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Researchers consider electromagnetic dissipation in metamaterials and plasmonic systems comprised of various materials. They predict that graphene and high-temperature superconductors may not be suitable for practical resonant metamaterial applications and are unlikely to outperform conventional metals in plasmonics. Transition metals, alkali metals and transparent conducting oxides are also discussed.
Extreme ultraviolet attosecond pulses, which emerge from the interaction of atoms with intense laser fields, play a central role in modern ultrafast science and the exploration of electron behaviour. Recent work now shows that catastrophe theory can help optimize the properties of these pulses.
The application of catastrophe theory to high-harmonic generation is creating opportunities for optimizing the spectral intensity of extreme-ultraviolet light and characterizing attosecond pulses, explains Oren Raz from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
Using advanced technologies to improve photoinduced charge transfer and light harvesting is essential in the development of high-efficiency solar cells. Once the problem of energy storage has been overcome, solar energy is sure to become the world's major source of sustainable energy.
The demonstration of an in-fibre semiconductor photodetector with gigahertz bandwidth bodes well for the future development of hybrid fibre optoelectronics.
Bio-inspired by the nano-architectures of iridescent Morpho butterfly scales, scientists have demonstrated a highly sensitive infrared detector that can efficiently upconvert mid-infrared radiation to visible iridescence changes.
Suntech Power is the world's largest producer of solar panels and has delivered more than 20 million photovoltaic panels to more than 80 countries around the globe. Nature Photonics spoke with Stuart Wenham, chief technology officer at Suntech Power, to find out more about its activities and visions.
Plasmons are free-electron oscillations in a conductor that allow light to be manipulated at the nanoscale. The ability of plasmons to guide and confine light on subwavelength scales is opening up new design possibilities for solar cells.
Solar cells based on solution-processed semiconductor nanoparticles — colloidal quantum dots — have seen rapid advances in recent years. By offering full-spectrum solar harvesting, these cells are poised to address the urgent need for low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaics.
