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Monday, 22nd December 2008 (1737 views)

Scientists from Stanford University have become the first in the world to demonstrate how a nano-patterned gold film can be used to focus light.

The team used an array of minuscule slits in the gold film as far-field lenses to focus light, a development they say is "potentially important" for many applications in optics and electronics, according to Nanowerk.

Engineering research associate Peter Catrysse explained that gold was chosen for the study due to its unique properties.

"For the metal film, we opt for gold because it does not oxidise and has a good plasmonic response," he explained.

The geometry of the shapes the scientists cut into the film gives them "total control" over the device, the news provider noted.

Recently, researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology conducted a study that concluded star-shaped gold nanoparticles have properties that make them superior in a range of applications.

 

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