Nano-structured glass for future display and communication technologies

Optical displays and communication have a tremendous impact on modern life.

We routinely interact with tactile smart phones and tablets, televisions, laser projection panels and constantly use internet services.

Glass is the constituent material of transparent screens and optical fibres, which are essential elements of optical displays and communication.

CORNING and ICFO, the industrial and academic partners, respectively, of the proposed ITN action (NANO-GLASS), aim at introducing disruptive nano-structuring designs and methods for glass display screens and optical fibres, with the PhD students (ESRs) playing a pivotal role in undertaking challenging projects with high industrial relevance.

Potential outcomes of the research programme include optical screens without reflections, improving visibility in sunlight, self-cleaning tactile display that do not leave finger-prints, car windows that enable head up laser projection whilst still being transparent, optical fibres that generate quantum signals with high efficiency and highly secure encryption of sensitive information over the internet.

CORNING has created Gorilla glass, the premier material for any kind of display screen today, and introduced the first low loss optical silica fibre which, among the others, has allowed the data transmission powering internet.

ICFO and the participating groups are world-leaders in nano-photonics and quantum technologies, central topics to NANO-GLASS.

Starting from an ongoing collaboration, the ESRs will face ambitious scientific and technical challenges, with the unique opportunity to bridge academic (fundamental) research to product (industrial) development.

They will become leaders in highly relevant fields for the future society, which is increasingly permeated by ever more sophisticated display and communication technologies.