Phys.org  December 2, 2021 An international team of researchers (UK, Belgium, Spain) used a single layer of molecules to absorb the mid-infrared light inside their vibrating chemical bonds. These shaking molecules donate their energy to visible light that they encounter, ‘upconverting’ it to emissions closer to the blue end of the spectrum, which can then be detected by visible-light cameras. The challenge was to make sure the quaking molecules met the visible light quickly enough. They devised a way to sandwich single molecular layers between a mirror and tiny chunks of gold to twist and squeeze light. The researchers emphasize […]