Robust single-mode operation is highly desirable for compact semiconductor lasers. Here, researchers demonstrate a robust single-mode laser by leveraging merging bound state in the continuum (BIC), enabling lasing up to 80 times the threshold power. They further realize an ultra-compact photonic crystal laser by combining BIC modes with edge engineering, achieving a 5×5 periodic array with a patterned area smaller than 15 μm². These results provide a promising pathway toward high-performance, miniaturized lasers for integrated photonics.

Researchers find that soil aging of polyethylene microplastics has only a limited effect on their interactions with organic contaminants. Scientists have long worried that aging microplastics in soil could become increasingly effective at interacting with organic contaminants. But a new study shows that this may not be the case for all plastic types. Researchers found that while polyethylene microplastics modify as they age in soil, those changes have little effect on how they interact with various organic contaminants.

A Swansea University researcher whose work could help create more inclusive icons and symbols for neurodivergent people has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to present her findings at a leading international psychology conference.

Researchers at Flinders University have discovered an unexpected way that light can control tiny electronic structures inside advanced materials, a development that could help pave the way for more energy efficient memory devices, sensors and future computing technologies.

The new study, with experts from around the world, seeks inroads into electronic properties and optical science by exploring new energy and material capabilities.

Researchers have developed a greener plasma-based method to create multifunctional nanocomposite films with smart optical and antibacterial properties. The approach enables simultaneous control of vanadium oxide structures and in situ formation of gold nanoparticles, producing materials with temperature-responsive infrared modulation and efficient photothermal antibacterial activity. This work provides a sustainable route toward advanced smart coatings and functional materials.

Researchers have developed a polymer-based thermal interface material (TIM) using vertically aligned carbon fibers bridged by graphene oxide. The composite achieves a through-plane thermal conductivity of 7.61 W/m·K at 25.2 wt% filler loading, with an exceptional enhancement efficiency of 162.9%. It also maintains a low compressive modulus of 6.91 MPa, ensuring excellent compressibility for practical electronic cooling applications.