杏吧原创

To create 鈥渙ptical鈥� microchips, engineers need cheap ways to make 鈥減hotonic
crystal鈥� switches that reflect specific wavelengths. Now researchers at NEC of
Japan and Princeton University have found a way to do this. The team suspended a
sliver of silicon in a mixture of water and ethanol containing tiny silica
beads. As the liquid evaporated, the beads bound to the silicon wafer and formed
a densely packed layer. The researchers then filled the gaps between the beads
with silicon and etched the silica beads out (Nature, vol 414, p 289).
They found the resulting honeycomb structure only reflects only one infrared
wavelength.