IBM Efficient Silicon Waveguides Could Enable Revolutionary Photonic chips | NextBigFuture.com

IBM has created low-loss (0.3% loss over 10 microns) silicon waveguide could enable new photonic chip designs for applications that rely on visible light, and could lead to more efficient lasers and modulators used in telecoms. Above – Illustration of a pair of silicon high contrast gratings that can be used to guide visible light on a chip with low losses despite large absorption by the silicon material. Nanostructures were used to make high contrast gratings. Such a grating consists of nanometer-sized ‘posts’ lined up to form a ‘fence’ that prevents light from escaping. The posts are 150 nanometers in The post IBM Efficient Silicon Waveguides Could Enable Revolutionary Photonic chips first appeared on NextBigFuture.com.