A phenomenon based on quantum physics has allowed scientists to develop a lens just three atoms thick. This thin lens is remarkable for its direct transmission of most wavelengths of light, which has great potential in devices such as fiber optic communications and augmented reality glasses.

Thinnest lens in history created

Developed by researchers from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Stanford University in the US, the lens is said to advance research into such lenses and miniaturized electronic systems.

Instead of using the curved surface of a transparent material to refract light, the lens focuses incoming waves using refraction.

The technology, known as a Fresnel lens or zone plate lens, has been used for centuries to produce lightweight, thin lenses, such as those used in lighthouses.

To give the technology a quantum boost, the research team etched concentric rings into a thin layer of a semiconductor called tungsten disulfide (WS2). When WS2 absorbs light, its electrons move in a certain way and leave a vacuum, which can be thought of as a kind of particle.

The electron and the “gap” combine to form an “exciton”, which has a property that helps the efficiency of focusing light at certain wavelengths while allowing other wavelengths to pass through unchanged.

The size of the rings and the distance between them enabled the lens to focus red light 1 millimeter away. The research team found that the lens works at room temperature but at lower temperatures its focusing capabilities become even more efficient.

The researchers plan to conduct more experiments in the future to see how exciton behavior can be further manipulated and how it can increase the efficiency and capabilities of the lens.

You can check out the original source where the research was published here. What do you think? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.