Development of a Noble Optical Devise Stopping Light Reflection from Material Border Surface, Controlling Light Reflection by Metallo-Nanostructural Material, Opposing to Common Sense of Optics

	Discovery Research Institute Nanophotonics Laboratory Chief Scientist: Dr. Satoshi Kawata Senior Research Scientist: Dr. Takuo Tanaka



Development of a Noble Optical Devise Stopping Light Reflection from Material Border Surface, Controlling Light Reflection by Metallo-Nanostructural Material, Opposing to Common Sense of Optics

Eternal glory of diamond attracts human mind. The glorious reflection light from diamond is scientifically explained by the large difference in the refraction indices between the air and diamond; all the incoming light is perfectly coming out by reflection. Light reflection at the border between materials due to the difference in their refraction indices, however, is problematic loss in the application to optical communication through glass fiber because part of the initial light does not enter the fiber by reflection. In order to solve the problem, Nanophotonics Laboratory in Discovery Research Institute attempted to provide a noble optical devise based on "Brewster phenomenon." New prisms, called "meta-material prisms," are composed of transparent solid material like glass in which nano-meter sized coil of rare metals such as gold, silver, etc. are processed and integrated. Using this new devise, the group established new technology to pass all the light without reflection light from material border surface, while overcoming the problem due to the difference in refractive indices. Meta-material prisms are expected to open new age to develop new lineups of optical appliance. The research details are reported in the reference; Physical Review B, 73 (12), (2006).


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