Engineers have developed a material that could reduce signal losses in photonic devices, an advance that could improve the efficiency of fibre optic communication systems, lasers and photovoltaics.
The discovery by engineers at the University of California San Diego is claimed to address one of the biggest challenges in the field of photonics, namely minimising loss of optical signals in plasmonic metamaterials.
Plasmonic metamaterials are materials engineered at the nanoscale to control light and can be used to develop devices ranging from invisibility cloaks to quantum computers. Metamaterials typically contain metals that absorb energy from light and convert it into heat. Consequently, part of the optical signal gets wasted, lowering the efficiency.
In a recent study published in Nature Communications, a team of photonics researchers led by electrical engineering professor Shaya Fainman at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering demonstrated a way to make up for these losses by incorporating a light emitting semiconductor material into the metamaterial.
Were offsetting the loss introduced by the metal with gain from the semiconductor. This combination theoretically could result in zero net absorption of the signal a lossless metamaterial, said Joseph Smalley, an electrical engineering postdoctoral scholar in Fainmans group and the first author of the study.
In their experiments, the researchers are said to have shined light from an infrared laser onto the metamaterial. They found that depending on which way the light is polarised the metamaterial either reflects or emits light.
This is the first material that behaves simultaneously as a metal and a semiconductor. If light is polarised one way, the metamaterial reflects light like a metal, and when light is polarised the other way, the metamaterial absorbs and emits light of a different colour like a semiconductor, Smalley said.
Researchers created the new metamaterial by first growing a crystal of the semiconductor material indium gallium arsenide phosphide on a substrate. They then used high-energy ions from plasma to etch narrow trenches into the semiconductor, creating 40nm rows of semiconductor spaced 40nm apart. Finally, they filled the trenches with silver to create a pattern of alternating nano-sized stripes of semiconductor and silver.
This is a unique way to fabricate this kind of metamaterial, Smalley said.
Nanostructures with different layers are often made by depositing each layer separately one on top of another, Smalley explained, but the semiconductor material used in this study cant be grown on top of any substrate like silver otherwise it will have defects.
Rather than creating a stack of alternating layers, we figured out a way to arrange the materials side by side, like folders in a filing cabinet, keeping the semiconductor material defect-free.
As a next step, the team plans to investigate how much this metamaterial and other versions of it could improve photonic applications that currently suffer from signal losses.
Read the original here:
Shine a light: material behaves simultaneously as metal and semiconductor - The Engineer
- Micro Manufacturing - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Modeling and Simulation - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Electron Microscopy - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Metrology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Calibration Services - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Micro Engineering - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Nanotechnology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Creating nano-structures from the bottom up - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Wichita State hands out new round of high-tech grants - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- URI Engineering Student Develops Self Healing Concrete - Video - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- NYS Senator Joseph A. Griffo Visits Clarkson University Nanoengineering - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Nano-subs built to grab and move oil spills - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Video: N.Y. lab creating jobs with nano-technology - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Nano-Subs Grab and Move Oil Spills - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- University of Toronto Engineering Welcomes New NSERC Chair in Multidisciplinary Design - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Nano-Sensors for Explosive Detection -- University Collaboration Addresses Challenges in Explosive Detection - May 10th, 2012 [May 10th, 2012]
- Obama, Cuomo touring Nano college - May 10th, 2012 [May 10th, 2012]
- Obama, Cuomo bond over vision of economic future - May 10th, 2012 [May 10th, 2012]
- Kids visit Nano College after Obama - May 10th, 2012 [May 10th, 2012]
- Zyvex Technologies and ENVE Composites Introduce the World's First Nano-Enhanced Carbon Fiber ... - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- Listen Now - May 16th, 2012 [May 16th, 2012]
- To Czech Industry, Everything Is Nano - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- Availability of hydrogen controls chemical structure of graphene oxide - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- Hydrogen Controls Chemical Structure of Graphene Oxide - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- Shocking Technologies Raises Additional $10.5 Million From Circuit Protection Leader Littelfuse - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- Nano-structured polymer-based materials from scrap - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Journal Tips from the American Institute of Physics: May 24, 2012 - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Synthetic nano-waste does not disappear - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Attacks on Nuclear and Nano Science - May 29th, 2012 [May 29th, 2012]
- Graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons cleaved from graphene sheets - May 30th, 2012 [May 30th, 2012]
- Girls Inc.and SEFCU to provide internships at Nano College - May 31st, 2012 [May 31st, 2012]
- Nano technology improves health field - June 2nd, 2012 [June 2nd, 2012]
- Tiny satellites will use Kinect to dock with one another - June 4th, 2012 [June 4th, 2012]
- New nano-research leads to sensors that detect contaminants in water - June 6th, 2012 [June 6th, 2012]
- Editorial: State sets example on economy, bipartisanship - June 6th, 2012 [June 6th, 2012]
- MP girl ‘Gargi Pare’ brings laurels to State - June 6th, 2012 [June 6th, 2012]
- Element Six and Harvard University Collaboration on Nano-Engineered Synthetic Diamond Sets a New Quantum Information ... - June 8th, 2012 [June 8th, 2012]
- Business at a glance - June 10th, 2012 [June 10th, 2012]
- Inter American University of Puerto Rico Chooses Nanoprofessor as Foundation for New Nanoscience Education Program - June 11th, 2012 [June 11th, 2012]
- Nanoparticles found in moon glass bubbles explain weird lunar soil behaviour - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Nanoparticles found in moon glass bubbles explain weird lunar soil behavior - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Nanoparticles can solve mystery of Moon's topsoil - June 13th, 2012 [June 13th, 2012]
- Nano-Technologies Extended to Coax - June 15th, 2012 [June 15th, 2012]
- Shocking Technologies Raises Additional $10.5M From Circuit Protection Leader Littelfuse - June 15th, 2012 [June 15th, 2012]
- NIT-T professor gets over Rs. 2.15 crore to stall erosion in pipes - June 18th, 2012 [June 18th, 2012]
- Northeastern University Nanomanufacturing Center Director Ahmed Busnaina to Present Webinar on “The Democratization of ... - June 19th, 2012 [June 19th, 2012]
- NIT Silchar convocation - June 19th, 2012 [June 19th, 2012]
- Research and Markets: Government Initiative and High R&D Activities Drive the Nanotechnology Market in India - June 19th, 2012 [June 19th, 2012]
- Scientist unlocks the quantum secrets of the moon's bizarre soil, which hangs suspended above the surface when touched - June 20th, 2012 [June 20th, 2012]
- Nano-infused paint can detect strain - June 22nd, 2012 [June 22nd, 2012]
- "Proceedings of the IEEE" Hosts Centennial Engineering Innovation Forum in DC to Unveil Advanced Technologies ... - June 22nd, 2012 [June 22nd, 2012]
- Nanotech paint can show stress and strain - June 22nd, 2012 [June 22nd, 2012]
- Tatas developing an under $ 20,000 electric car - June 22nd, 2012 [June 22nd, 2012]
- Now, nano-infused paint to detect strain in buildings, bridges and airplanes - June 22nd, 2012 [June 22nd, 2012]
- Nano-sandwich technique slims down solar cells, improves efficiency - June 26th, 2012 [June 26th, 2012]
- Team develops world's most powerful nanoscale microwave oscillators - June 26th, 2012 [June 26th, 2012]
- UCLA-led research team develops world's most powerful nanoscale microwave oscillators - June 26th, 2012 [June 26th, 2012]
- Research and Markets: MEMS, NANO and Smart Systems - Selected papers from the 2011 7th International Conference on ... - June 27th, 2012 [June 27th, 2012]
- A step toward minute factories that produce medicine inside the body - June 28th, 2012 [June 28th, 2012]
- Green feel for collaboration with China - June 28th, 2012 [June 28th, 2012]
- Fibrous Protein Nanocomposites Conference - June 28th, 2012 [June 28th, 2012]
- Going For Gold: The Brains Behind Team GB - July 4th, 2012 [July 4th, 2012]
- NANO Connect Offers International Perspective With South Korean Nanotechnology Education Leader - October 4th, 2012 [October 4th, 2012]
- Hardide appoints a Business Development Manager - October 4th, 2012 [October 4th, 2012]
- Regenerative Medicine Biotech Company, Eqalix, Names Scientific Advisory Board - October 9th, 2012 [October 9th, 2012]
- Quinn uses nanotechnology summit to praise Wheeling High School - October 9th, 2012 [October 9th, 2012]
- Cal Poly Licenses CubeSat Technology to Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems - October 11th, 2012 [October 11th, 2012]
- Improving nanometer-scale manufacturing with infrared spectroscopy - October 11th, 2012 [October 11th, 2012]
- KYOCERA Introduces New Milling Cutters For CNC Machining Featuring Inserts with Proprietary MEGACOAT NANO Technology - October 16th, 2012 [October 16th, 2012]
- iFixit opens up the new iPod nano - October 16th, 2012 [October 16th, 2012]
- Call to assess safety of nano particles - October 16th, 2012 [October 16th, 2012]
- Special Program at SPE ANTEC® Mumbai Will Focus on Nano-Scale Carbonaceous Materials - October 16th, 2012 [October 16th, 2012]
- NUS launches Aerospace Systems initiative for engineering students - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- Life After MESA - University of California, San Diego - Video - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- Toulouse, capitale européenne des nanotechnologies du 16 au 20 septembre 2012. - Video - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- Techno Frühstück - Correspondence of Heart and Beat - Video - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- CVTC Engineering Programs Commercial - Video - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- DISSECTED FROG - BIOLOGY LAB FOR NANO ENGINEERING - Video - October 30th, 2012 [October 30th, 2012]
- Renault looking to build an upmarket rival to the Tata Nano, but it will still be very cheap - December 5th, 2012 [December 5th, 2012]
- 'Nano' opens at Discovery Museums - December 8th, 2012 [December 8th, 2012]