Search by tag «Photonics» 103 results

• ITMO Scientists Devise Way to Apply Hybrid Light Particles in Ultrafast Optical Chips

  A group of researchers from ITMO University, MIPT, and universities of Germany and Switzerland have succeeded in “capturing” ultrafast hybrid light particles previously considered unobtainable. During their experiment, the physicists used a femtosecond laser and a thin metasurface with a microscopic pattern that provides the right conditions for a capture. In the future, these findings can help produce optical computing devices that are capable of self-retraining and are hundreds of times more efficient than current-day electronics. The results of the project were published in Science Advances.

  17.09.2026

• ITMO Opens Institute of Photonics

  In 2026, ITMO is launching the Institute of Photonics, a project platform that’ll bring together research teams from several faculties. Its main objective is the development of domestic solutions for ultrafast data processing and transfer based on photonic technologies. To learn more about the new department and its plans, ITMO NEWS talked to Sergey Makarov, the director of the institute and a chief research associate and professor at the Faculty of Physics.

  15.09.2026

• ITMO Scientists First to Describe Full Photon Lifecycle in Time and Space

  Physicists from ITMO’s Faculty of Physics have developed a spatial phase method to describe not only the characteristics of an already formed photon, but also the formation of its field in both time and space. Using the Wigner function, the researchers investigated Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation and demonstrated that its spatial structure can retain information about the quantum state of the electron that generated it. The results of the study are published in Physical Review A.

  14.09.2026

• Light From Nowhere: ITMO Scientists Explain How Twisted Electrons Emit Photons Outside Magnetic Fields

  ITMO physicists have demonstrated that an electron beam can emit microwave radiation photons even in an area with no magnetic field. Even though this is an impossible scenario in classical physics, the researchers found that this phenomenon is connected to the behavior of electrons at the edge of a magnetic field. The team’s calculations bring science closer to understanding how twisted electrons behave in real experimental equipment, such as particle accelerators and microscopes. The results of the study were published in Physical Review A.

  08.09.2026

• A Billion Times a Second: ITMO Researchers Create Silicon Film for Superfast Light Control

  Scientists from ITMO’s Faculty of Physics and Institute of Photonics in collaboration with researchers from Switzerland and China have created a thin film that can switch light with the speed of up to a billion times a second. The device is essentially an adjustable silicon metasurface that can modulate radiation in the medium infrared range. In the future, it can be used in optical computing, biosensors, and next-get data transfer systems. The results of the study have been published in Nature Communications.

  27.08.2026

• Compact Silicon Chip by ITMO and PKU Revolutionizes Optical Memory

  Scientists from ITMO University and Peking University (PKU) have developed a compact, energy-efficient memory component that acts as a microscopic light “trap” in a silicon photonic structure. Compared to alternatives, the device requires power of around 200 μW and can switch between multiple optical states, which is essential for high-speed optical data processing. In the long run, the technology can pave the way for ultra-fast, energy-efficient optical memory and optical AI processors. The results of the relevant study are published in Nature Nanotechnology.

  25.06.2026

• Russia Launches Competence Center to Improve Data Centers

  At the conference Digitalization of Industrial Russia, Rusnano (T-Nano), ITMO University, and United Heavy Machinery have signed a tripartite agreement aimed at advancing optoelectronic devices and photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The technologies will set the ground for a new generation of eco-friendly and high-performance data centers and consequently ensure a higher quality of data storage, processing, and transmission.

  20.05.2026

• Towards Optical AI Architectures: First Robust 3D Photonic Topological Insulator Developed at ITMO

  Scientists from ITMO University have become the first team to create a nonconductive structure that makes it possible to control light in a 3D space without losses, even when the material has defects. It’s a fully dielectric 3D photonic topological insulator that paves the way for new compact, scalable, and robust photonic components, including integrated circuits and optical chips. In the future, they may become the key hardware foundation for next-gen computational AI architectures. The results of the study were published in Nature Materials. 

  17.02.2026

• ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #93

  In just a few weeks, most of us will be taking a well-deserved break from work and studies; but for now, it’s still full steam ahead! In today’s digest of all things science at ITMO, we’ve got AI assistants for every kind of science, academic opportunities, and crowning achievements. Read on!

  01.12.2025

• Russian Scientists Develop World's Smallest Blue Laser For Displays

  In collaboration with their colleagues from MIPT’s Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, scientists from ITMO University have devised the world's smallest laser that emits light in the blue spectrum. With a volume 13 times smaller than the wavelength of the produced light, it paves the way for the creation of a new generation of ultra-high-resolution displays and compact biomedical devices. The research is supported by grants from the Russian Science Foundation.

  18.11.2025