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For the first time, researchers have built a nanolaser that uses only a single molecular layer, placed on a thin silicon beam, which operates at room temperature. The new device, developed by a team of researchers from Arizona State University and Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, could potentially be used to send information between different points on a single computer chip. The lasers also may be useful for other sensing applications in a compact, integrated format.
[...] The joint ASU-Tsinghua research team used a monolayer of molybdenum ditelluride integrated with a silicon nanobeam cavity for their device. By combining molybdenum ditelluride with silicon, which is the bedrock in semiconductor manufacturing and one of the best waveguide materials, the researchers were able to achieve lasing action without cooling, Ning said.
A laser needs two key pieces – a gain medium that produces and amplifies photons, and a cavity that confines or traps photons. While such materials choices are easy for large lasers, they become more difficult at nanometer scales for nanolasers. Nanolasers are smaller than 100th of the thickness of the human hair and are expected to play important roles in future computer chips and a variety of light detection and sensing devices.
The choice of two-dimensional materials and the silicon waveguide enabled the researchers to achieve room temperature operation. Excitons in molybdenum telluride emit in a wavelength that is transparent to silicon, making silicon possible as a waveguide or cavity material. Precise fabrication of the nanobeam cavity with an array of holes etched and the integration of two-dimensional monolayer materials was also key to the project. Excitons in such monolayer materials are 100 times stronger than those in conventional semiconductors, allowing efficient light emission at room temperature.
Practical photonics comes one step closer.
(Score: 3, Informative) by kaszz on Monday July 31 2017, @01:58PM (3 children)
Technical data, but I might have misinterpreted!:
The dimensions of nanobeam cavity is 7.2 (length) × 0.36 (width) × 0.22 (thickness) µm.
Output wavelength: 1132.25 nm (3rd harmonics)
Bandwidth: 0.202 nm
Q factor: 5605
Power: 173 µW
Article abstract [arxiv.org]
Full article [arxiv.org]
One possible application might be clock distribution. As anyone that have designed synchronous digital designs know. Propagation delays are not nice and becomes an issue with larger designs at high frequencies. Another application might be chip-2-chip communication where the inductance of the chip legs may be eliminated as a signal interference factor.
(Score: 1) by piss_drinker on Monday July 31 2017, @06:51PM (2 children)
Infinity does not exist in nature?
Pretty bold statement for creatures who only have the capacity to reflect based on their own finite frame of view; designated to a point within time and space. But I don't mind putting my infinity mirror away. Unless reflection has nothing to do with nature. Ah, its illusion you say. That is the idea behind infinity anyway. That fractal infinity is the origin and drive of nature, and that the finite observations are illusions that only provide more fractal when limits are sought out. Limits must be based on a frame of reference since we have only pretentious opinions that there are actually limits beyond the limits of our view.
But i get why we need finite and infinite formulations in mathematics. This strangeness is applying mathematics to the point that you actually see that math as the definition in nature. Mathematics is an effective but crude map to nature. Much like a verbal description is of a thing.
If a person tries to see infinity within nature, that is only trying to see it within their capacity to see. If infinity is real, then thingness is not. That means that the lines we place between things is not there, and it is all one thing that goes on for infinity.
If you haven't understood what fractal recursion is, in application to reality and nature, then you are far from understanding what infinity is. The function calls the object that itself is. What happens first, seeds or growing? Giving the impression that there is another point to examine. When you have a finite frame, you reflect off of every moment. It it only seems to end, because the idea of you seems to end. Which in itself was also only a reflection of everything surrounding that point in time and space.
I'm really taking away from the usefulness of the article. What I am saying has almost nothing to do with applying mathematics in a practical way. But the idea that infinity isn't in nature? Infinity can only not be confined in a finite view. It can only be inferred. But it there is any infinity, it is nature.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday July 31 2017, @06:57PM (1 child)
Wrong article, and wrong post? ;)
(Score: 1) by piss_drinker on Monday July 31 2017, @07:00PM
This browser is really buggy. Especially using it over a remote connection.