Innovative Flexible Near-Infrared Devices Created by Indian Researchers for Wearable Sensors
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Dec 12 (NationPress) Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), located in Bengaluru, an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have created innovative flexible near-infrared plasmonic devices intended for wearable sensors and medical imaging technologies.
The research team has introduced a pioneering method to fabricate flexible near-infrared plasmonic devices using cost-effective scandium nitride (ScN) films.
According to the researchers, “This could transform the development of future optoelectronic devices, flexible sensors, and medical imaging instruments that depend on NIR light, by incorporating scalable and economical plasmonic materials,” as stated in their recent publication in the journal Nano Letters.
Plasmonics is an area that exploits the interaction between light and free electrons in metals to produce highly concentrated electromagnetic fields. Traditionally, plasmonic materials have been inflexible and have restricted design options. Many existing materials, such as gold or silver, not only tend to be expensive but also limit versatility.
This research is poised to impact a variety of sectors, ranging from telecommunications to biomedicine, providing a novel material basis for the creation of next-generation flexible and wearable plasmonic devices.
The team, led by Prof. Bivas Saha, showcased a technique to grow flexible plasmonic structures.
They successfully produced ScN layers that exhibit remarkable quality and flexibility by combining scandium nitride with van der Waals layer substrates, which are materials characterized by weak interlayer interactions. This breakthrough opens a new avenue in plasmonic materials research.
The findings also underscore the potential of scandium nitride as a viable plasmonic material for applications necessitating both flexibility and precision in near-infrared (NIR) optics.
“The stability of scandium nitride, coupled with its compatibility with van der Waals substrates, renders it a compelling candidate for the future of flexible electronics,” stated Saha.
“Our discoveries mark progress towards realizing advanced plasmonic devices that are not only high-performing but also adaptable to non-traditional applications,” he further added.
Saha’s team demonstrated that ScN is a robust material that not only supports NIR plasmonics but also maintains its performance under conditions of bending and flexing, positioning it as a leader in flexible device applications.
