Unit News

A light switch sits in front of a background composed of two different chemicals, one fluorescent and one not.

Research Update

Light-controlled switches get a glow up

Bistable molecular switches with turn-ON fluorescence and other controllable properties bring exciting possibilities for future molecular electronics, data storage, and more.

Photos of two people, both looking at the camera and smiling, wearing flowery shirts.

Institutional News

Two OIST professors elected as 2026 SPIE fellows

Professors Bill Munro and Síle Nic Chormaic recognized for their pioneering optics and photonics research

09 January 2026

A tomograph, showing a what looks like a slightly misshapen moon on top of the bottom half of an hour glass, against a black background.

Research Update

Peering inside 3D chaotic microcavities with X-ray vision

X-ray µCT enables noninvasive study of chaotic light dynamics, opening a new window for exploring 3D wave chaos, nonlinear optics, and quantum photonics.

11 November 2025

Antarctica Homeward Bound podcast header image

Institutional News

Podcast: OIST scientist visits Antarctica as part of a global leadership initiative

Prof. Síle Nic Chormaic joined the Homeward Bound program, aiming to enhance women’s impact for a healthier planet.

Research Update

Novel method reveals small microplastics throughout Japan’s subtropical ocean

Samples taken from the ocean surrounding the subtropical island of Okinawa have revealed the presence of microplastics in all six areas surveyed, finds new study.

23 December 2020

Research Update

Trapping tiny particles: A versatile tool for nanomanipulation

Researchers have developed a novel device for single nanoparticle trapping which has potential applications for drug discovery, disease monitoring, biomedical imaging, and more.

Research Update

Exciting apparatus helps atoms see the light

Researchers study unusual particles involved in quantum information processing.

26 February 2020

Research Update

Illuminating the World of Nanoparticles

Researchers develop cutting-edge optical resonators with applications in biosensing.

08 January 2020

Light-Matter Interactions Unit in the News

Research Update

Bubbles and Whispers - Glass Bubbles Boost Nanoparticle Detection

OIST-fabricated sensor detects tiny particles with field of bouncing light

Institutional News

Micro-bubbles and Frequency Combs

Optics research into glass micro-bubbles resonators produces interesting non-linear effects in the visible regime

30 January 2017

Research Update

How Shaping Light can Change Particle Behavior

Interactions between tiny particles trapped in light found to differ, depending on the light’s shape.

Research Update

Using Atoms to Turn Optical Nanofiber Guided Light On and Off

OIST team has created a light-mediated on/off switch in optical nanofibers that could be used for transferring quantum information in the future.

08 December 2015