Nanotecnology/Nanophotonics (Based on Graphene)

A disadvantage of the use of noble metals in photonic circuits is that the SPPs propagation length is small, because of the absorptive nature of the metals regarding the light, in the frequency range used in telecommunications (from infrared until the visible light). A new material, called graphene, has electrical/optical properties more suitable for photonics than the noble metals. Thereafter, graphene is attracting the attention of researchers who work in the fields of nanotechnology and nanophotonics, due to its exceptional optical and electrical properties, as, for example, mobility, high current density at room temperature, controlled conductivity, exceptional flexibility and extraordinary thermal conductivity. Taking into account the above written, we believe that graphene-based nanophotonics should lead to a revolution in the area of optics, in the same way that the current integrated circuits technology caused in the area of electronics. Therefore, everything leads us to believe, that in the next decade should arise graphene-based photonic integrated circuits (GPICs) operating from the range of teraHertz until the infrared.