Nanophotonic

Nanophotonic

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: University of Hyderabad have shown how crystals can be sliced and even bent using atomic force microscopy

Concept:

• Nanophotonic is the study of the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, and of the interaction of nanometer-scale objects with light.
• Its aim is to go beyond electronics and build up circuits driven entirely by photons (light)

Application of nanophotonics:

• Unprecedented level of miniaturisation could be achieved
• It can pave the way to all-opticaltechnology such as pliable, wearable devices operated by light entirely.
• It will help develop building an “organic photonic integrated circuit” or OPIC
• Crystals are normally rigid, stiff structures.
• However, the scientists at Hyderabad have shown crystals can be sliced and even bent using atomic force microscopy.
• Light, when left to itself moves along straight paths. Thus technology seeks to create hurdles or material which can force light to bend.
• This is like using fibre optics, but at the nanoscale level using organic crystals.
• The researchers have named this technique “mechanophotonics” as this method can be used to generate the basic elements needed to build up a photonic integrated circuit

About Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Atomic force Microscopy is influential surface analysis technique used for micro/nanostructured coatings. It is used for high-resolution nanoscale images and study local sites in air (conventional AFM) or liquid (electrochemical AFM) surroundings.