Mid-infrared spectroscopy, with its molecular fingerprint recognition capability, plays a crucial role in environmental monitoring, biomedical diagnosis, and industrial chemical analysis. However, traditional spectrometers suffer from drawbacks such as large size, system complexity, high cost, and operational difficulty. The research team led by Prof. Qin Chen at Jinan University has developed a chip-scale mid-infrared spectral sensing technology that pioneers a light source-side regulation strategy in contrast to dispersion element and photodetector regulartions in literature. By employing metasurface arrays as wavelength-selective thermal emission sources, the system enables "instant-camera"-style substance sensing through thermal imaging encoding/decoding, moreover, achieving an exceptional angular tolerance exceeding ±40 degrees. This innovative approach successfully integrates three key components -- light source, collimation unit, and dispersive element -- into a single platform, offering a novel solution for portable mid-infrared spectral detection.

Restoring underwater kelp forests by culling overgrazing sea urchins would deliver significant financial benefits, a new study has found.