Silver: more transparent than glass



Researchers of the surface spectroscopies and surface plasmon photonics group (Institute for the Structure of Matter - CSIC) have demonstrated in a theoretical study that it is possible to build transparent electrical wiring. The work, recently published in the Optics Express Journal, it is shown that a silver electrical conductor of sub-micrometer dimensions can be rendered practically transparent when covered by a semiconductor coating like silicon. In the article, one of whose figures have been selected by the Optical Society of America (OSA) as “Image of the week”, it is shown that, with an appropriate design, those metallic wires can be more transparent than a glass thin film of nanometric dimensions. Considering the state-of-the-art fabrication abilities, it is possible that, in the near future, optical and electronic systems will be produced in a more compact fashion where no interference among electronic and optic functionality takes place. As a consequence, it will become possible increase the efficiency of devices such as photovoltaic cells, and chips used in optical fiber telecommunications among other promising applications.

27 de septiembre de 2013