March 28, 2022—Perhaps you wear glasses or have a cell phone, binoculars, a virtual reality headset, or a telescope. All of them rely on high-quality lenses, which are bulky, expensive, and heavy—especially when used in drones and satellites, where every gram counts.
However, that is all about to change. New, cheap, lightweight flat lenses – around a thousandth of the thickness of a human hair – will be making their move from research labs to our shops and homes. Currently, there are several kinds of flat-lens technologies available. However, the challenge is to know which version is best suited for the specific application for which it was designed. Professor Uriel Levy, Director of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)’s Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology solved this problem with postdoc student Dr. Jacob Engelberg. They established a standard method to compare flat-lens technologies and designs and published their findings in the leading journal Nature Photonics.
New, flat lenses offer clear advantages over conventional lenses. With conventional lenses, the “stronger” the lens (the higher the prescription), the greater the curvature. Further, the larger the lens diameter, the thicker the lens. This has implications—in both weight and size—for products, such as consumer electronics, cellphones, VR headsets, and drones where the push is to make them as light as possible.
The new flat lenses are incredibly thin and as the name suggests – they are flat rather than curved. However, there are different flat lenses designs and technologies on the market and few guidelines vis a vis which lens would be most appropriate for a given need. Additionally, claims of success have been difficult to assess since there is no universally accepted method for comparison of these lenses. And, with a simple method of production, based on those used to create silicon chips, these new lenses will be extremely cheap and readily available. Engelberg and Levy stepped in to create a proper method of comparison. “Adopting the standardized characterization methods that we’ve proposed will help this field progress,” he shared.
###
CITATION: Jacob Engelberg and Uriel Levy, Standardizing Flat Lens Characterization, Nature Photonics, vol 16, March 2022, 171-173. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-022-00963-7
FUNDING: Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Israeli Innovation Authority.
Related articles
First Quantum Computer Powered by Superconductor Technology Built in Israel by Hebrew University and its Tech Transfer Company Yissum
December 17, 2024 — Israel’s first quantum computer, which will provide advanced superconducting technology, is now operational, strengthening its position as a leader in quantum technology. The 20-qubit quantum computer was developed under the leadership of the Israel Innovation Authority,
New Model for Evaluating Hospital Decision-Making Developed by Hebrew University Researchers
December 12, 2024 — A new model that helps hospitals evaluate patient treatment, developed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, outperforms the widely used Elixhauser Comorbidity model used to predict key outcomes. The new, expanded model, described in BMC Health Services Research,
New On-Chip Nanodevice That Provides High Quality, Room Temperature Light for Optics and Communications, Developed by Hebrew University Researchers
December 12, 2024 — A nano-sized on-chip device that produces high-quality light with over 93% polarization purity at room temperature, has been developed by Hebrew University researchers. The research, published in ACS Photonics, details how they produced radially polarized light, that is useful
