Quantum Glass Materials

When we incorporate very small particles of material into glass, it can give the glass to quantum properties.

Quantum objects have both particle-like properties (such as mass, charge, and energy) and wave-like properties (such as wavelength and frequency). ‘Quantum glass’ can feed future technologies like remote magnetic field sensing and eco-friendly coloured glass.

Quantum glass can exhibit unique behaviours when incorporating tiny particles of diamond, silver or gold. The nano and microparticles in the glass interact with light in unique ways, opening new avenues in glass material science. Nanoparticles are about 1,000 times narrower than a human hair.

Nanoscale Infographic — 1 Angstrom (Å) is 10 billionths of a meter. 1 nanometer (nm) is a billionth of a meter. 1 micron in (μm) is a millionth of a meter.

Eco-friendly Colours

To produce warm glass colours, we still rely on toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium. These substances can be hazardous at high concentrations and may leach from glass fragments, particularly when exposed to conditions like rain in landfills. Quantum Glass provides a safer, eco-friendly alternative to coloured glass with these compounds.

Colours NPs Infographic — Gold and silver particles size: 50nm

Taking advantage of ANFF-Optofab’s glass manufacturing capabilities, Yunle Wei, Jiangbo Zhao and Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem at the University of Adelaide established a new method of creating gold or silver nanoparticles in glass, which produces vibrant colours by absorbing and reflecting different wavelengths of light. By controlling the composition, size, and distribution of these nanoparticles, we can create a stunning range of warm colours.

Their GLAS technology employs non-toxic and biocompatible gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs). At the nanoscale level, gold NPs are not gold in colour nor are silver NPs silver. NP colour is a size-dependent property, meaning that NP size determines the colour that results. GLAS technology forms these NPs in a highly controlled way to obtain different particle sizes. By controlling NP size, GLAS technology can produce a broad, non-toxic, colour palette

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Metal Detection

Seven years ago, RMIT University supplied glass artist Karen Cunningham with diamond microparticles for her exploratory exhibition Quantum Colour: Capturing the Movement of Light. Karen’s method prevented the diamond from being burned away during the glass-shaping process. The diamonds were kept intact, emitting specific light colours. This inspired the development of a new class of quantum sensors to detect magnetic fields - optical fibres with incorporated diamond microparticles. This technology has the potential to help map brain activity, identify geological structures for mining, monitor underwater environments, and improve navigation for self-driving vehicles.

What if, in the future, we could use special optical fibre to detect ore without the need of drilling and excavation?

Optical fibres used for sensing are designed to respond to their environment in specific ways. By incorporating tiny diamond particles with special defects into optical fibres, we create a ‘doped fibre.’ These defects have a unique structure that reacts to magnetic fields. This advanced sensing fibre enables us to not only detect magnetic fields, but also measure their strength.

Here's how it works
1. Energising the diamonds: When we shine green light into the fibre, the diamond particles inside absorb the light and emit red fluorescence, effectively ‘energising’ them.

2. Conditioning the diamonds: Energised diamond particles become responsive to microwaves. We then ‘sweep’ the diamonds by moving through different microwave frequencies. We are looking for a dip in the red fluorescence of the diamond; this dip tells us we are at the right microwave for the diamond particles to respond most effectively. The dip tells us that we have ‘conditioned’ the diamonds to become sensitive to magnetic fields.

3. Detecting the strength of the magnetic field: When there is a magnetic field present, the dip in red fluorescence across the swept microwave wavelength range splits into two red fluorescence dips. The further the dips are apart, the stronger the magnetic field. Reading the split in red fluorescence with the fibre allows the presence and strength of a specific magnetic field to be detected in a particular area.