Izibuko ze-Metamaterial zingase ziqhube uguquko oluphawulekayo ezinsizeni zokubona

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ithimba locwaningo elivela eHarvard University lenze ilensi yokucindezela efakwe phansi, enobubanzi obuphansi bephepha ngokuhlanganisa "amanani amancane" e-titanium dioxide (TiO₂) anokuphakama okungama-600 nanometers. Le ndlela entsha ye-lensi ingase ilethe ushintsho olukhulu ezinsizeni zokubona.

Lenses are indispensable components in many optical instruments and electronic products. Traditional lenses are usually made of glass; however, due to their inherent volume and weight, glass lenses often make the instruments bulky—this issue becomes even more pronounced when multiple lenses are required.

Metamaterials have long been a key research focus within the field of photonic crystals. The essence of metamaterials lies in their nanostructures, whose size is smaller than the wavelength of light. These structures can "interact playfully" with photons through different shapes, sizes, and arrangements: they can block, absorb, enhance, or refract photons as needed.

To date, however, metamaterials have not been widely applied in the field of optical lenses. The core reason for this (and also a major difference between metamaterial lenses and glass lenses) is that metamaterials are highly "wavelength-selective" for light. In other words, a lens effective for red light cannot focus green light, and vice versa. Additionally, developing materials suitable for the visible light spectrum (perceivable by the human eye) has proven to be quite challenging. Early metamaterials were primarily silicon-based surface plasmon materials.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iphepha lesayensi elishicilelwe ephepheni *Science* likhombisile ukuthi ukusetyenziswa kwe-metamaterials manje sekufinyeleleka. Ithimba locwaningo oluvela eHarvard University lakha ilensi yokuhlanganisa elula, eyincane njengephepha ngokuhlanganisa "amanani amancane" e-titanium dioxide (TiO₂) anokuphakama okungama-600 nanometers. I-titanium dioxide ikhethwe ikakhulukazi ngoba le msebenzi ayibonisi ukuhamba okukhulu kokukhanya okubonakalayo. Le lens ye-metamaterial inemiphumela yokwandisa efika ku-170 izikhathi, futhi isixazululo sezithombe ezandisiwe sifana nalokho kwezelensi zengilazi ezijwayelekile. Le ndlela entsha ye-lensi ingase ibangele ushintsho olukhulu ezinsizeni zokubona.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, amagalasi e-metamaterial okwamanje angasetshenziswa kuphela kumadivayisi asebenzisa ama-laser (uhlobo lwezinga le-electromagnetic olune-wavelength eyodwa). Uma inselelo yokuphatha ama-wavelength ahlanganisiwe ingaxazululwa ngelinye ilanga, zonke izinsiza zokubona zizodlula ekuguqulweni okukhulu. Uma le mpumelelo ifinyelelwa, usayizi wamagalasi okukhanya uzoncishiswa kakhulu, izindleko zawo zizokwehla kakhulu, futhi ukuqonda kwethu kwezinye zezinsiza zokubona ezikhona kuzodlula ekuguqulweni okukhulu.