Ref: http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/1/1/1
All-silicon laser makes its debut
5 January 2005
Scientists at Intel have made the first all-silicon laser. The
breakthrough could lead to the development of silicon chips that can be
used in both electronic and photonic applications. Existing photonic
devices are made from expensive compound semiconductor materials such
as gallium arsenide or indium phosphide (H Rong et al. 2005 Nature to
be published).
Silicon dominates the microelectronics industry but it is not used in
photonic applications because it does not emit light inefficiently.
Last year, however, researchers at the University of California at Los
Angeles discovered a way to exploit the Raman effect and achieve laser
action in silicon, although their device needed an eight metre long
optical fibre to work. The Raman effect, which uses vibrations in a
material to create optical gain, is routinely used in the
telecommunications industry to amplify optical signals.
See: http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/1/1/1
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