A Junction With a Function...

Optical Fibre with Integrated High-Speed Junction

An international team of researchers has integrated a semiconductor junction into an optical fibre for the first time. The device, which works at gigahertz frequencies, is the first step in creating an all-fibre optical-communications network where light is generated, modulated and detected within a fibre itself without the need for integration with electronic chips. Its range of applications could run from improved telecommunication systems and laser technology to more-accurate remote-sensing devices.

Physics World: Optical fibres with integrated semiconductor junctions developed