We’ve sure come far since frying ants with a magnifying glass. Researchers on the University of Southampton used nano-structures to create millimeter-sized “monolithic glass space-variant polarization converters,” which ultimately changes the best way light travels through and is stored in glass. These “whirlpools” of sunshine data is usually read like information stored in optical fibers — taking into account “more precise laser material processing, optical manipulation of atom-sized objects, ultra-high resolution imaging and potentially, table-top particle accelerators.” (Does that mean all of us get one among these on our desks?) This new five dimensional approach is reusable, twenty times cheaper and more compact in comparison to old methods of microscopy using a spatial light modulator , making it a win-win. Check up on the entire PR after the fold.
[Thanks, Adam]
Optical vortex converter
University of Southampton researchers have developed new nano-structured glass, turning it into new kind of computer memory, which has applications in optical manipulation and may significantly reduce the price of medical imaging.
In a paper entitled Radially polarized optical vortex converter created by femtosecond laser nanostructuring of glass published in Applied Physics Letters, a team led by Professor Peter Kazansky on the University’s Optoelectronics Research Centre, describe how they’ve used nano-structures to develop new monolithic glass space-variant polarisation converters. These millimetre-sized devices change the way in which light travels through glass, generating ‘whirlpools’ of sunshine which can then be read in much an identical way as data in optical fibres. This allows more precise laser material processing, optical manipulation of atom-sized objects, ultra-high resolution imaging and potentially, table-top particle accelerators. Information will be written, wiped and rewritten into the molecular structure of the glass using a laser.
In keeping with the researchers, at sufficient intensities, ultra-short laser pulses can be utilized to imprint tiny dots (like 3D pixels) called ‘voxels’ in glass. Their previous research showed that lasers with fixed polarisation produce voxels inclusive of a periodic arrangement of ultra-thin (tens of nanometers) planes. By passing polarised light through any such voxel imprinted in silica glass, the researchers observed that it travels differently looking on the polarisation orientation of the sunshine. This ‘form birefringence’ phenomenon is the premise in their new polarisation converter.
The good thing about this approach over existing methods for microscopy is that it’s far 20 times cheaper and it’s compact.
“Before this we needed to use a spatial light modulator in accordance with liquid crystal which cost about £20,000,” said Professor Peter Kazansky. “Instead now we have just put a tiny device into the optical beam and we get an identical result.”
Since publication of the paper in May this year, the researchers have developed this technology further and adapted it for a five-dimensional optical recording.
“We now have improved the standard and fabrication time and we’ve developed this five-dimensional memory, which means data could be stored at the glass and last forever,” said Martynas Beresna, lead researcher for the project. “Not anyone has ever done this before.”
The researchers are working with the Lithuanian company Altechna to introduce this technology to the market. This work was done inside the framework of EU project Femtoprint.
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