Optoelectromagnetic nanocrystals and microoptoelectromechanical systems

Recently, significant progress has been made in adaptive optics including design of high-performance microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) with optoelectromagnetically-active nanocrystals. Nanotechnology-enhanced MOEMS is a forefront fundamental technological paradigm for advanced microsystems. This technology promises to advance optics in informatics, communication, computing, imaging, microscopy, diagnostics, scattering, biometrics and other areas. Advanced developments are taking place in devising, fabrication and characterization of novel optoelectromagnetic nanocrystals. However, these nanocrystals must be integrated at the devise/system level fully utilizing systems capabilities. Considered MOEMS include radiating energy devices, light sources, integrated circuits (ICs), etc. Fundamental theory and advanced computing methods must be developed to coherently carry-out synthesis, design and analysis. There is a number of fundamental, applied and technological problems that must be addressed, examined and solved. In particular, formidable challenges remain in design and analysis of nanoscale devices and structures, high-yield affordable fabrication technologies, devising novel topologies, etc. Conventional solutions cannot be effectively applied, and this paper outlines the application of adaptive nonlinear optical nanocrystals integrated in functional optoelectromagnetic MOEMS designed as a nanotechnology-enhanced system-on-a-chip. The focused efforts are concentrated on the utilization of adaptive optoelectromagnetic nanocrystals that can ensure variable-geometry, variable refractive index, and/or variable diffraction grating. These nanocrystals are the most critical components of reconfigurable optical devices. Nanotechnology offers the possibility to make nanocrystals with unprecedented performance, functionality, integrity, reliability and control features leading to high-performance enhanced-functionality adaptive optical devices for MOEMS. However, these MOEMS must be controlled.