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Volume 15 Issue 5，2026
News & Views
Abstract：A multidimensional camouflage approach is proposed to effectively counter the combined hyperspectral, thermal infrared, and polarization detection. Its innovative integration of surface roughening and silver nanomesh offers enhanced optical and thermal management, with potential applications in military stealth, environmental monitoring, and advanced defense technologies.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14- Abstract：A recent study demonstrates a metasurface platform for 3D vectorial holography that enables independent control of light intensity and polarization along the propagation axis. By utilizing longitudinally engineered meta-atoms, this approach achieves multi-dimensional optical encryption platform.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14
- Abstract：Spontaneous Brillouin scattering is widely used to probe the mechanical and thermal state of matter, yet it has been assumed to be intrinsically stable. Jin and colleagues overturn this view by showing that spontaneous Brillouin light carries its own thermally driven noise floor. Their framework predicts—and experiments confirm—a universal upper bound of SNR = 1 under ideal detection conditions which can become even more restrictive than the conventional shot-noise limit in practical Brillouin systems. This discovery introduces a new fundamental limit to Brillouin-based sensing, microscopy and metrology.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14
Light People
Abstract：In the rapidly evolving digital era, optical communication plays a vital role, serving as the foundational technology behind our connected world, from high-speed internet to global telecommunication networks. At the center of this field, Dr. René-Jean Essiambre ’s contributions have been significant. He is known for developing the nonlinear Shannon limit theory, which has helped the industry better understand the impact of nonlinearity on optical fiber capacity. This work is important for designing today’s high-speed optical networks and lays the groundwork for future innovations.In this exclusive interview, Dr. Essiambre shares insights into his journey, the challenges and opportunities in the field, his views on the future of optical communication and offers advice to young researchers. Join us as we delve into the thoughts of one of the leading figures in optical communication and gain a glimpse into the future in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field. For more details on Dr. Essiambre’s experiences and advice, the full interview is available in the Supplementary Information.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14Review
Abstract：The rapid evolution of wearable technology, interconnected devices, and medical devices is driving innovation in advanced materials for flexible optoelectronics. Ⅲ-nitride semiconductors, with their exceptional optoelectronic properties, strong piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effects, biocompatibility, and thermal/chemical/mechanical stability, present a compelling alternative to traditional organic and Si-based inorganic materials. Despite significant research efforts, a systematic review summarizing the advancements and challenges in Ⅲ-nitride flexible optoelectronics is lacking. This article provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in this field. It begins by highlighting the advantages of Ⅲ-nitride semiconductors for flexible optoelectronics. The article then discusses the fabrication techniques for Ⅲ-nitride flexible devices, covering materials growth, film exfoliation and transfer, as well as functional micro/nanostructures. A wide range of flexible applications of Ⅲ-nitrides are explored, including flexible displays, implantable optogenetic devices, wearable photodetectors, and flexible mechanical sensors. Finally, challenges and potential solutions related to device fabrication, performance enhancement, theoretical modeling, and system integration are discussed. This work serves as a foundational reference and roadmap for further advancements in Ⅲ-nitride flexible optoelectronics.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14Original Articles
Abstract：Achieving low-loss optical interfaces between high-refractive-index (n > 2) components is critical for mid-infrared photonic systems, yet hindered by the trade-off between refractive index matching, IR transparency and thermal stability. Here, we introduce a groundbreaking solution—bonding the optical lenses and fibers with a liquid-like chalcogenide glass, which possesses an ultra-low glass transition temperature below room temperature, high refractive index and exceptional mid-infrared transparency. The basic performances of the liquid glass are characterized and proved by detailed viscosity distribution, mechanical shear and bonding tensile strength measurements. Most of all, the optical transmission and laser delivery of these bonded chalcogenide glass fiber devices demonstrate a significant improvement, with transmission efficiency increasing from 36% to 91%, and laser power delivery from several hundred mW rising to 14.5 W at a wavelength near 4 µm. Additionally, the system demonstrates long-term stability, maintaining performance over at least 3 months and more than 206 heating-cooling cycles when utilizing this liquid-like glass adhesive. This research not only addresses the challenge of bonding mid-infrared optical components but also holds immense promise for advancing integrated mid-infrared optics applications, including spectroscopy, sensing, and imaging.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14- Abstract：Optical communications have emerged as a promising solution for high-speed modern communication systems and built an important infrastructure for the global information superhighway. Although recent efforts to enhance optical communications have penetrated from long-distance fiber-optic to ultra-short-reach chip-scale data transmission, “Trans-Scale” high-capacity data transmission remains great challenges. In addition to data transmission, data processing is also of great importance for flexible data management in optical communication systems. However, a “Digital Divide” (capacity gap) exists between high-capacity data transmission in fiber links and low-speed data processing at network nodes, hindering the flourishing development of optical communications. Here, we implement “Trans-Scale” high-capacity bridging between few-mode fiber and silicon multimode waveguide using a diverse hybrid integrated coupler, which includes a 3D silica fs-laser direct writing photonic chip and a 2D silicon photonic integrated circuit. On this basis, we leverage a large-scale silicon reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) with over 2000 elements to construct a multi-dimensional fiber-chip system, enabling 192-channel (3 modes, 2 polarizations, 32 wavelengths) and 20-Tbit/s trans-scale multi-dimensional data transmission and processing. This demonstration provides a superior trans-scale architecture for multi-dimensional data transmission and processing in next-generation optical communications.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14
- Abstract：Achieving optical computing with thousands of tera-operations per second per watt per square millimeter (TOPs/W/mm2) is the key to surpassing electrical computing. This realization requires a breakthrough in the design of a new optical computing architecture and nonlinear activation functions. By leveraging the Kerr effect of silicon and the saturable absorption of graphene, we designed an all-optical nonlinear activator based on a graphene-silicon integrated photonic crystal cavity. The ultralow-threshold, high-speed, compact, and reconfigurable all-optical nonlinear activator could achieve a saturable absorption energy threshold of 4 fJ and a response time of 1.05 ps, a reconfigurable nonlinear activation threshold of 30 fJ and a response time of 4 ps, and an ultrasmall size of 15 μm × 10 μm. This device provides foundation blocks for the picosecond pulsed optical neural network chip to achieve 106 TOPs/W/mm2 level optical computing.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14
- Abstract：Light microscopy remains indispensable in life sciences for visualizing cellular structures and dynamics in live specimens. Yet, conventional fluorescence imaging can suffer from phototoxicity, limited labeling efficiency, or perturbation of biological function. Label-free techniques such as interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT) offer a powerful alternative by detecting nanoscale structures based on their light scattering, without the need for dyes or genetic tags. iSCAT has enabled high-sensitivity detection of single proteins and viruses on clean surfaces. More recently, its application to live cells has been extended by using confocal illumination and detection, allowing suppression of out-of-focus light, yielding subcellular structures with high contrast. This development laid the foundation for biologically relevant label-free imaging. Here, we introduce interferometric image scanning microscopy (iISM). This next-generation technique combines interferometric detection with image scanning microscopy to achieve about 120 nm lateral resolution while operating at tenfold lower incident illumination power per diffraction limited spot, significantly reducing photodamage while enhancing signal-to-noise and contrast. Using iISM, we are able to visualize intracellular organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, actin cytoskeleton, mitochondria, and vesicles in live cells at essentially unlimited observation times. Importantly, iISM can be readily combined with confocal fluorescence microscopy, enabling correlation of label-free dynamics and structural information with molecular specificity. Our approach opens new avenues for studying dynamic biological processes, such as host-pathogen interactions, intracellular trafficking, or cytoskeletal rearrangements, under label-free, near-native conditions. iISM thus offers a powerful new tool for high-resolution, low-impact imaging of live cells, paving the way for new biological insights.0|0|0Updated：2026-05-14
- Abstract：The monolithic photonic-electronic integration is crucial for high-bandwidth optical communication and computing, while existing structures struggle to reconcile compact footprints with performance preservation. Here, graphene-integrated silicon nitride microtube whispering-gallery mode resonators, fabricated via wafer-level nanomembrane self-rolling process, are demonstrated for polarization optical modulation and photodetection in photonic-electronic synergy. The engineered lobe-shaped architecture in the microtube facilitates axial mode quantization, greatly enhancing the optical mode confinement and improving the quality factor. A balanced trade-off between photodetection efficiency and optical resonance is achieved by adjusting the coupling between graphene and microtube resonance, and graphene-integrated microtube resonators with lobe structure demonstrate an efficient optical resonance (
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