March 18, 2007
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmThe Promise of Plasmonics: Overview/Plasmonics
By Harry A. Atwater
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Researchers have discovered that they can squeeze optical signals into minuscule wires by using light to produce electron density waves called plasmons.
Plasmonic circuits could help the designers of computer chips build fast interconnects that could move large amounts of data across a chip. Plasmonic components might also improve the resolution of microscopes, the efficiency of light-emitting diodes, and the sensitivity of chemical and biological detectors.
Some scientists have even speculated that plasmonic materials could alter the electromagnetic field around an object to such an extent that it would become invisible.
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