Nanodevice uses sound to sculpt light, paving the way for better displays and imaging

Photo of Mark Brongersma and Skyler Selvin

Stanford researchers have developed a novel device that uses sound waves to manipulate light confined in nanometer-scale gaps, allowing precise control over light color and intensity. This acoustic wave modulation, performed in a compact design, has potential applications across various fields, including virtual reality displays, optical communications, and ultrafast light-based neural networks.