modulators tagged posts

Combining graphene, its sister material boron nitride and a nanoscale gold grating to create a new class of optical modulator. Credit: University of Manchester

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered a new method of creating optoelectronic circuits using graphene and other 2D material much smaller than their current counterparts. Optoelectronics, the technology that uses pulses of light rather than traditional electrical signals, is vital for telecommunication networks.
Modulators are important in optoelectronic circuits as they control the signals passed through optoelectronic devices. Previous attempts to create hybrid modulators incorporating graphene have yielded promising although limited results.

Writing in Nature Communications, researchers led by Professor Sasha ...

A schematic of the new laser system. Credit: Image courtesy of Northwestern University

High power and rapid tuning for the detection of hazardous chemicals. From their use in telecommunication to detecting hazardous chemicals, lasers play a major role in our everyday lives. They keep us connected, keep us safe, and allow us to explore the dark corners of the universe. Now a Northwestern University team has made this ever-important tool even simpler and more versatile by integrating a mid-infrared tunable laser with an on-chip amplifier. This breakthrough allows adjustable wavelength output, modulators, and amplifiers to be held inside a single package.

With this architecture, the laser has demonstrated an order-of-magnitude more output power than its predecessors, and the tuning range has ...