At a Glance
- Electrical engineers have determined the theoretical fundamental limit for how much electromagnetic energy a transparent material with a given thickness can absorb. This has practical implications for optimizing devices that block specific radiation frequencies while allowing others to pass through.
- The research addresses the challenge of maximizing the absorption of certain types of light by increasing the thickness of the material, a crucial factor in applications such as antenna design and sunscreen development.
- The researchers developed a new mathematical approach to determining the fundamental limits of electromagnetic energy absorption in non-metal-backed layers. This provides valuable insights for practical applications in engineering and technology.
- The study’s findings have practical implications in various fields, particularly in the design of devices that selectively block certain electromagnetic radiation frequencies while allowing others to pass through.
- This research contributes to fundamental studies and has significant implications for practical applications in engineering and technology, offering valuable insights for both fundamental and applied studies.
Electrical engineers at Duke University have made a significant discovery regarding the maximum amount of electromagnetic energy that a transparent material of a specific thickness can absorb. This breakthrough finding is crucial for optimizing devices designed to block specific radiation frequencies while allowing others to pass through, with potential applications in stealth technology and wireless communications.
Professor Willie Padilla, an electrical and computer engineering expert at Duke, emphasized the rarity of finding such a fundamental and exact result in physics. The research, published in Nanophotonics, sheds light on the theoretical limits of electromagnetic energy absorption in transparent materials, offering valuable insights for various practical applications, from antenna design to the development of effective sunscreen.
The study builds upon previous research that focused on the absorption capabilities of metal-backed slabs. By removing the metal edge and allowing light to pass through, the researchers, with the help of Professor Vahid Tarokh, developed a new mathematical approach to determine the fundamental limits of electromagnetic energy absorption in non-metal-backed layers.
This breakthrough has practical implications in various fields, particularly in designing devices that selectively block specific electromagnetic radiation frequencies while allowing others to pass through. Understanding these fundamental limits will enable engineers to optimize their designs effectively, ensuring the effort to refine the devices is worthwhile. This research contributes to fundamental studies and has significant implications for practical applications in engineering and technology.
References
- Duke University. (2024, March 14). Researchers prove fundamental limits of electromagnetic energy absorption. Phys.Org; Duke University. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-fundamental-limits-electromagnetic-energy-absorption.html
- Padilla, W. J., Deng, Y., Khatib, O., & Tarokh, V. (2024). Fundamental absorption bandwidth to thickness limit for transparent homogeneous layers. Nanophotonics. https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2023-0920
