New Nanocoating Is Virtual Black Hole for Reflections

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To achieve a very low refractive index silica nanorods are deposited at an angle of precisely 45 degrees on top of a thin film of aluminum nitride. Credit: RensselaerFred Schubert
To achieve a very low refractive index, silica nanorods are deposited at an angle of precisely 45 degrees on top of a thin film of aluminum nitride. Credit: Rensselaer/Fred Schubert

A team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has created the world’s first material that reflects virtually no light. Reporting in the March issue of Nature Photonics, they describe an optical coating made from the material that enables vastly improved control over the basic properties of light. The research could open the door to much brighter LEDs, more efficient solar cells, and a new class of "smart" light sources that adjust to specific environments, among many other potential applications.


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