ELEG 867 Nanotechnology
Homework #9 - due Friday, 14 December 2001

 

1. Read the thoughtful article about the future of nanotechnology in Wired magazine by Sun Microsystems guru, Bill Joy.  Comment and justify if you think that he is correct in his dark assessment of nanotechnology, or, if you think that nanotechnology will bring a new era of prosperity for all mankind.  This article is linked at: (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy.html).

 

2.  Download the PBG software from the MIT site (http://ab-initio.mit.edu/mpb/) and simulate the electromagnetic frequency versus wavenumber for a simple 1-D structure, similar to the bridge structure with holes shown in class.  Assume some reasonable index difference and dimensions.  The goal for this problem is to show the existence of a photonic bandgap in your 1-D structure. 

 

3.  Using the equations from the class viewgraphs for the  "A New Layered Structure" from the MIT group, calculate the center frequency and the width of the electromagnetic bandgap. Use the typical parameters, for an undistorted fcc lattice of air cylinders in a dielectric constant of 12 (Si).