Data Transmission for the Internet of Tomorrow: Scientists Develop New Concept for Ultrafast Lasers

Electrical engineers in Bochum have succeeded in developing a new concept for ultrafast semiconductor lasers. The researchers make clever use of the intrinsic angular momentum of electrons, called spin, to successfully break the previous speed barriers. The new spin lasers have the potential to achieve modulation frequencies of well above 100 GHz in future. This is a decisive step towards high-speed data transmission, e.g. for the Internet of tomorrow.he researchers report on their results in the journal Applied Physics Letters, published by the American Institute of Physics.

Optical data transmission: the basis of our information society

Optical data transmission by semiconductor lasers is a basic prerequisite for the globally networked world and today’s information society.

The ever increasing degree of networking and the desire to exchange larger amounts of data are the driving force behind the development of ever faster optical data transmission systems. The maximum speed of conventional semiconductor lasers has long been a limiting factor - typical modulation frequencies are currently at levels well below 50 GHz.For more details Click here