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Laser NanoAntenna

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  • Laser NanoAntenna

    Engineers and applied scientists from Harvard University have demonstrated a new photonic device with a wide range of potential commercial applications, including dramatically higher capacity for optical data storage. Termed a plasmonic laser antenna, the design consists of a metallic nanostructure, known as an optical antenna, integrated onto the facet of a commercial semiconductor laser.


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    "This invention extends the reach of semiconductor lasers -- which have the greatest commercial penetration of all lasers -- into the nanoscale and down to dimensions much smaller than a wavelength," says Capasso. "This means the plasmonic laser antenna is potentially useful in a broad range of scientific and engineering applications, including near-field optical microscopes, spatially resolved chemical imaging and spectroscopy."

    The new device integrates an optical antenna and a laser into a single unit, consists of fewer components, has a smaller footprint (takes up less space), and benefits from an improved signal-to-noise ratio relative to previous approaches. The inventors expect, with further development, its wide adoption and use in academic and research settings as well as in the high-tech commercial sector.

    "Eventually, we envision the laser integrated into new probes for biology like optical tweezers -- which can manipulate objects as small as a single atom," says Crozier. "It could also be used for integrated-circuit fabrication or to test impurities during the fabrication process itself. One day, consumers might be able to back up three terabytes data on one disk."
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    X-Ray Vision: Laser Nanoantenna

    Bringing Terabytes To Optical Discs


    When changes come to optical disc storage technologies, they’re typically big-time changes. The 650MB of storage on a burnable CD seemed great—at least until burnable DVDs provided 4.7GB and more of storage. And next-generation optical disc technologies (HD DVD with at least 15GB and Blu-ray with at least 25GB) could make DVDs obsolete. But now Harvard University researchers (led by Professor Federico Capasso and Assistant Professor Ken Crozier) are developing a laser nanoantenna that could blow those storage technologies away with the strength of a Category 5 hurricane. The laser nanoantenna, also called a plasmonic laser antenna, could eventually lead to a storage capacity of 5TB on an optical disc the size of a DVD or CD.
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    Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 12 January 2007, 17:17.
    Dr. Mordrid
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    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps
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