Purdue Research: Communications Milestone

Purdue scientists say they are the first to create a material having a negative index of refraction in the wavelength used for telecommunications.

This work represents a milestone because it demonstrates that it is possible to have a negative refractive index in the optical range, which increases the likelihood of harnessing this phenomenon for optics and communications, said Vladimir Shalaev, professor of electrical and computer engineering.

The material consists of tiny parallel nanorods of gold that conduct clouds of electrons called plasmons with a frequency of light referred to as the near-infrared.

The wavelength size of the near-infrared light is 1.5 millionths of a meter, the same wavelength used for fiber optic communications.

The research is detailed in a paper appearing Dec. 15 in the journal Optics Letters.