XPANCEO, a deep tech firm creating the subsequent era of computing by means of its first sensible contact lenses, in collaboration with Nobel laureate Konstantin S. Novoselov (College of Manchester, Nationwide College of Singapore), has developed an progressive technique for producing biocompatible, clear, ultrathin gold movies with no space restriction. With superior electrical conductivity, these movies pave the best way for next-generation versatile and clear electrodes, with promising purposes in versatile shows, digital paper, prolonged actuality units, digital tattoo, implantable and wearable electronics.
Traditionally, producing clear steady and conductive gold movies thinner than 10 nm was thought of inconceivable attributable to metallic island formation throughout deposition. Conventional chemical synthesis strategies, equivalent to these behind Goldene, additionally failed to supply massive, steady gold movies, limiting their areas to 0.000001 mm2. In distinction, XPANCEO’s graphene-inspired method, developed alongside Prof. Novoselov, overcomes these challenges by enabling movies as skinny as 3.5 nm utilizing a high-vacuum deposition system — an ordinary useful resource in analysis laboratories.
“Two-dimensional supplies are now not confined to theoretical analysis, they’re now turning into a part of real-world expertise. This technique permits the scalable manufacturing of gold movies exceeding 1 m2, leveraging roll-to-roll switch strategies much like these utilized in graphene manufacturing, which have been refined over the previous 15 years. Appropriate with present microelectronics processes, it permits for environment friendly, cost-effective manufacturing. Now, two-dimensional gold expertise might be accessible in any analysis laboratory, unlocking new potentialities in electronics,” says Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Nobel Laureate for the invention of graphene’s distinctive properties.
One other benefit is that the movies will be transferred to nearly any substrate, from organic tissues to microchips. The switch course of, much like making use of a sticker, is environment friendly and adaptable, enabling placement on delicate surfaces with excessive precision. Their atomic-scale thickness, biocompatibility and chemical stability surpass conventional clear conductors like indium tin oxide, making them appropriate for mind and coronary heart implants, neural interfaces, and wearable medical sensors, considerably lowering the dangers of scarring and hostile reactions. In consequence, they are perfect for use in superior medical applied sciences, together with neural implants like Neuralink’s mind chips.
“This breakthrough has potential purposes in versatile optoelectronics, together with foldable shows, e-paper, and wearable tech, reworking client units like smartphones, tablets, and TVs, whereas additionally paving the best way for solely new classes of expertise, equivalent to sensible contact lenses. In our lab, we’re already working with clear gold movies simply 0.5 nm thick—equal to a couple atomic layers—which holds promise for each cutting-edge applied sciences and basic physics analysis, ” says Dr. Valentyn Volkov, co-founder and CTO of XPANCEO, an internationally famend skilled within the subject of nanophotonics and superior supplies.
The distinctive electrical conductivity and transparency of those movies are key to advancing sensible contact lens expertise with XR imaginative and prescient, well being monitoring and content-surfing options. The incorporation of those ultrathin movies is crucial, as they permit the mandatory digital parts to be embedded seamlessly into the lens construction, sustaining the thinness of present medical lenses whereas enhancing each performance and luxury.