Liquid crystals exist in a phase of their own. They can flow like liquids, but because their molecules are arranged in a somewhat orderly way, they can be easily manipulated to reflect light. This ...

Schematic of a portion of a 2D hierarchical phoxonic crystal with both large scale photonic lattice and a smaller scale phononic lattice inside a cavity resonator in the larger scale lattice. (Image: ...

In a surprising twist, researchers have identified crystals that are symmetrical but nevertheless absorb light as if they were chiral (Science 2025, DOI: 10.1126/science.adr5478). The discovery ...

Researchers at Dartmouth and Southern Methodist University reproduced Edvard Munch’s The Scream on a display screen made of liquid crystals (right) controlled by a chiral molecular switch they ...

Photonic crystals are materials with repeating internal structures that interact with light in unique ways. We can find natural examples in opals and the vibrant colored shells of some insects. Even ...

NYU researchers have found a way to use light to control how microscopic particles assemble into crystals, effectively turning illumination into a tool for shaping matter. By adding light-sensitive ...

(Nanowerk News) Photonic crystals are materials with repeating internal structures that interact with light in unique ways. We can find natural examples in opals and the vibrant coloured shells of ...