---
title: "We Just Created the World’s Thinnest Lens—And It’s Going to Revolutionize Our Screens"
description: "The world's thinnest lens measures in at just a fraction of the human hair, while still retaining impressive refractive properties."
date: "2016-03-14"
modified: "2016-03-14"
authors:
  - name: "June Javelosa"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/javelosa-junegmail-com"
url: "https://futurism.com/scientists-just-created-worlds-thinnest-lensand-going-revolutionize-screens"
categories:
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "australian national university"
  - "molybdenum disulphide crystal"
  - "worlds thinnest lens"
---

# We Just Created the World’s Thinnest Lens—And It’s Going to Revolutionize Our Screens

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Photographic_lenses_front_view.jpg>)
*Image credit: WikiMedia  \<em\>Image: \<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_lens#/media/File:Photographic_lenses_front_view.jpg" target="\_blank"\>WikiMeida\</a\>\</em\>*

##### "Tiny" is an Understatement

The world’s thinnest lens has been created—and it’s just 1/2000th the width of a human hair. What could a lens that thin possibly do? Well, it’s set to pave the way for the production of flexible computer displays and possibly, miniature cameras.

[According to the lead researcher](<http://phys.org/news/2016-03-world-thinnest-lens-revolutionize-cameras.html>) behind the project, Dr. Yuerui (Larry) Lu from The Australian National University (ANU), it could allow us to see like bugs: "This type of material is the perfect candidate for future flexible displays. We will also be able to use arrays of micro lenses to mimic the compound eyes of insects."

##### Amazing Crystals

![Image Credit: Stuart Hay, ANU](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/worlds-thinnest-lens-300x169.jpg>)
*Image Credit: Stuart Hay, ANU*

The discovery was based on the [molybdenum disulphide crystal](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum_disulfide>).

The crystal used in the material is quite remarkable. It is known to survive remarkably high temperatures; it can be used as a lubricant; it is an ideal semiconductor; and it is capable of emitting photons.

Single layers of the crystal, around 0.7 nanometers, demonstrated impressive optical properties, which could light a beam 50 times thicker at 38 nanometers (this is known as optical path length).

In addition, the refractive index of the molybdenum has a value of 5.5. For comparison, a diamond ranks up to 2.4 while water’s refractive index is at 1.3.

Summing the work, Dr. Lu notes, "The capability of manipulating the flow of [light](<http://phys.org/tags/light/>) in atomic scale opens an exciting avenue towards unprecedented miniaturisation of optical components and the integration of advanced optical functionalities."