Light plays a major role in our lives. It guides the way, gives us warmth, and influences us in many ways. But light can do a lot more. For example, it can have a complex structure – that is often hidden from the eye – but is the key to versatile applications. The situation is similar with modern functional materials, which, in addition to the inherent material properties, obtain additional functionality through their substructure.
In a recently published research highlight, Peter Banzer now describes in an easily accessible way the versatile and mind-boggling possibilities that are made possible by the sculpting of light fields and the nanostructuring of matter. The corresponding research highlight article only scratches the surface of what’s possible, but it gives an insight into the impressive work of the tailors of light and matter around the world.
P. Banzer, Structured Light and Structured Matter – From Tall to Small, IEEE Photonics Society News, Research Highlight, Vol. 35, No. 5, p. 5-7 (2021);
https://www.photonicssociety.org/images/files/publications/Newsletter/Photo_Oct2021-web.pdf
Contact: Peter Banzer; Optics of Nano and Quantum Materials (website)