26.04.2013 Views

Introduction to Nanotechnology

Introduction to Nanotechnology

Introduction to Nanotechnology

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

164 BULK NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS<br />

necessary <strong>to</strong> produce lasing. The rate at which a<strong>to</strong>ms decay depends on the coupling<br />

between the a<strong>to</strong>m and the pho<strong>to</strong>n, and the density of the electromagnetic modes<br />

available for the emitted pho<strong>to</strong>n. Pho<strong>to</strong>nic crystals could be used <strong>to</strong> control each of<br />

these two fac<strong>to</strong>rs independently.<br />

Semiconduc<strong>to</strong>r technology constitutes the basis of integrated electronic circuitry.<br />

The goal of putting more transis<strong>to</strong>rs on a chip requires further miniaturization. This<br />

unfortunately leads <strong>to</strong> higher resistances and more energy dissipation. One possible<br />

future direction would be <strong>to</strong> use light and pho<strong>to</strong>nic crystals for this technology. Light<br />

can travel much faster in a dielectric medium than an electron can in a wire, and it<br />

can carry a larger amount of information per second. The bandwidth of optical<br />

systems such as fiberoptic cable is terahertz in contrast <strong>to</strong> that in electron systems<br />

(with current flowing through wires), which is a few hundred kilohertz. Pho<strong>to</strong>nic<br />

crystals have the potential <strong>to</strong> be the basis of future optical integrated circuits.<br />

FURTHER READING<br />

S. A. Asher et al., Mesoscopically Periodic Pho<strong>to</strong>nic Ciystal Materials for Linear and Non<br />

Linear Optics and Chemical Sensing, MRS Bulletin, Oct. 1998.<br />

I. Chang, “Rapid Solidification Processing of Nanocrystalline Metallic Alloys,” in Handbook<br />

of Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnologv, H. S. Nalwa, ed., Academic Press,<br />

San Deigo, 2000, Vol. 1, Chapter 11, p. 501.<br />

A. L. Gast and W. B. Russel, “Simple Ordering in Complex Fluids,” Phys. Today (Dec. 1998).<br />

J. E. Gordon, The New Science of Strong Materials, Penguin Books, Middlesex, UK, 1968.<br />

J. D. Joanpoulos, P. R. Villeineuve, and S. Fan, “Pho<strong>to</strong>nic Crystals,” Nature 386, 143 (1997).<br />

C. C. Koch, D. G. Moms, K. Lu, and A. Inoue, Ductility of Nanostructured Materials, MRS<br />

Bulletin, Feb. 1999.<br />

M. Marder and J. Fineberg, “How Things Break,” Phys. Today (Sept. 1996).<br />

R. L. Whetten et al., “Crystal Structure of Molecular Gold Nanocrystal Array,” Acc. Chem.<br />

Res. 32, 397 (1999).

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!