Nanostructure Design Enables Pixels' Polarizing View
June 25, 2015 | A*STAREstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Through precise structural control, A*STAR researchers have encoded a single pixel with two distinct colors and have used this capability to generate a three-dimensional stereoscopic image1.
Figuring out how to include two types of information in the same area was an enticing challenge for Xiao Ming Goh, Joel Yang and their colleagues at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. They knew such a capability could help a range of applications, including ultrahigh-definition three-dimensional color displays and state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting measures. So they set about designing a nanostructure architecture that could provide more ‘bang for the buck’.
Having previously used plasmonic materials to generate color prints at the optical diffraction limit by carefully varying the nanostructure size and spacing, Yang thought polarization would be a promising direction to pursue. “We decided to extend our research to prints that would exhibit different images depending on the polarization of the incident light,” he explains.
The main challenge to overcome was the mixing of colors between polarizations, a phenomenon known as cross-talk. Goh and Yang trialed two aluminum nanostructures as pixel arrays: ellipses and two squares separated by a very small space (known as coupled nanosquare dimers).
Each pixel arrangement had its own pros and cons. While the ellipses offered a broader color range and were easier to pattern than the nanosquare dimers, they also exhibited a slightly higher cross-talk. In contrast, the coupled nanosquare dimers had a lower cross-talk but suffered from a very narrow color range.
Because of their lower cross-talk, the coupled nanosquare dimers were deemed better candidates for encoding two overlaid images on the same area that could be viewed by using different incident polarizations.
While the coupled nanosquare dimers’ color palette could be expanded by varying the width and spacing between adjacent squares in each nanosquare dimer, the ellipses were better for demonstrating the wide color range achievable.
Furthermore, the researchers used these pixel arrays to generate a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. They achieved this by using ellipses as pixel elements, carefully offsetting the images and choosing background colors that minimized cross-talk.
“Being able to print two images onto the same area and, further, generating a three-dimensional stereoscopic image opens up many new avenues for applications,” remarks Goh.
But the possibilities do not end there. Complex nanostructures, including circularly asymmetric shapes, offer many more options. “By employing additional circular polarizations, we could encode multiple images ― that is, not just two, but three or more images in a single area,” Goh explains.
Suggested Items
Scientists Propose a New Way to Search for Dark Matter
04/02/2024 | SLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryEver since its discovery, dark matter has remained invisible to scientists, despite the launch of multiple ultra-sensitive particle detector experiments around the world over several decades.
Walmart Acquires Vizio, Set to Overtake Samsung as the Largest TV Brand in the US
02/22/2024 | TrendForceUS retail giant Walmart announced on February 20, that it has acquired smart TV brand Vizio for US$2.3 billion, aiming to accelerate the growth of its advertising business: Walmart Connect. Since its launch in 2021, Walmart Connect has seen double-digit annual growth in both its online and offline retail media advertising ventures. Vizio has been expanding its device ecosystem and its SmartCast TV OS, boasting over 18 million active users, according to TrendForce.
Fiber Optic Cables Effective Way to Detect Tsunamis
02/16/2024 | University of MichiganFiber optic cables that line ocean floors could provide a less expensive, more comprehensive alternative to the current buoys that act as early warning systems for tsunamis, says a University of Michigan researcher.
EIPC Winter Conference 2024, Day 2: A Closer Look at Global Trends
02/14/2024 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The opening session of the second day’s conference proceedings focused on global PCB trends and was introduced and moderated by Dr. Michele Stampanoni, vice president of strategic sales and business development at Cicor Group in Switzerland. He opened the session with Dr. Hayao Nakahara’s knowledgeable and enlightening video presentation on the IC substrates industry.
IDTechEx Discusses Whether Fuel Cell Vehicles Will Succeed and What It Would Take
02/12/2024 | PRNewswireThe sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars have largely stalled from 2021 onwards, but does this mean there is no market for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the future, and what is required to make them a success? IDTechEx's report, "