Nanotechnology and Quasicrystals: From self assembly to photonic applications

TL;DR

This paper explores the intersection of nanotechnology and quasicrystals, highlighting their potential in fabricating advanced nanostructures and photonic applications through self-assembly and artificial design.

Contribution

It reviews recent advances in using quasicrystals for nanostructure fabrication and photonics, emphasizing the unique advantages of quasiperiodic order in these applications.

Findings

Quasicrystals enable long-range order without periodicity.

Self-assembly of nanostructures benefits from quasiperiodic properties.

Applications include photonic metamaterials and nonlinear photonic quasicrystals.

Abstract

After providing a concise overview on quasicrystals and their discovery more than a quarter of a century ago, I consider the unexpected interplay between nanotechnology and quasiperiodic crystals. Of particular relevance are efforts to fabricate artificial functional micro- or nanostructures, as well as efforts to control the self-assembly of nanostructures, where current knowledge about the possibility of having long-range order without periodicity can provide significant advantages. I discuss examples of systems ranging from artificial metamaterials for photonic applications, through self-assembled soft matter, to surface waves and optically-induced nonlinear photonic quasicrystals.