Russian physicists have developed a new approach to controlling the optical properties of films made of carbon nanotubes, which opens up prospects for applications in photonics, optoelectronics, and nanotechnology. This method allows controlling the optical characteristics of materials whose interaction with light depends on its direction (parallel or perpendicular). This was reported by the Center for Scientific Communication of MIPT.
The researchers came to this discovery while studying a recently identified phenomenon — the effect of wandering optical axes. It consists of changing the position of the optical axes of a material depending on the wavelength of light. Experiments have shown that two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, exhibit this effect. With proper arrangement, nanotubes can influence each other, which allows flexible changes in the properties of the entire film.
This approach not only creates new opportunities for the development of nanophotonic devices, but can also be used to create unique protective markings that are virtually impossible to counterfeit without knowledge of the technology of their production.
Carbon nanotubes, discovered in 1991, are known for their outstanding properties: high strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity. They are already used in various high-tech devices, and the new discovery expands the horizons of their use.
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