Team says it created world record nanolens

BOSTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A Boston research team has created a new microlens that team members say can point the way to higher quality digital electronic imaging.

Srinivas Sridhar, chairman of physics at Northeastern University, and his team of researchers created a new nano-optical lens capable of focusing infrared light at telecommunication frequencies. They reported in a Tuesday press release that the lens was able to focus an infrared beam to a world record 12 micrometers away from its target.

"In order to go to the next level and create more efficient electronics, such as digital cameras, we need to explore ways to make things smaller," said Sridhar. "This research shows that it is possible to create smaller, ultra-compact infrared optical components that can be integrated into existing semiconductor technologies while not sacrificing image quality."

Possibilities go even further he suggested.

"Light imaging technology is a crucial component to the field of optoelectronics, which uses light instead of electrons for carrying information, and represents the next generation of combined optical and electronic platforms essential for future computers," added Sridhar.