164
BULK NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS
necessary to produce lasing. The rate at which atoms decay depends on the coupling
between the atom and the photon, and the density of the electromagnetic modes
available for the emitted photon. Photonic crystals could be used to control each of
these two factors independently.
Semiconductor technology constitutes the basis of integrated electronic circuitry.
The goal of putting more transistors on a chip requires further miniaturization. This
unfortunately leads to higher resistances and more energy dissipation. One possible
future direction would be to use light and photonic crystals for this technology. Light
can travel much faster in a dielectric medium than an electron can in a wire, and it
can carry a larger amount of information per second. The bandwidth of optical
systems such as fiberoptic cable is terahertz in contrast to that in electron systems
(with current flowing through wires), which is a few hundred kilohertz. Photonic
crystals have the potential to be the basis of future optical integrated circuits.
FURTHER READING
S. A. Asher et al., Mesoscopically Periodic Photonic Ciystal Materials for Linear and Non
Linear Optics and Chemical Sensing, MRS Bulletin, Oct. 1998.
I. Chang, “Rapid Solidification Processing of Nanocrystalline Metallic Alloys,” in Handbook
of Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnologv, H. S . Nalwa, ed., Academic Press,
San Deigo, 2000, Vol. 1, Chapter 11, p. 501.
A. L. Gast and W. B. Russel, “Simple Ordering in Complex Fluids,” Phys. Today (Dec. 1998).
J. E. Gordon, The New Science of Strong Materials, Penguin Books, Middlesex, UK, 1968.
J. D. Joanpoulos, P. R. Villeineuve, and S. Fan, “Photonic Crystals,” Nature 386, 143 (1997).
C. C. Koch, D. G. Moms, K. Lu, and A. Inoue, Ductility of Nanostructured Materials, MRS
M. Marder and J. Fineberg, “How Things Break,” Phys. Today (Sept. 1996).
R. L. Whetten et al., “Crystal Structure of Molecular Gold Nanocrystal Array,” Acc. Chem.
Bulletin, Feb. 1999.
Res. 32, 397 (1999).
BULK NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS
necessary to produce lasing. The rate at which atoms decay depends on the coupling
between the atom and the photon, and the density of the electromagnetic modes
available for the emitted photon. Photonic crystals could be used to control each of
these two factors independently.
Semiconductor technology constitutes the basis of integrated electronic circuitry.
The goal of putting more transistors on a chip requires further miniaturization. This
unfortunately leads to higher resistances and more energy dissipation. One possible
future direction would be to use light and photonic crystals for this technology. Light
can travel much faster in a dielectric medium than an electron can in a wire, and it
can carry a larger amount of information per second. The bandwidth of optical
systems such as fiberoptic cable is terahertz in contrast to that in electron systems
(with current flowing through wires), which is a few hundred kilohertz. Photonic
crystals have the potential to be the basis of future optical integrated circuits.
FURTHER READING
S. A. Asher et al., Mesoscopically Periodic Photonic Ciystal Materials for Linear and Non
Linear Optics and Chemical Sensing, MRS Bulletin, Oct. 1998.
I. Chang, “Rapid Solidification Processing of Nanocrystalline Metallic Alloys,” in Handbook
of Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnologv, H. S . Nalwa, ed., Academic Press,
San Deigo, 2000, Vol. 1, Chapter 11, p. 501.
A. L. Gast and W. B. Russel, “Simple Ordering in Complex Fluids,” Phys. Today (Dec. 1998).
J. E. Gordon, The New Science of Strong Materials, Penguin Books, Middlesex, UK, 1968.
J. D. Joanpoulos, P. R. Villeineuve, and S. Fan, “Photonic Crystals,” Nature 386, 143 (1997).
C. C. Koch, D. G. Moms, K. Lu, and A. Inoue, Ductility of Nanostructured Materials, MRS
M. Marder and J. Fineberg, “How Things Break,” Phys. Today (Sept. 1996).
R. L. Whetten et al., “Crystal Structure of Molecular Gold Nanocrystal Array,” Acc. Chem.
Bulletin, Feb. 1999.
Res. 32, 397 (1999).