New laser makes silicon ‘sing’

Eurekalert  June 7, 2018 To amplify silicon laser with sound, a team of researchers in the US (Yale University, Northern Arizona University, UT Austin) used a nanoscale waveguide that is designed to tightly confine both light and sound waves and maximize their interaction. The waveguide has two distinct channels for light to propagate which allows shaping of the light-sound coupling in a way that permits remarkably robust and flexible laser designs. While the system is clearly an optical laser, it also generates very coherent hypersonic waves. According to the researchers these properties may lead to several potential applications ranging from […]