Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles

1. A group found how to turn the antenna effect on and off in metallic nanoparticles.

2. The light has a smaller wavelength and therefore much smaller antennas are needed.

3. The electrons of these nanoparticles move along with the surrounding light

   • they can act as nanoanthenes

4. Like the macroscopic antennas take a signal, intensify and send it in a certain direction, these nanoanthenes do exactly the same but with light.

5. But the system dissipates energy that should not dissipate

6. In the future this could help in medical or lighting sensors and even replace the 'lamps' of our cell phones and achieve systems as small as capable of illuminating large surfaces with an efficiency never before seen.

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