US research team creates continuous laser light converter

It is claimed the development, from Purdue University and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), could have applications in more advanced sensors, communications systems and laboratory instruments.

‘These pulses repeat at very high rates, corresponding to hundreds of billions of pulses per second,’ said Andrew Weiner, the scifres family distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering.

According to a statement, the ‘microring resonator’ is fabricated from silicon nitride, which is compatible with silicon material widely used for electronics. Infrared light from a laser enters the chip through a single optical fibre and is directed by a waveguide into the microring.

The pulses have many segments corresponding to different frequencies, which are called ‘comb lines’.

By precisely controlling the frequency combs, researchers hope to create advanced optical sensors that detect and measure hazardous materials or pollutants, ultrasensitive spectroscopy for laboratory research, and optics-based communications systems that transmit greater volumes of information with better quality while increasing bandwidth.