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Next Generation Lens to Boost Communications

Breakthrough:
A new generation of lens developed by Duke University scientists could usher in a revolution in telecommunications by providing a wider field of view and greater detail.

The Story:
Next Generation Lens to Boost Communications

The prototype lens looks nothing like a conventional lens as it is not made from a transparent substance such as glass or plastic. Yet it is able to focus the electromagnetic rays that pass through it more clearly than current instruments.

Small but Powerful

The device looks more like a scaled-down version of a venetian blind and measures four inches by five inches and is less than an inch high. It is made up of more than 1,000 individual pieces of copper-etched fiberglass, the same material used in computer circuit boards. The pieces are arranged in precise parallel rows that direct rays as they pass through.

"Instead of using the surfaces of the lens to control rays, we studied altering the material between the surfaces," said Nathan Kundtz, post-doctoral associate in electrical and computer engineering at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering. "If you can control the volume, or bulk, of the lens, you gain much more freedom and control to design a lens to meet specific needs."

The property of a lens depends on the material and its shape and traditional lenses have their limitations; they are just transparent materials that cause rays of light to converge or diverge. And so scientists all over the world are investigating a plethora of options to create more powerful and flexible lenses.

The groundbreaking Duke University lens has been a theoretical concept for a while, but this is the first time it has been demonstrated in the real world. The experimental work was carried out in the laboratory of senior researcher David R. Smith, the William Bevan Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Metamaterials

The construction of the lens was made possible by advances in electromagnetic metamaterials. These are artificially structured materials which are engineered to interact with and control electromagnetic waves.

When light or other rays such as microwaves enter a metamaterial their electric and magnetic fields cause electrons within the material to move around. This exchange of electromagnetic energy creates the means by which metamaterials can be used to manipulate parts of the spectrum to exhibit properties not found in nature.
The new lens has a wide angle of view that is almost 180 degrees, and though the experiments at Duke were limited to microwaves the scientists believe that it is possible to create lenses for wider frequencies.

Future Research

For Smith and his team the research is ongoing. They believe that a single electromagnetic metamaterial lens could replace conventional optical systems and produce much clearer images. Radar systems could also benefit by being made more sensitive as a metamaterial lens would be better able to direct beams.

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