James Grant author of Multi-spectral materials: hybridisation of optical plasmonic filters, a mid infrared metamaterial absorber and a terahertz metamaterial absorber, provides some further information

My Note: I got an email from Dr. James Grant who provided me, with additional information concerning the background of the last Abstract I just posted, which I wanted to share with readers. Thank you Dr. Grant for sharing this, and best of luck in creating the Supercamera!
___________

Hi Randy,

I follow your blog – it’s an excellent way to easily keep up to date with relevant THz commercialization and activity....

In (this paper) we co-axially integrate a THz and MIR Metamaterial absorber with visible plasmonic filters. Such a component could be combined with suitable sensors (such as micro-bolometers and pn photodiodes) into CMOS technology to realise a focal plane array capable of forming a visible, IR and THz images of a scene. Indeed this is the crux of the grant that we I am currently working on:

http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/J018678/1

Best wishes,

James

Dr. James Paul Grant
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Microsystems Technology Group
Rankine Building, Room 512C, School of Engineering
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
Scotland
G12 8LS

(The link above,  takes readers to a 2013 grant entitiled: 

 "Triple wavelength superspectral camera focal-plane array (SUPERCAMERA)"

Optical imaging is perhaps the single most important sensor modality in use today. Its use is widespread in consumer, medical, commercial and defence technologies. The most striking development of the last 20 years has been the emergence of digital imaging using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Because CMOS is scalable, camera technology has benefited from Moore's law reduction in transistor size so that it is now possible to buy cameras with more than 10 MegaPixels for £50. The same benefits are beginning to emerge in other imaging markets - most notably in infrared imaging where 64x64 pixel thermal cameras can be bought for under £1000. Far infrared (FIR), or terahertz, imaging is now emerging as a vital modality with application to biomedical and security imaging, but early imaging arrays are still only few pixel research ideas and prototypes that we are currently investigating. 

There has been no attempt to integrate the three different wavelength sensors coaxially on to the same chip. Sensor fusion is already widespread whereby image data from traditional visible and mid infrared (MIR) sensors is overlaid to provide a more revealing and data rich visualisation. Image fusion permits discrepancies to be identified and comparative processing to be performed. Our aim is to create a "superspectral" imaging chip. By superspectral we mean detection in widely different bands, as opposed to the discrimination of many wavelengths inside a band - e.g. red, green and blue in the visible band. We will use "More than Moore" microelectronic technology as a platform. By doing so, we will leverage widely available low-cost CMOS to build new and economically significant technologies that can be developed and exploited in the UK. There are considerable challenges to be overcome to make such technology possible. We will hybridise two semiconductor systems to integrate efficient photodiode sensors for visible and MIR detection. We will integrate boletric sensing for FIR imaging. We will use design and packaging technologies for thermal isolation and to optimise the performance of each sensor type. We will use hybridised metamaterial and surface plasmon resonance technologies to optimise wavelength discrimination allowing vertical stacking of physically large (i.e. FIR) sensors with visible and MIR sensors.

We ultimate want to demonstrate the world's first ever super-spectral camera.

Semi-OT Proteins 'ring like bells'

http://phys.org/news/2014-06-proteins-bells.html
As far back as 1948, Erwin Schrödinger—the inventor of modern quantum mechanics—published the book "What is life?" In it, he suggested that quantum mechanics and coherent ringing might be at the basis of all biochemical reactions. At the time, this idea never found wide acceptance because it was generally assumed that vibrations in protein molecules would be too rapidly damped.
Now, scientists at the University of Glasgow have proven he was on the right track after all.

Using modern laser spectroscopy, the scientists have been able to measure the vibrational spectrum of the enzyme lysozyme, a protein that fights off bacteria. They discovered that this enzyme rings like a bell with a frequency of a few terahertz or a million-million hertz. Most remarkably, the ringing involves the entire protein, meaning the ringing motion could be responsible for the transfer of energy across proteins.

The experiments show that the ringing motion lasts for only a picosecond or one millionth of a millionth of a second. Biochemical reactions take place on a picosecond timescale and the scientists believe that evolution has optimised enzymes to ring for just the right amount of time. Any shorter, andbiochemical reactions would become inefficient as energy is drained from the system too quickly. Any longer and the enzyme would simple oscillate forever: react, unreact, react, unreact, etc. The picosecond ringing time is just perfect for the most efficient reaction.

These tiny motions enable proteins to morph quickly so they can readily bind with other molecules, a process that is necessary for life to perform critical biological functions like absorbing oxygen and repairing cells.

The findings have been published in Nature Communications.

Klaas Wynne, Chair in Chemical Physics at the University of Glasgow said: "This research shows us that proteins have mechanical properties that are highly unexpected and geared towards maximising efficiency. Future work will show whether these mechanical properties can be used to understand the function of complex living systems."

 Explore further: The symphony of life, revealed: New imaging technique captures vibrations of proteins

University of Glasgow expands ability for fabrication of terahertz optoelectronics with Oxford Instruments system

Image via Wikipedia

http://www.oxford-instruments.com/news/Pages/news.aspx

The James Watt Nanofabrication Centre in Glasgow, UK, has added a PlasmaPro® System100 ICP plasma etch system to its existing installed base of Oxford Instruments etch and deposition tools. The PlasmaPro System100 ICP will be used to etch compound semiconductors materials used in applications such as optoelectronics, mm-wave & terahertz, bioengineering, biotechnology, lab-on-a-chip, energy harvesting and photovoltaics.

Mark Vosloo, Sales and Marketing Director at Oxford Instruments comments, “As a company Oxford Instruments is focussed on developing leading edge tools for research and development, and this additional system order for Oxford Instruments tools emphasises our commitment to providing the research equipment of choice for the University of Glasgow.”

“We have been working closely with Oxford Instruments for many years, utilising their etch and deposition systems successfully for our research.”, said Prof Douglas Paul, Professor of Semiconductor Devices and Director of the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, “We placed this recent order for an additional Oxford Instruments system as we continue to be impressed by the tools’ flexibility and performance. We have used their tools for many years, and continue to use them to develop new etch and deposition processes for nanofabrication as we push technology below 5 nm feature sizes. In addition, maintaining our equipment is vital in order to maximise our usage and investment, and we are extremely satisfied with the consistent high levels of support we receive from Oxford Instruments”

Oxford Instruments aims to pursue responsible development and deeper understanding of our world through science and technology, using innovation to turn smart science into world-class products that support research and industry.

More details of PlasmaPro® System100 ICP plasma etch system here

Published Date: 11 July 2011