oscillations of excitonic dipoles after nonlinear polarization, giant multiphoton nonlinearities can be achieved in layered hybrid perovskites to enable full-color upconversion in NIR-III/IV windows. The MPA cross-section values of the designed three Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites are found to be several orders of magnitude larger than those of the reported MPA materials. These advancements facilitate versatile applications previously inaccessible in NIR-III/IV windows, including full-color upconversion displays and multicolor information encryption. Our work highlights the prospect of efficient high-order MPA and opens avenues for investigating excitonic quantum dynamics in high-order nonlinear optics.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13503948/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148813443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Excitons make quantum leap in just 2.5 femtoseconds.","authors":"O Neufeld","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02439-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02439-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Light irradiation in two-dimensional materials is well-known to excite tightly-bound many-body excitonic states that dominate optical responses. Recent theory analysis under intense laser conditions identifies the mechanisms and timescales through which excitons form, evolve, and dissociate. These findings open new opportunities for sensing and optically controlling many-body physics on ultrafast timescales.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13498567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neuromorphic vision with quasi-BICs.","authors":"Jue Li, Haoye Qin, Qinghua Song","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02444-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02444-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neuromorphic vision functionalities have been realized by coupling quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs) to multiple quantum wells (MQWs). The engineered leaky modes enhance infrared absorption and generate coexisting nonlinear and linear photoresponses that support image preprocessing and in-sensor computing. This approach highlights a new role for quasi-BIC leakage in integrated optoelectronic intelligence.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13498590/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A magnetic dial for exciton-polaritons.","authors":"Konstantinos S Daskalakis","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02445-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41377-026-02445-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Experiments in the van der Waals magnet CrSBr show that magnetic fields can strongly tune exciton-polariton coupling strength and optical nonlinearity. These results establish magnetic order as a powerful control knob for reconfigurable polaritonic matter.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13498561/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-spatiotemporal projection enables single-shot ultrafast compressed imaging.","authors":"Yingming Lai, Jinyang Liang","doi":"10.1038/s41377-026-02438-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-026-02438-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A multi-dimensional spatiotemporal projection-based ultrafast compressed imaging technique is proposed. By incorporating a multi-angle projection module via time-wavelength mapping and two-dimensional diffraction, omnidirectional spatial frequencies of the transient event are captured to eliminate spatial anisotropy and achieve ultrafast imaging with high spatiotemporal resolutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18093,"journal":{"name":"Light, science & applications","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":23.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13487245/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}