ANU invention to inspire new night-vision specs

Australian National University (ANU) scientists have designed a nano crystal, around 500 times smaller than a human hair, that turns darkness into visible light and can be used to create light-weight night-vision glasses. This innovation was supported by the ARC, through the ARC Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS).

Professor Dragomir Neshev, an ARC-funded researcher from the ANU, said the new night-vision glasses could replace the cumbersome and bulky night-vision binoculars currently in use.

Co-researcher and ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award recipient, Dr Mohsen Rahmani said the ANU team's achievement was a big milestone in the field of nanophotonics.

"These semi-conductor nano-crystals can transfer the highest intensity of light and engineer complex light beams that could be used with a laser to project a holographic image in modern displays," said Dr Rahmani.

Media issued by the Australian National University.