Graphene hybrid interacts with electromagnetic radiation

A team of international scientists, led by Exeter’s Prof Geoff Nash have engineered a new hybrid structure - or metamaterial - that is claimed to possess specific characteristics that are not found in natural materials.

According to the university, the team combined nano-ribbons of graphene, in which electrons are able to oscillate backwards and forwards, together with a split ring resonator, which is a type of antenna.

Careful design of these two elements leads to a system that interacts strongly with electromagnetic radiation. In these experiments the team used light with very long wavelengths to show that these new structure can be used as a type of optical switch to interrupt, and turn on and off, a beam of this light very quickly.

The collaborative international research included Dr Sergey Mikhailov at the University of Augsburg, Germany, and Prof Jérôme Faist at ETH Zurich.

In a statement, Prof Geoff Nash, from Exeter University’s Department of Engineering said: “In these novel results we demonstrate a new type of structure which can be used not only as an exciting test bed to explore the underlying new science, but that could form the basis of a range of technologically important components.”