New Metamaterial May Speed Up Computers in the Future

A new metamaterial may speed up computers in the future. The new metamaterial has an unusual refraction of light that may help push computing into a new age.

A metamaterial is a material that's created by an artificial periodic structure. In other words, metamaterials are created by humans and aren't naturally formed in nature. Most often, metamaterials have a negative refractive index; when light is incident on the surface of such a material, the refracted light is on the same side of the normal to the surface as the incident light. The difference between the behavior of the light in a medium with a positive and a negative refractive index can be seen, for example, when a rod is immersed in liquid.

In this latest study, the researchers proposed a two-dimensional metamaterial composed of silver elements that refracts light in an unusual way. In theory, the structures could be used to develop compact optical devices, as well as to create an "invisibility cloak."

The scientists actually carried out computer simulations that showed that the new metamaterial would be a high performance material for light with a wavelength from 400 to 500 nm. Efficiency in this case is defined as the percentage of light scattered in a desired direction. The efficiency of the material is about 70 percent for refraction, and 80 percent for reflection of light. Theoretically, the efficiency could reach 100 percent but in real metals there are losses due to ohm resistance.

The latest computer modeling and findings could be used to help create better electrical interconnects in modern chips.

The findings are published in the journal Optical Materials Express.

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