Find out how Israeli scientists are manipulating the tiniest parts of matter to make life better for millions.
Think of a tiny robot transporting drugs to a cancer cell in your body. An artificial retina to restore lost sight. Self-cleaning windows and bullet-proof fabrics.
It’s all possible today with nanotechnology from Israel.
Tune into ISRAEL21c’s TLV1 radio show for a fascinating discussion of how Israeli scientists are turning science fiction into fact. Guests include Nava Swersky Sofer, founder and co-chair of NanoIsrael; Prof. Uriel Levy, head of the Nanotechnology Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and Prof. Uri Sivan, one of the Technion’s leading nanotechnology experts……….http://www.israel21c.org/israeli-scientists-turn-science-fiction-into-fact-audio/
About the INNI mission
The mission of INNI — the Israel National Nanotechnology Initiative is to make nanotechnology the next wave of successful industry in Israel by creating an engine for global leadership.
- Establishing a national policy of resources for nanotechnology, with the aim of faster commercialization.
- Long-range nanotechnology programs for scientific research and technology development in academia and industry, and promoting development of world-class infrastructure in Israel to support them.
- Leading in the creation of projects that promote agreed national priorities; allocate their budgets and review development progress.
- Actively seeking funding resources from public and private sources in order to implement the selected projects.
- Promoting development of innovative local nanotechnology industries which will strongly impact Israeli economic growth and benefit investors.
- Encouraging Academia and Industry cooperation with public access to a national database of Israel’s nanotechnology researchers and industry. Effective access to information about Israel’s researchers and companies accelerates cooperation on R&D projects and on innovative new products. Israel’s nanotechnology National Database may be accessed here or from the link in the INNI website upper navigation menu.
Sivan Uri .
Room 611, Lidow Building
Physics
Nano Area: Nano Electronics, Nano Materials & Nano Particles, Nanobiotechnology & Nanomedicine
Phone: +972-4-8293452
Fax: +972-4-8292418
Email: phsivan@tx.technion.ac.il
Main
Ph.D.: Tel Aviv University 1988
M.Sc.: Physics, Tel Aviv University 1984
B.Sc.: Physics and Mathematics, Tel Aviv University 1982
Main Nano Field:
Selection of antibodies and peptides against electronic materials, electrical control over bioreactions, bioassembly of electronic devices.
Bertoldo Badler Chair in Physics
Former director of the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute
Head of Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics by Biotechnology
Prof. Uriel Levy of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has received the Hebrew University President’s Prize as the Outstanding Young Researcher for 2010-11. The prize is awarded in memory of Prof. Yoram Ben-Porath, former president and rector of the Hebrew University.Hebrew University President Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson said that the prize was being awarded to Prof. Levy “for his impressive list of scientific articles, for his creativity, and for his groundbreaking innovations.”
Prof. Levy is a member of the applied physics department at the Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering and is a renowned researcher in nanophotonics He is a member of the Harvey M. Kruger Family Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the Hebrew University.
A graduate of the Technion in physics and materials engineering, he subsequently earned a Ph.D. in electro-optics at Tel Aviv University in 2002. He then was awarded a Rothschild Fellowship for post-doctoral work at the University of California, San Diego, which he completed in 2006.
Prof. Levy has published until now 55 scientific articles and has had a number of his research discoveries patented.
Downloadable File: PresidentsPrize2010.doc
The NanoOpto group is affiliated with the Applied Physics Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Our research is mainly focused on Silicon Photonics, Polarization Optics, Plasmonics and Opto-Fluidics.
Our group host SPP7 in Jerusalem from 31 of may till the 5 of June 2015:
Research highlights:
|
Silicon Photonics
|
| In this work we study the optimization of interleaved Mach-Zehnder silicon carrier depletion electro-optic modulator. Following the simulation results we demonstrate a phase shifter with the lowest figure of merit (modulation efficiency multiplied by the loss per unit length) 6.7V-dB. This result was achieved by reducing the junction width to 200 nm along the phase-shifter and optimizing the doping levels of the PN junction for operation in nearly fully depleted mode. The demonstrated low FOM is the result of both low VπL of ~0.78 Vcm (at reverse bias of 1V), and low free carrier loss (~6.6 dB/cm for zero bias). Our simulation results indicate that additional improvement in performance may be achieved by further reducing the junction width followed by increasing the doping levels. (read more) |
|
Light vapor interactions on a chip
|
| Alkali vapours, such as rubidium, are being used extensively in many important fields of research. Recently, there is a growing effort towards miniaturizing traditional centimetre-size vapour cells. Owing to the significant reduction in device dimensions, light– matter interactions are greatly enhanced, enabling new functionalities due to the low power threshold needed for nonlinear interactions. Here, we construct an efficient and flexible platform for tailored light–vapour interactions on a chip, and demonstrate efficient interaction of the electromagnetic guided mode with absorption saturation at powers in the nanowatt regime. (read more) |
|
Active Silicon Plasmonics
|
| In this work, we experimentally demonstrate an on-chip nanoscale silicon surface-plasmon Schottky photodetector based on internal photoemission process and operating at telecom wavelengths. The responsivity of the nanodetector to be 0.25 and 13.3mA/W for incident optical wavelengths of 1.55 and 1.31 μm, respectively. The presented device can be integrated with other nanophotonic and nanoplasmonic structures for the realization of monolithic opto-electronic circuitry on-chip. (read more) |
|
Plasmonics
|
| Planar plasmonic devices are becoming attractive for myriad applications. Mitigating the challenges of using plasmonics in on-chip configurations requires precise control over the properties of plasmonic modes, in particular their shape and size. Here we achieve this goal by demonstrating a planar plasmonic graded index lens focusing surface plasmons propagating along the device. Focusing and divergence of surface plasmons is demonstrated experimentally. The demonstrated approach can be used for manipulating the propagation of surface plasmons, e.g. for beam steering, splitting, cloaking, mode matching and beam shaping applications (read more) |
|
Metamaterials
|
| The interaction of an incident plane wave with a metamaterial periodic structure consisting of alternating layers of positive and negative refractive index with average zero refractive index is studied. We show that the existence of very narrow resonance peaks for which giant absorption – 50% at layer thickness of 1% of the incident wavelength – is exhibited. Maximum absorption is obtained at a specific layer thickness satisfying the critical coupling condition. This phenomenon is explained by the Rayleigh anomaly and excitation of Fabry Perot modes. (read more) |
|
Plasmonics
|
| Great hopes rest on surface plasmon polaritons’ (SPPs) potential to bring new functionalities and applications into various branches of optics. In this work, we demonstrate a pin cushion structure capable of coupling light from free space into SPPs, split them based on the polarization content of the illuminating beam of light, and focus them into small spots. We also show that for a circularly or randomly polarized light, four focal spots will be generated at the center of each quarter circle comprising the pin cushion device. Furthermore, following the relation between the relative intensity of the obtained four focal spots and the relative position of the illuminating beam with respect to the structure, we propose and demonstrate the potential use of our structure as a miniaturized plasmonic version of the well-known four quadrant detector. (read more) |
|
Silicon Photonics
|
| We demonstrate a nanoscale mode selector supporting the propagation of the first antisymmetric mode of a silicon waveguide. The mode selector is based on embedding a short section of PhC into the waveguide. On the basis of the difference in k-vector distribution between orthogonal waveguide modes, the PhC can be designed to have a band gap for the fundamental mode, while allowing the transmission of the first antisymmetric mode. The device was tested by directly measuring the modal content before and after the PhC section using a near field scanning optical microscope. Extinction ratio was estimated to be ~23 dB. Finally, we provide numerical simulations demonstrating strong coupling of the antisymmetric mode to metallic nanotips. On the basis of the results, we believe that the mode selector may become an important building block in the realization of on chip nanofocusing devices. (read more) |
|
Plasmonics
|
 |
We experimentally demonstrate the focusing of surface plasmon polaritons by a plasmonic lens illuminated with radially polarized light . The field distribution is characterized by near-field scanning optical microscope. A sharp focal spot corresponding to a zero-order Bessel function is observed. For comparison, the plasmonic lens is also measured with linearly polarized light illumination, resulting in two separated lobes. Finally, we verify that the focal spot maintains its width along the optical axis of the plasmonic lens. The results demonstrate the advantage of using radially polarized light for nanofocusing applications involving surface plasmon polaritons. (read more) |
Filed under: Nanotechnology Tagged: ISRAEL, Nanotechnology
