NANO PHOTONICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS

What is Nano Photonics?

“Nanophotonics  is the study of the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, and of the interaction of nanometer-scale objects with light.”

Introduction to Nano Photonics

The term "Nano-photonics", just like the term "optics", usually concern ultraviolet, visible, and near -infrared light (free-space wavelength around 300-1200 nanometers).

Normal optical components, like lenses and microscopes cannot focus light to nanometer scale.

But, it is possible to squeeze light into a nanometer scale using other techniques like  

Surface plasmons Metal optics Near field optics Metamaterials

Principles

Surface Plasmons Surface plasmon waves possess the ability to confine optical energy to subwavelength volumes. This attractive feature has encouraged and led to research, developments and new device opportunities in numerous areas of science, including Nano photonics.

Surface plasmons guide light to nanoscale Plasmonic effect

Metal opticsMetals are an effective way to confine light

to far below the wavelength.  For a similar reason, visible light can be confined to the Nano-scale via Nano-sized metal structures, such as Nano-sized structures, tips, gaps, etc. This effect is fundamentally based on the fact that the permittivity of the metal is very high.

Near field opticsThe higher frequencies correspond to the very

fine features and sharp edges. When light is emitted by such an object, the light with very high spatial frequency forms an evanescent wave, which only exists in the near field and disappears in the far field. Nano-photonics is primarily concerned with the near-field evanescent waves.  

Tip illuminates the sample

Nano Photonics In Nature !

Nano photonics in butterfly wings

Butterfly wings as natural photonic crystal, assembly of CdS nanoparticles

Nano photonics in peacock feathers

Peacock feathers as nano photonic crystal, assembly of ZnS nanoparticles

Nano photonics in photoreceptor rhodopsin

Advantages Of Nano Photonics

Some of the advantages of Nano Photonics are, Brings access to further integration Lower noise Will dissipate less energy Will occupy less volume Will require lower input signal Will probably rely on self-assembly

Applications Of Nano Photonics

Nano photonics in solar cells

Nano photonics allow efficient solar cells to be made cheaper than the conventional one.

As band-gap materials, In high dense data storage, and photonic devices 

Large-area of photonic nanostructures is fabricated by photolithography.

Ferro- electronic nano structures

5D discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of DVDs with nano structured material incorporated onto a disc in order to increase data capacity

Microscopy

The goal of Nano photonics, "superlens" which would use metamaterials or other techniques to create images that are more accurate than the diffraction limit.

The detection of traces and ultra-traces of toxic and harmful compounds in air by using networks of small sensors like MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) or Lab-on-Chip devices.

Nano Photonic Biosensors

Lab on a chip MEMS

In medicine and biology, DNA assisted assembly of metal nanoparticles.

In Medicine And Biology

Presented By,K.A.Sakthi Krishna Bala,Dr.Sivanthi Aditanar College of

Engineering,Tiruchendur.