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Reflectivity Reaches a New Low

Posted by Zonk on from the engaging-cloaking-device dept.

sporkme writes "A new nanocoating material developed by a team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has the lowest level of reflectivity ever seen ... or not seen in this case. The amount of light reflected by the composite of silica nanorods and aluminum nitride is almost the same amount reflected by air. From the article: 'Schubert and his coworkers have created a material with a refractive index of 1.05, which is extremely close to the refractive index of air and the lowest ever reported. Window glass, for comparison, has a refractive index of about 1.45. Using a technique called oblique angle deposition, the researchers deposited silica nanorods at an angle of precisely 45 degrees on top of a thin film of aluminum nitride, which is a semiconducting material used in advanced light-emitting diodes (LEDs). From the side, the films look much like the cross section of a piece of lawn turf with the blades slightly flattened.' Suggested applications include increased efficiency in solar cells, more energy-efficient lighting and advances in quantum mechanics."

6 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Thats great by bherman · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Now can they work on getting their (RPI) name out beyond the East Coast?
    My degree is worthless when no one here (Chicago) has ever heard of the school!


    except hockey players.

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  2. Ninjas by N.+P.+Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant
    I, for one, welcome our new "ninjas coated in this stuff" overlords.

    But only at night.

  3. Good way to avoid speeding tickets by pyite69 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    How much would it cost to cover your car with this?

  4. Extremely useful by lordvalrole · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Probably extremely useful to military purposes. (ie. stealth sort of stuff)

  5. Wavelengths & military applications by MobyDisk · · Score: 0, Redundant

    The technique allows the researchers to strongly reduce or even eliminate reflection at all wavelengths and incoming angles of light, I'm amazed the article doesn't mention military applications. What do they use on stealth planes now?
  6. Better use, anti-glare coating on TVs and monitors by Fallen+Kell · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And I bet a LOT of TV companies would be very willing to pay a great deal of money for this.

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