ASRC Photonics Initiative Aims at Creating a New Age of Wireless Communication
Posted on November 14, 2025
An $11.4 million international collaboration aims to revolutionize how data travels through the air—using structured surfaces to process radio signals faster and more efficiently than ever before. From the first sparks of Marconi’s wireless telegraph to today’s lightning-fast cellular networks, wireless communications have been shaping the way humans connect. But as our digital lives expand—streaming, Read More [...]
Scientists Make Dark Exciton States Shine, Unlocking New Frontiers for Nanotechnology
Posted on November 12, 2025
Breakthrough in controlling dark excitons could revolutionize quantum communication and ultra-compact photonic devices. NEW YORK, NY — November 12, 2025 — A research team at the City University of New York and the University of Texas at Austin has discovered a way to make previously hidden states of light, known as dark excitons, shine brightly, and control Read More [...]
(Not So) Spooky Science
Posted on November 7, 2025
Ghosts, ghouls and goblins uncovered scientific mysteries on a recent visit to the IlluminationSpace Science can be mysterious, but this past Halloween curious young ghosts and goblins gathered inside the CUNY ASRC IlluminationSpace to call forth the spirit of scientific understanding during a free, open-to-the-public community night event. The event invited families and neighborhood youth Read More [...]
Twisting Sound: Scientists Discover a New Way to Control Mechanical Vibrations in Metamaterials
Posted on October 13, 2025
Researchers at CUNY unveil a breakthrough for ultrasound, electronics, and more. NEW YORK, October 13, 2025 — Scientists at the CUNY ASRC have discovered a groundbreaking way to control sound and vibrations using a concept inspired by “twistronics,” a phenomenon originally developed for electronics. Their research, published in the journal PNAS, introduces “twistelastics”— a technique that Read More [...]
Scientist Harness Polaritons, Making a Leap in Molecular Charge Transfer
Posted on August 21, 2025
Scientists have long speculated that polaritons—hybrids of light and matter—could be harnessed to control photochemistry. Now, researchers at the City University of New York (CUNY) have shown that these fleeting states can indeed drive a fundamental type of molecular reaction. The study, published in Nature Nanotechnology, was led by physicist Matthew Sfeir and graduate student Read More [...]
Photonics Study Observing Time Reflected Light Waves Featured on Deep Dives Podcast
Posted on June 6, 2025
Groundbreaking research successfully observing time-reflected electromagnetic waves was discussed on a recent episode of the Deep Dives podcast. The 2023 study published in Nature Physics and conducted by a team of scientists led by Andrea Alù, Distinguished Professor of Physics at the CUNY Graduate Center and founding director of the CUNY ASRC Photonics Initiative , proved a theory that Read More [...]
Enhancing Light Control with Complex Frequency Excitations
Posted on April 2, 2025
New paper outlines how signals oscillating at complex-valued frequencies may revolutionize sensing, imaging and communication technologies NEW YORK, March 28, 2025 — Researchers at the CUNY ASRC and at Florida International University report in the journal Science their insights on the emerging field of complex frequencies excitations, a recently introduced scheme to control light, sound Read More [...]
Good Vibrations: Scientists Discover a Groundbreaking Method for Exciting Phonon-Polaritons
Posted on March 20, 2025
The breakthrough paves the way for novel nanoscale lasers and efficient electronic device cooling. NEW YORK, March 19, 2025 – Imagine a world where your phone stays cool no matter how long you use it, and it’s also equipped with tiny sensors that can identify dangerous chemicals or pollutants with unparalleled sensitivity and precision. Newly Read More [...]
Researchers Demonstrate Metasurfaces That Control Thermal Radiation in Unprecedented Ways
Posted on August 23, 2024
The advance shows promise for creating compact, inexpensive, and portable light sources, which are crucial for space-based applications, biological and geological field research, and military operations. NEW YORK, August 23, 2024 — In a groundbreaking advancement, researchers with the CUNY ASRC have experimentally demonstrated that metasurfaces (two-dimensional materials structured at the nanoscale) can precisely control Read More [...]
Reconfigurable Image Processing With Light
Posted on July 22, 2024
The advance could enhance self-driving cars and reduce energy consumption for technologies requiring intense image processing. NEW YORK, NY — CUNY ASRC researchers in collaboration with Australian scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS) have developed a new image processing technology that can be used to enhance self-driving cars, minimize Read More [...]
