Nov 30 2010
The University of Pittsburgh scientists have developed a light sensor with four nanometer width and light detecting capacity on a nearly atomic scale.
The average width of a human hair is 80,000 nm. According to Professor Jeremy Levy at Pitt Physics, the study is based on the earlier research work conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, and has helped the scientists to sketch electronic ways isolated by very few atoms on a semiconductor surface.
Levy commented that for tracking the light in the near-atomic scale, this methodology can be employed, since the real flexibility over a targeted area is larger. He remarked that the sensor is capable of representing numerous issues that scientists encounter during working with light sensitive elements. Incorporating both the optical and electronic elements is a tedious task, and with the advent of this novel platform novel nano electronics can be generated and could integrate the electronic and optical characteristics, he added. Upon detecting the light, it is simple to read electronically.
The sensor can also distinguish various colors that other sensors cannot perform. They could also modify the sensitivity to numerous colors of light by varying the electrical properties, and that almost all the photo detectors calibrate the absorbed light but cannot distinguish the color of the light.
Source: http://www.pitt.edu