En-light-ening Science

Graphene and other atomically thin materials can bring a technological revolution thanks to a host of properties not found in their bulkier counterparts. Part of this revolution will be in optoelectronics: a topic which broadly covers the conversion of electricity into light or vice versa e.g. LEDs and digital cameras. However as these atomically thin materials are nearly transparent I will be discussing whether they really see the light and if not how can we enlighten them?

Photonic structures found in natural organisms consist in very sophisticated materials, developed during millions of years through natural evolution. When they interact with light, they give rise to astonishing visual effects. Beetles' elytra as well as butterflies' wings are among the most striking examples. Investigating these natural colours provides both understanding of the optical mechanisms at their origins and the biological functions behind these effects as well as inspiration for the design and development of novel photonic materials through a bioinspiration approach.

Modern theories describe that the emptiness of space is not actually empty, but it’s filled with virtual particles. These are waves of energy rippling in the empty space, and they significantly affect real particles, such as electrons. In this talk I will describe the concepts of this topic and I will also describe an experiment being carried out in the University of Exeter, which attempts to modify and observe the behaviour of electrons when they are placed in a specially designed virtual light confinement.