Nanoscale Wireless Communication System Works Through Plasmonic Antennas

plasmonic-antennas

Figure 1: Wireless Communication via Plasmonic Antennas

The mad race to produce new technologies that process information on a much more efficient and speedy scale and are flexible enough to get integrated over all devices as small as computer chips place a very premium price over the segment. One of the biggest obstacles in the path of “on-chip” communications is the unmatched dimension of electromagnetic waves at the microwave and radio frequencies. These two are known for forming the backbone of present day wireless technology. The large size of corresponding waves further restrict miniaturization of things.

However, scientists have been trying to overcome these limitation since a long long time. They are exploring new paths on the power possessed by optical conveyance. A team of researchers working at the Boston College recently registered success in developing the first wireless communication system on the nanoscale. This system is capable enough to execute operations at the visible wavelengths with the help of antennas that receive and send the surface plasmons in the most unique controlled manner.

This allows the device to have an “in-plane” configuration, a premium class of two-way information communication as well as recovery over a single path. The study was made by Robert A. Ferris, Evelyn J. Ferris and Michael J. Naughton. This new discovery is a huge step in path of creating nanoscale forms of already existing wireless communication systems. On-chip systems like these can also be used for higher speed transmissions, better efficiency, plasmonic waveguiding, as well as in-plane circuit switching – one of the process that is presently being used in the liquid crystal display screen. This device is capable of achieving communication across a number of wavelengths in tests that utilize near-field scanning optical microscopy. Naughton likes to add, “Juan was able to push it beyond the near field – at least to four times the width of a wavelength. That is true far-field transmission and nearly every device we use on a daily basis – from our cell phones to our cars – relies on far-field transmission“.