Blue lasers on the horizon
Article Abstract:
Semiconductor lasers are an extremely important solid state technology found in fiber optical telecommunications cabling, compact and other optical disks, and high speed data backplanes. However, if their wavelengths could be made shorter, far greater disk data densities would be possible. This theory has become increasingly feasible, as evidenced by recent research into blue lasers. A number of advances have occurred in this area over the past few years, including the discovery that nitrogen can be used as the p-type dopant for semiconductor materials and a better understanding of quantum wells. Detailed is an overview of research into blue light lasers. Areas discussed include shorter-wavelength optical emitters, a fabrication breakthrough, epitaxial fabrication, and a quaternary experiment.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1993
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Molding light into solitons: pulses whose shape and spectrum endure over vast distances in optical fibers may simplify transoceanic communications systems
Article Abstract:
Light-wave solitons, the first of which was recorded in 1838, are now being shown to be the key to repeaterless transoceanic optical-fiber cables, which may be put into use before the end of the 1990s. Solitons are pulses that propagate without distortion. Solitons can propagate without distortion if the medium's nonlinear characteristics and dispersion characteristics compensate for each other exactly. The silicon dioxide glass of optical fibers meet both conditions: the index of refraction increases as the intensity of the light increases. Solitons are produced only by Kerr nonlinearity plus negative group velocity dispersion because the single-mode fiber carries only the fundamental mode, which has a definite group velocity at one particular frequency. Other soliton concepts are discussed.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1993
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Fast films: new insulators will save us from the "dirty little secret" that threatens Moore's Law
Article Abstract:
Moore's Law says that transistor density, and consequently chip performance, periodically doubles, but this rule now seems threatened because metal transistor interconnects are experiencing increased delay times as they are made increasingly small.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 2003
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