Research
We know from physics that when a particle has little mass and is moving close to lightspeed, it cannot be trapped and held in place. Or at least that’s what scientists assumed; but now, a joint study between Russian, Swiss, and German researchers has managed what hasn’t been done before. Using perovskites to form exciton-polaritons, they were able to then capture these particles in a special metasurface-based trap.
Besides challenging the existing conceptions of physics, this scientific feat also holds a great deal of promise for next-gen optical computers that would outperform current-day devices by hundreds of times.
Read more: ITMO Scientists Devise Way to Apply Hybrid Light Particles in Ultrafast Optical Chips
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Likewise, a team of physicists from ITMO recently became the first to crack a tough task: describing the full lifecycle of a photon. Their purpose-made method, based on the Wigner function, allowed them to use the particle’s quantum characteristics to reconstruct the conditions of its formation – an event that is ordinarily difficult to observe in “real time.”
Read more: ITMO Scientists First to Describe Full Photon Lifecycle in Time and Space
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University
Fittingly, this slew of light-related breakthroughs comes along with the announcement of the newest research unit of ITMO University: the Institute of Photonics. Continuing the decades-long tradition of photonics research at the university, the institute will work on developing ultrafast data processing and transfer technologies to meet the growing demand for powerful computing solutions.
Read more: ITMO Opens Institute of Photonics
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Solutions to the issue of AI use in classrooms vary: some places may institute strict bans, while some throw in the towel and give students free reign. Another solution, now implemented within ITMO’s AI Engineering program, is to make the AI a part of the teaching staff. Starting this month, the new AI Lecturer service will help students work on problems and prepare for tests. The system has been extensively tested to ensure a lack of so-called “hallucinations”: in addition to multiple self-verification modules, the system is also able to call on human experts in particularly difficult cases.
Read more: No Hallucinations: AI Lecturer to Assist in Higher Math Classes at ITMO
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ITMO University, one of the leading universities in Russia, offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programs in a wide range of exact, natural, and interdisciplinary subjects. You can study in English or Russian, on campus or online.
