ACM TechNews

University of Pennsylvania Scientists Move Optical Computing Closer to Reality

University of Pennsylvania (08/19/08) Reese, Jordan

University of Pennsylvania scientists have theorized a way of building optical devices that could ultimately be used to build optical computers. The researchers propose using nanosized metal chains as building blocks for novel optoelectronic devices, which would be able to operate at higher frequencies than conventional electronic circuits. The advance is currently theoretical, but the creation of a metallic nanochain would provide the combination of smaller-diameter optical components coupled with larger bandwidth, making optical waveguiding materials. As the velocity of the light pulses increases, the operating bandwidth of a waveguide also increases, which helps increase the number of information channels to allow more information to flow though a waveguide. Researchers investigated changing the shape of the particles in an attempt to increase bandwidth. Reshaping the nanoparticles resulted in a significant increase in the operating bandwidth of the waveguide, and constructing the chains from oblate spheroids resulted in decreased power loss as well. The combination of these two factors may make this design useful for building light-based devices in the future.

http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/article.php?id=1427

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