MENU

Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Topological transitions in metamaterials

Abstract:
The ability to control the flow of electrons using engineered materials is fundamental to the information technology revolution, yet many properties of matter are still unclear. Now a University of Alberta researcher is closer to understanding some of the exotic electronic properties in matter using optical analogues.

Topological transitions in metamaterials

Edmonton, Canada | Posted on April 14th, 2012

U of A electrical engineering researcher Zubin Jacob is the co-lead author on a study of the behaviour of photons flowing through metamaterials designed to emulate exotic electronic processes. Metamaterials are man-made nano materials, which can be used in applications as varied as future information networks, imaging and energy harvesting.

Jacob says think of metamaterials as an artificial medium that can control light. In order to control and use light in future optical circuitry, researchers need something as basic as an on-off switch for light-matter interaction. This research shows abrupt changes in the properties of an artificial medium imprints itself on light.

Zubin says we are five to 10 years away from the commercial application of such metamaterial based light-matter interaction control. One area of science that metamaterials can change on a shorter term is microscope technology. The ability of metamaterials to compress the size of light will enhance the power of microscopes to nanoscopes that are able to reveal nanofeatures to the human eye.

The research team comes from the U of A, Purdue University as well as the Queens and City colleges of the City University of New York.

The research was published April 13 in the journal Science.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Brian Murphy
brian.murphy@ualberta.ca
780-492-6041

Copyright © University of Alberta

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Portable Raman analyzer detects hydrogen leaks from a distance: Device senses tiny concentration changes of hydrogen in ambient air, offering a dependable way to detect and locate leaks in pipelines and industrial systems April 25th, 2025

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Tumor microenvironment dynamics: the regulatory influence of long non-coding RNAs April 25th, 2025

Ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching at the nanoscale April 25th, 2025

Chip Technology

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching at the nanoscale April 25th, 2025

Development of 'transparent stretchable substrate' without image distortion could revolutionize next-generation displays Overcoming: Poisson's ratio enables fully transparent, distortion-free, non-deformable display substrates February 28th, 2025

New ocelot chip makes strides in quantum computing: Based on "cat qubits," the technology provides a new way to reduce quantum errors February 28th, 2025

Optical computing/Photonic computing

Nanophotonic platform boosts efficiency of nonlinear-optical quantum teleportation April 25th, 2025

Groundbreaking research unveils unified theory for optical singularities in photonic microstructures December 13th, 2024

UCF researcher discovers new technique for infrared “color” detection and imaging: The new specialized tunable detection and imaging technique for infrared photons surpasses present technology and may be a cost-effective method of capturing thermal imaging or night vision, medica December 13th, 2024

New material to make next generation of electronics faster and more efficient With the increase of new technology and artificial intelligence, the demand for efficient and powerful semiconductors continues to grow November 8th, 2024

Discoveries

Lattice-driven charge density wave fluctuations far above the transition temperature in Kagome superconductor April 25th, 2025

An earth-abundant mineral for sustainable spintronics: Iron-rich hematite, commonly found in rocks and soil, turns out to have magnetic properties that make it a promising material for ultrafast next-generation computing April 25th, 2025

HKU physicists uncover hidden order in the quantum world through deconfined quantum critical points April 25th, 2025

Nanophotonic platform boosts efficiency of nonlinear-optical quantum teleportation April 25th, 2025

Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance

An earth-abundant mineral for sustainable spintronics: Iron-rich hematite, commonly found in rocks and soil, turns out to have magnetic properties that make it a promising material for ultrafast next-generation computing April 25th, 2025

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Chainmail-like material could be the future of armor: First 2D mechanically interlocked polymer exhibits exceptional flexibility and strength January 17th, 2025

Enhancing transverse thermoelectric conversion performance in magnetic materials with tilted structural design: A new approach to developing practical thermoelectric technologies December 13th, 2024

Announcements

Portable Raman analyzer detects hydrogen leaks from a distance: Device senses tiny concentration changes of hydrogen in ambient air, offering a dependable way to detect and locate leaks in pipelines and industrial systems April 25th, 2025

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Tumor microenvironment dynamics: the regulatory influence of long non-coding RNAs April 25th, 2025

Ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching at the nanoscale April 25th, 2025

Energy

Portable Raman analyzer detects hydrogen leaks from a distance: Device senses tiny concentration changes of hydrogen in ambient air, offering a dependable way to detect and locate leaks in pipelines and industrial systems April 25th, 2025

KAIST researchers introduce new and improved, next-generation perovskite solar cell​ November 8th, 2024

Unveiling the power of hot carriers in plasmonic nanostructures August 16th, 2024

Groundbreaking precision in single-molecule optoelectronics August 16th, 2024

Photonics/Optics/Lasers

Nanophotonic platform boosts efficiency of nonlinear-optical quantum teleportation April 25th, 2025

Bringing the power of tabletop precision lasers for quantum science to the chip scale December 13th, 2024

Researchers succeed in controlling quantum states in a new energy range December 13th, 2024

Groundbreaking research unveils unified theory for optical singularities in photonic microstructures December 13th, 2024

Research partnerships

HKU physicists uncover hidden order in the quantum world through deconfined quantum critical points April 25th, 2025

SMART researchers pioneer first-of-its-kind nanosensor for real-time iron detection in plants February 28th, 2025

Gene therapy relieves back pain, repairs damaged disc in mice: Study suggests nanocarriers loaded with DNA could replace opioids May 17th, 2024

Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project