Scientists at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, part of the Department of Energy, have uncovered novel properties in an ultrathin material that could revolutionize the way we handle light. This breakthrough is anticipated to benefit optoelectronic devices—those that sense, modulate, or produce light—as well as advance our understanding of light polarization within substances.
These insights emerged during sessions with the laboratory’s rapid “electron camera.” A wide array of common applications, including medical imaging systems, fiber optics, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), rely on the capabilities of optoelectronic devices.
Images of the electrons in the investigation that displayed a circular pattern rather than a straight line indicated circular polarization.
The substance was so thin, just 50 nm thick.
Scientists are eager to use these incredibly thin materials, sometimes referred to as two-dimensional (2D) materials, to reduce the size and increase the functionality of optoelectronic devices. According to Lindenberg, they see themselves building devices out of layers of 2D structures, much like Legos.
A distinct material would make up each 2D structure, which would be perfectly aligned to provide a particular kind of optical response. These many shapes and functionalities can be combined to create small devices with potential uses, such as optoelectronic devices or medical imaging.
For more information: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Image: Snapshot taken by SLAC’s high-speed electron camera, an instrument for ultrafast electron diffraction (MeV-UED), showing evidence of circular polarization of terahertz light by an ultrathin sample of tungsten ditelluride. Image Credit: Sie et al., Nano Letters
