New ‘Spaser’ technology to fuel future nano-technologies
By ANIThursday, January 13, 2011
WASHINGTON - Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a new technology called ‘Spaser’, a laser that can be as small as needed to fuel nano-technologies of the future.
Prof. David Bergman had patented the idea 2003 with Prof. Mark Stockman of Georgia State University in Atlanta.
‘Spaser’ stands for ’surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’ and are considered a critical component for future technologies based on nanophotonics.
A Spaser-based microscope might be so sensitive that it could see genetic base pairs in DNA.
The technology could also lead to computers and electronics that operate at speeds 100 times greater than today’s devices, using light instead of electrons to communicate and compute.
“It rhymes with laser, but our Spaser is different. Based on pure physics, it’s like a laser, but much, much, much smaller,” said Prof. Bergman, who owns the Spaser patent with his American partner.
The physical limitations of current materials are overcome in the Spaser because it uses plasmons, and not photons. Smaller than the wavelength of light, nano-sized plasmonic devices will be fast and small.
The team is currently working on commercializing their invention, which they suggest could represent a quantum leap in the development of nano-sized devices. (ANI)
