Black silicon goes into production

Physicists from Harvard University have invented a new material that can make a real breakthrough in digital photography, the production of photo cells, night vision devices, etc. The inventors called it black silicon (black silicon) - the same silicon, but with an increased level of absorption in the visible and infrared spectra. In fact, this material is supersensitive to light: it is 100-500 times more sensitive than conventional silicon detectors.



Such material is obtained by treating silicon with a laser beam through a layer of gas — sulfur hexafluoride. If you look at the surface of silicon after that, you can see that the surface of the plate is covered with a multitude of fine particles.







According to the NY Times, today will be announced the signing of the first licensing contracts for the practical use of this invention. The first licensee was a Massachusetts startup SiOnyx. These guys just call themselves: SiOnyx. The Black Silicon Company . They will be engaged in industrial production.