Nanoplasmonic Bubble Lens Controls Focus and Direction of Light

Credit: Tony Jun Huang, Penn State

Scientists have developed a reconfigurable plasmofluidic lens using nanoplasmonics that can control light waves at the nanoscale. The nanoscale light beam is modulated by surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) which are short electromagnetic waves. The light wave is controlled by the bubble lens which can control the focus and direction of light.

Nanoplasmonics is a new field of science that deals with the behavior of metal particles at the nanoscale and its optical properties. At the nanoscale, light or electromagnetic waves approaches half the size of its wavelength. At this level, the electrical field of light displaces the metal's electrons producing an oscillating field or what is called a surface plasmon. By using certain metal nanoparticles such as gold or silver and manipulating its size and shape, the surface plasmons can be modulated.

Ancient stained glass windows (which contains gold and silver particles) use nanoplasmonic properties to attain its deep vibrant colors when light passes through it.

Currently, manipulating and reconfiguring the focus and direction of these light waves have been difficult. But with the development of reconfigurable plasmofluidic lens, which are essentially tiny bubbles, scientists have found a way to control, switch, and modulate light.

Applications for nanoplasmonics can be found in photovoltaics and optical plasmonic systems. In photovoltaic systems, plasmons can be used to modify the opto-electronic properties for fast photo-detectors and effective photocells. With optical plasmonic systems, devices can be developed that manipulate the optical properties which may lead to the development of inexpensive, fast and small active optical elements.

Nanotechnology Research Develops New Photovoltaic Process Using Gold Nanorods

Researchers in Photovoltaic technology have developed a new method in converting sunlight into electrical energy using gold nanorods.

Research into photovoltaic energy (converting solar rays into electrical energy) has benefited a lot from materials technology and nanotechnology. The main process of a photovoltaic cell or solar cell is using the photons from the sun's rays to basically move electrons around to generate electricity.

At this level, nanotechnology can help push the methods to even higher ground since the technology deals with properties and processes at the molecular and even atomic scale. One application that nanotechnology can contribute to photovoltaic research is the nanorod.

Nanorods are nanostructures that are elongated and shaped like a hotdog. These can range in size from 1 nanometer (nm) to 100nm. These structures interact with light, electricity, and magnetic fields that makes it a very good candidate for semiconductors and photovoltaic applications.

Graphene Plasmonics Lead To Development of Molecular Sensitive Sensing Devices

Plasmonic nanostructures coupled with graphene

A device that can see one molecule though a simple optical system and can analyse its components has been developed through the technology of graphene and plasmonics; graphene plasmonics.

Rapid oscillations of the electron density in conducting media such as plasma or metals result in plasma oscillations. These waves of electrons are called plasmons. Plasmonics is the study of how to use these plasmons in applications such as transmission of data and information.

Graphene possess plasmons that are both tunable and adjustable.

Graphene plasmonics takes advantage of the electronic properties of graphene combined with optical properties of plasmonic metamaterials to create new and advanced applications.

Two main directions on graphene plasmonics are in graphene phtovoltaics and optical plasmonic systems. With graphene photovoltaics, plasmons can be used to modify the opto-electronic properties of graphene for fast photo-detectors and effective photocells.

With optical plasmonic systems, graphene can be used to manipulate the optical properties which may lead to the development of inexpensive, fast and small active optical elements.