Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has announced that its scientists are at the forefront of developing nanometer-scale light-based systems, a revolutionary step in ultrafast microelectronics and room-temperature infrared detection. This new metasurface architecture could lead to significant advancements in ultrafast information processing and the development of versatile terahertz sources, overcoming the current limitations of integrated circuits in terms of speed and adaptability.
According to a study published in Nature, the research introduces an innovative method involving asymmetric gold nanostructures on graphene, also known as "nanoantennas." These nanoantennas concentrate light waves, creating optical hot spots that excite electrons in graphene. These hot spots are located at the sharp tips of the nanoantennas and facilitate a controllable charge current. This promises potential applications in photodetection, terahertz radiation generation, and nanomagnetism control. The system's adaptability also suggests possibilities for ultrafast information processing, offering alternatives to conventional transistor-based electronics. This breakthrough opens up new opportunities for innovative designs across various technological fields, according to a press release by LANL.
"Most modern technologies, from computers to applications like energy harvesting, are built on the ability to push electrons around," said Jacob Pettine, a physicist at LANL's Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), according to a press release by LANL. "But the way we control this charge flow remains very limited by conventional materials and structures."
Pettine further stated that these results lay the groundwork for versatile patterning and optical control over nanoscale currents. "Along with the valuable applications in the laboratory, vectorial metasurfaces may enable advances in many different technological realms," he said.
Established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, LANL is located approximately 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe. It operates as a multi-program research center focusing on nuclear weapons design and production, addressing nuclear threats, and conducting national security science, technology, and engineering, according to the About webpage provided by LANL.