Search by tag «Publication» 170 results
Cheap and Simple Method of Detection of Harmful Gases Suggested by ITMO Researchers
Researchers from ITMO and North Ossetian State University have suggested a brand-new cheap and highly sensitive method of detecting hazardous hydrogen halides that are toxic for humans. The new perovskite nanolaser-based method is able to detect dangerous concentrations of various substances that can vary in the range of 5-500 molecules per a million of air molecules. Their suggestion may provide the basis for highly sensitive compact gas leak detectors for the food and chemical industries.
25.01.2023
Researchers from ITMO Discover New Photonic Properties of Dielectric Resonators
We live in a world powered by resonance: there are resonant antennas in our smartphones, and microwaves heat up our food using resonant absorption of electromagnetic radiation by water molecules. Even bridges and skyscrapers remain intact because they were designed to account for the resonance-based nature of various phenomena, such as earthquakes. It is no wonder then that dielectric micro- and nanoresonators are expected to bring about the age of optics, when all electronic devices will be replaced with optical ones. Recently, scientists from ITMO University have contributed to this field by demonstrating new photonic properties of resonators, which make it possible to control their parameters in sensors, detectors, and antennas for different devices. Their study was published in Materials Today.
19.01.2023
ITMO Scientists Suggest Cheap Way to Control Optical Signals With Halide Perovskites
Halide perovskites are a relatively new group of materials that are used in solar cells, diodes, scintillators, and other devices. One of their main advantages is their availability and ease of production. They are also characterized by the stable bound state of an electron and an electron hole that makes up an exciton. By connecting an exciton to light in a photonic crystal plate, the researchers were able to reach record optical nonlinearity values, which makes the plates a promising tool for controlling optical signals and, in the future, can render them useful in optical computers. The article describing the experiment was published in Nano Letters.
24.11.2022
ITMO Researchers Twist Particles Using Quantum Entanglement
Twisted particles have found their applications in many fields, such as optomechanics, biology, astrophysics, as well as quantum optics, information science, and communications, where, for instance, they can be used to increase data capacity. However, as these particles are primarily obtained through diffraction gratings, they can’t yet be used for experiments in nuclear and particle physics given the high energies of particles used in contemporary colliders. As a solution to this problem, physicists from ITMO University have suggested a method of obtaining such particles using the so-called generalized measurements, without relying on any special equipment. Their research was supported by a Russian Science Foundation grant, with its results published in The European Physical Journal C (Particles and Fields).
17.11.2022
A Quiet Place: ITMO Physicists Reduce Noise Tenfold With Metamaterial Structure
Imagine you are in a park in the bustling downtown and there is sunshine, fresh air, and… total quiet. Doesn’t feel real, does it? Researchers from ITMO University have developed a translucent vented structure that decreases noise by up to 20 dB within the spectral range of 2 to 16.5 kHz. This means that it covers 70% of the audible bandwidth. The new structure can be used to build noise-insulating barriers alongside roads or pavilions in parks.
16.11.2022
ITMO Researchers Developing New Cancer Treatment Using Gold Nanoparticles and Infrared Lasers
In recent years, oncological diseases have become one of the most wide-spread causes of death in developed countries – and despite the abundant new diagnostics and treatment methods, fighting cancer is still a challenge. Nearly all known treatments have significant side effects, while some of them are even helpless against more persistent cancer cells. One solution to this problem is photothermal therapy, on its own or in combination with other treatments. Researchers from ITMO University have suggested a new method to treat melanoma more effectively and safely using gold nanoparticles. Read on to learn more about the new method.
03.11.2022
ITMO Scientists Create Method to Quickly Detect Painting Authenticity
In collaboration with the staff of the State Russian Museum, researchers from ITMO University have developed a new method for detecting painting authenticity with infrared spectroscopy. The method will allow the museum’s experts to quickly identify a painting’s chemical compounds and the century it was created in, as was demonstrated by a test analysis performed on a copy of one of Ivan Aivazovsky’s creations. In the future, the new method will help identify the authenticity of pieces from the era of Russian avant-garde.
02.11.2022
ITMO Scientists Suggest Efficient Microfluidic Synthesis for Metal-Organic Frameworks
Nowadays, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are actively studied and used for cleaning and detection purposes, as well as for recording and storage of data. For the most part, they’re synthesized using conventional methods, which require lots of resources. As an alternative, scientists from ITMO’s School of Physics and Engineering suggest a quicker and more efficient method – microfluidic synthesis of metal-organic frameworks using chips. Potentially, it can be used for targeted drug delivery.
31.10.2022
ITMO Scientists Create Ultra-Broadband Carbon Dots With Biomedical Applications
Carbon nanodots are a new trend in science, now used in smart packaging, warranty tags and with potential applications in diagnostics and tumor visualization. However, in order to be used in biomedicine, carbon nanodots have to be made visible through the human skin. This has recently been achieved by researchers from ITMO University, the Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, and North Ossetian State University, who synthesized nanodots with unique properties: they can radiate and absorb light in the infrared spectrum. Such newly developed dots can be used for tissue visualization in medicine. Learn more about the new carbon dots synthesis method and its practical applications in this article.
14.10.2022
ITMO Scientists Discover Universal Measure to Predict Protein Folding
Researchers from ITMO’s Infochemistry Scientific Center have suggested an algorithm that can calculate a molecule’s dimensionality – whether it’s 2D, 3D, or an intermediate state. Unlike other existing methods, the new one allows scientists to identify the folding state in biomolecules and track its progress. In an article published in Royal Society Open Science, the researchers described their molecular dynamics-based method and compared it to others, such as the Monte Carlo simulation and the widely used AlphaFold algorithm.
14.09.2022