In the realm of general relativity, black holes are well-known for their ability to trap light and matter by bending spacetime, creating a point of no return. While black holes have fascinated scientists and the public alike; another concept, the ‘white’ hole, has remained more theoretical. A white hole is thought to be the reverse of a black hole, expelling light and matter rather than absorbing them. Now, a team of researchers has designed a novel optical device with intriguing similarities with both these elusive cosmic phenomena.

Today's super-resolution microscopes have made it possible to observe the nanoscale world with unprecedented detail. However, they require fluorescent tags, which reveal structural details but provide little chemical information about the samples being studied. This drawback has driven the development of vibrational imaging techniques, which can identify molecules based on their unique chemical bonds without altering the sample. These methods detect physical changes in samples when they absorb mid-infrared (MIR) light, such as shifts in refractive index caused by heat absorption or temperature-induced acoustic signals. And yet, existing methods often struggle with weak signal levels, making it difficult to achieve both high resolution (how finely details can be seen) and strong chemical contrast (how well molecules can be distinguished).

Photonic circuits, which manipulate light to perform various computational tasks, have become essential tools for a range of advanced technologies—from quantum simulations to artificial intelligence. These circuits offer a promising way to process information with minimal energy loss, especially in fields like quantum computing where complex systems are simulated to test theories of quantum mechanics. However, the growth in circuit size and complexity has historically led to a rise in optical losses, making it challenging to scale these systems for large-scale applications, such as multiphoton quantum experiments or all-optical AI systems.

Terahertz (THz) waves are located between microwaves and infrared light in the electromagnetic spectrum. They can pass through many materials without causing damage, making them useful for security scanning, medical imaging, and high-speed wireless communication. Unlike visible light or radio waves, THz waves can reveal structural details of biological molecules and penetrate nonmetallic objects like clothing and paper.