Near-ultraviolet photon-counting dual-comb spectroscopy. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38448594/)

These scientists wanted to study the structure of matter using a special technique called ultraviolet spectroscopy. They used a method called dual-comb spectroscopy, which involves using two laser beams to look at different colors of light at the same time. This helps them see a wide range of colors and details with very high accuracy.

To make this technique work in the ultraviolet region, where it's usually hard to get good results, the scientists came up with a new way to count photons (tiny particles of light). They built a special device that could measure the light very precisely and accurately, almost like using a super-accurate clock.

In their experiments, the scientists used this device to study light in the near-ultraviolet and visible ranges, focusing on atoms in the air. They were able to get really clear and detailed results even with very low amounts of light.

By developing this new method, the scientists hope to open up new possibilities for studying light and matter at very short wavelengths, which could help in many different areas of science.

Xu B., Chen Z., Hansch TW., Picque N. Near-ultraviolet photon-counting dual-comb spectroscopy. Nature. 2024 Mar 6. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07094-9.