12-03, 15:50–16:40 (Europe/Luxembourg), Banquet Room
For the past half century, Moore's Law has steered the course of nanotechnology, propelling the miniaturization of components in all three dimensions: X, Y, and Z. As we approach its limits (in 2025), our lab at Delft University of Technology is exploring a new kind of nanotechnology that extends to large distances in X and Y dimensions while remaining nanoscale in the Z dimension. These extreme-aspect-ratio metamaterials, with their unique combination of macro- and nano-geometries, exhibit properties unlike anything found in nature or science so far. Their novel characteristics open new avenues for applications, such as interstellar space missions that aim to reach Alpha Centauri in 20 years instead of the 10,000 years possible today. In this talk, we will examine the opportunities arising from the integration of advanced nanofabrication and high-power optomechanical experiments. We'll also discuss our current efforts to use lightsail materails to stably levitate objects over 100,000 times more massive than anything levitated with laser light to date, showcasing the potential of these materials in various applications. This delicate balance between gravity and light with massive objects will likely facilitate new insights into propulsion and fundamental physics. The pursuit of extreme-aspect-ratio nanotechnology will require a convergence of novel insights into light-matter interactions, innovative structural engineering, and advanced material science to push the field of nanotechnology into experimentally unexplored territory.
Richard Alexander Norte is a faculty member at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. His research group develops cutting-edge nanotechnologies for quantum hardware, focusing on optical metasurfaces and nanomechanics. Richard holds dual BSc degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Caltech.
Since joining TU Delft, his work has been featured in Nature, Nature Photonics, Science, Physical Review Letters, and on the cover of Scientific American. He was recently awarded a €2.5 million ERC Starting Grant—one of Europe’s most prestigious personal grants—to advance next-generation laser sails for interstellar exploration.
His team has achieved significant breakthroughs in laser sail nano-manufacturing, reducing fabrication times from 15 years to a single day by integrating nanophotonics, fabrication techniques, and economic considerations of the Starshot mission. These innovations and expertise position his lab as a global leader in the pursuit of practical materials for laser-based interstellar travel.