Techie-Jim.net

Phys.Org reports on research presented by the Jounal Nature describing how MIT took another step toward being able to bend light without slowing it down. This research can lead to many advancements in medical, holographic  and optical data communications (think faster fiber optics) applications. One of the major issues in optical communication is that light has to be slowed down by being changed into a readable and redirectable signal then back into light.

When a light signal is brought into a router the signal has to be changed in order to exit toward it’s intended destination. The light has to hit a detector and be converted into an electrical signal. That signal is read and the destination is discovered before a processor decides where that data packet needs to go to next. Then it sends it to a light element such as a laser or LED where the electrical signal is changed back into light and sent on it’s way, but the changing of light into electric signal and back into light is slow – compared to the speed of light.

The Holy Grail of optical communication is to be able to read and redirect light signals without a format change. This would allow light to be read very quickly and redirected toward it’s destination without stopping. The research described takes another step toward that goal.