The world’s first room temperature continuous-wave UV-B laser diode on a sapphire substrate
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 10-Jun-2026 11:16 ET (10-Jun-2026 15:16 GMT/UTC)
Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) semiconductor lasers are highly sought for medical, biotechnology, and precision manufacturing applications; however, previous UV-B laser diodes were limited to pulsed operation or required cryogenic cooling, making continuous room-temperature operation unattainable. Researchers in Japan report the world’s first continuous-wave UV-B semiconductor laser diode operating at room temperature on a low-cost sapphire substrate. This breakthrough advances compact, energy-efficient UV light sources, potentially replacing bulky gas-based lasers in healthcare, industrial, and scientific research applications worldwide.
The Paulson Family Foundation announced an additional $19 million donation to Hebrew University. Together with the foundation's previous donation of $27 million, this brings its total support to $46 million. The donation will be used for expansion of a state-of-the-art research and teaching complex dedicated to STEM disciplines critical to Israel's high-tech future. The combined gifts represent one of the largest donations ever received by the Hebrew University, and represent a significant investment in Israeli higher education and innovation.
A new machine-learning-based approach to mapping real-time tumor metabolism in brain cancer patients, developed at the University of Michigan, could help doctors discover which treatment strategies are most likely to be effective against individual cases of glioma. The team verified the accuracy of the model by comparing it against human patient data and running mouse experiments.
We are delighted to announce the official release of Issue 3, 2025 of Materials and Solidification, an international academic journal published by Tsinghua University Press and academically supported by the State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU). Professor Jinshan Li from NPU serves as the Editor-in-Chief, with Professor Junjie Wang as the Executive Editor-in-Chief. Dedicated to providing a high-level academic exchange platform for researchers and engineering experts worldwide, the journal aims to promote advancements in solidification theory, material design, microstructure evolution, and process innovation.
Heat stress limits the performance of biofertilizer microbes in hot climates. Researchers at QST combined adaptive laboratory evolution with repeated, precisely dosed gamma irradiation to rapidly generate Bradyrhizobium strains that thrive at higher temperatures, suggesting a faster, non‑transgenic route to robust industrial microorganisms with broad sustainability benefits for agriculture, biomanufacturing, and renewable fuels.