‘Whispering-Gallery’ Effect Enhances Optical Pulses

Researchers in Germany have proven that when electrons are grouped with an optical whispering-gallery mode (WGM) inside a tiny sphere, the resulting pulses gain strength, similar to how audio waves move in a dome. Thanks to the interchange of energy between the electrons and photons, it also allows the pulses to be stored for an extended period to produce the desired level of intensity. The researchers assert that this has strong implications for not only electron microscopy, but also nanoscale technologies and various chip-based applications of analysis and sensing. Optical energy builds up in spheres through the whispering-gallery effect. Courtesy of Alon Oz/University of Göttingen. “Optical whispering-gallery...