Single-Nanowire Spectrometer Works Separately from Components

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a microspectrometer based on a single, compositionally engineered nanowire that is independent of complex optical components or cavities. According to the researchers, it is the smallest spectrometer ever designed. The Cambridge team, working with colleagues from China, England, and Finland, used a nanowire whose material composition varied along the length of the wire, which allowed it to be responsive to different colors of light across the visible spectrum. Using techniques similar to those used for the manufacture of computer chips, the team then created a series of light-responsive sections on this nanowire. The researchers said that even now, the majority of...