Researchers are investigating a new version of "spaser" - a nanoscale laser or nanolaser - technology which could mean that mobile phones become so small, efficient, and flexible they could be printed on clothing.
A team of researchers from Monash University's Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering (ECSE) has modelled the world's first spaser (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) to be made completely of carbon.
A spaser emits a beam of light through the vibration of free electrons, rather than the space-consuming electromagnetic wave emission process of a traditional laser.
PhD student and lead researcher Chanaka Rupasinghe said the modelled spaser design using carbon would offer many advantages.
Chanaka said other spasers designed to date are made of gold or silver nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots while our device would be comprised of a graphene resonator and a carbon nanotube gain element.
He said the use of carbon means our spaser would be more robust and flexible, would operate at high temperatures, and be eco-friendly.
Chanaka said because of these properties, there is the possibility that in the future an extremely thin mobile phone could be printed on clothing."
The paper has been published in ACS Nano.
