An Oregon State University materials researcher is part of a group of scientists who have developed a better tool to measure light.
A powerful, ultra-tiny spectrometer that fits on a microchip and is operated using artificial intelligence is the result of a study published today in Science.
A proof of concept for a spectrometer that could be easily incorporated into a variety of technologies is a result of the research.
A professor of physics in the OSU College of Science said that they have demonstrated a way of building spectrometers that are far more miniature than what is currently used. Many industries and fields of science use microscopes to measure the strength of light.
The new device could fit on the end of a human hair and require less bulky components. The current smallest spectrometers are about the size of a grape, but new research suggests that they can be scaled down to the size of a grape with the use of novel Semiconductor Materials and Artificial Intelligence.
The leader of the study said that the spectrometer doesn't require assembling separate optical and mechanical components. It can achieve a high resolution comparable to a system in a smaller package.
The researchers say that the device's ability to control the colors of light it absorbs gives it a lot of potential for scale and ease of use.
It could be integrated directly into portable devices such as drones. Hyperspectral cameras could be the next generation of smartphones.
Hyperspectral cameras have the ability to capture and analyze information from both visible and IR wavelength.
"It's exciting that our spectrometer opens up possibilities for all sorts of new everyday gadgets and instruments to do new science."
spectrometers are being tested for their ability to identify subtle changes in human tissue such as the difference between tumors and healthy tissue
The amount of pollution in the air, water, and ground can be detected with the help of spectrometers.
He said it would be great to have low-cost portable spectrometers doing this work. The hands-on teaching of science concepts would be more effective with inexpensive, compact spectrometers.
There are a lot of applications for science lovers.
He said that if you are into astronomy, you might be interested in measuring the spectrum of light that you collect with your telescope and having that information identify a star or planet. gemstones can be identified by measuring the spectrum of light they absorb.
As work with two-dimensional Semiconductor progresses, we will be discovering new ways to use their novel optical and electronic properties. The study of Graphene, carbon arranged in a honeycomb lattice with a thickness of one atom, started the research into 2D Semiconductor.
Minot said it's really exciting. We will continue to have interesting discoveries by studying two-dimensional Semiconductors.
The collaboration included scientists from a number of universities, including the University of Cambridge.
More information: Hoon Hahn Yoon et al, Miniaturized spectrometers with a tunable van der Waals junction, Science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.add8544. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add8544 Journal information: Science
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