Silver News

World’s Smallest Light Source Comes From Silver

By exposing molecules of silver to an electric current, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created what may be the world’s smallest light source.

Once developed, the technique could lead to new types of microscopic-sized lights for nano-machines, microscopic light sources for industry and secure cryptographic writing techniques.

By exposing silver-oxide film to electrical current of approximately one ampere, the researchers ‘activated’ some of the silver oxide molecules, which then appeared within ‘discolored’ regions in the film. When electrodes were attached to the film and an alternating current applied, a thin line of silver clusters began to emit light in colors that varied depending on the size of the clusters..

“When you zoom in more closely, you can see the emissions coming from single molecules,” said Robert Dickson, assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “This is the first time that anyone has seen electroluminescence from individual molecules. These molecules emit very strongly, and are very robust.”

Silver News - First Quarter 2003