. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Using sound and light to generate ultra-fast data transfer
by Staff Writers
Leeds UK (SPX) Feb 12, 2020

This is the terahertz quantum cascade laser on its mounting. A pair of tweezers shows how small the device is.

Researchers have made a breakthrough in the control of terahertz quantum cascade lasers, which could lead to the transmission of data at the rate of 100 gigabits per second - around one thousand times quicker than a fast Ethernet operating at 100 megabits a second.

What distinguishes terahertz quantum cascade lasers from other lasers is the fact that they emit light in the terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum. They have applications in the field of spectroscopy where they are used in chemical analysis.

The lasers could also eventually provide ultra-fast, short-hop wireless links where large datasets have to be transferred across hospital campuses or between research facilities on universities - or in satellite communications.

To be able to send data at these increased speeds, the lasers need to be modulated very rapidly: switching on and off or pulsing around 100 billion times every second.

Engineers and scientists have so far failed to develop a way of achieving this.

A research team from the University of Leeds and University of Nottingham believe they have found a way of delivering ultra- fast modulation, by combining the power of acoustic and light waves. They have published their findings in Nature Communications.

John Cunningham, Professor of Nanoelectronics at Leeds, said: "This is exciting research. At the moment, the system for modulating a quantum cascade laser is electrically driven - but that system has limitations.

"Ironically, the same electronics that delivers the modulation usually puts a brake on the speed of the modulation. The mechanism we are developing relies instead on acoustic waves."

A quantum cascade laser is very efficient. As an electron passes through the optical component of the laser, it goes through a series of 'quantum wells' where the energy level of the electron drops and a photon or pulse of light energy is emitted.

One electron is capable of emitting multiple photons. It is this process that is controlled during the modulation.

Instead of using external electronics, the teams of researchers at Leeds and Nottingham Universities used acoustic waves to vibrate the quantum wells inside the quantum cascade laser.

The acoustic waves were generated by the impact of a pulse from another laser onto an aluminium film. This caused the film to expand and contract, sending a mechanical wave through the quantum cascade laser.

Tony Kent, Professor of Physics at Nottingham said "Essentially, what we did was use the acoustic wave to shake the intricate electronic states inside the quantum cascade laser. We could then see that its terahertz light output was being altered by the acoustic wave."

Professor Cunningham added: "We did not reach a situation where we could stop and start the flow completely, but we were able to control the light output by a few percent, which is a great start.

"We believe that with further refinement, we will be able to develop a new mechanism for complete control of the photon emissions from the laser, and perhaps even integrate structures generating sound with the terahertz laser, so that no external sound source is needed."

Professor Kent said: "This result opens a new area for physics and engineering to come together in the exploration of the interaction of terahertz sound and light waves, which could have real technological applications."

Research paper


Related Links
University Of Leeds
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TECH SPACE
Randomness opens the gates to the land of attophotography
Warsaw. Poland (SPX) Jan 10, 2020
One of the last obstacles hindering the photography and filming of processes occurring on a scale of attoseconds, i.e. billionths of a billionth of a second, has disappeared. The key to its removal lies in the random nature of the processes responsible for the formation of X-ray laser pulses. There are only a few X-ray lasers in the world today. These sophisticated devices can be used to record even extremely fast processes such as the changes in the electron states of atoms. The pulses generated ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Space station to forge ultra-fast connections

Software defects could have destroyed Boeing Starliner on test flight

Northrop postpones Antares rocket launch in Virginia on Sunday

KBR wins $400M recompete to provide NASA Intelligent Systems Research

TECH SPACE
NASA, Europe space agency launch Solar Orbiter mission

Economical and environmentally friendly solutions on the commercial satellites market

Arianespace at the service of SKY Perfect JSAT and KARI with JCSAT-17 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B

India, Russia Agree to Develop Advanced Ignition Systems to Propel Futuristic Rockets, Missiles

TECH SPACE
Mars 2020 equipped with laser vision and better mics

MAVEN explores Mars to understand radio interference at Earth

Mars' water was mineral-rich and salty

Russian scientists propose manned Base on Martian Moon to control robots remotely on red planet

TECH SPACE
China's Long March-5B carrier rocket arrives at launch site

China to launch more space science satellites

China's space station core module, manned spacecraft arrive at launch site

China to launch Mars probe in July

TECH SPACE
Maxar Technologies will build Intelsat Epic geostationary communications satellite with NASA hosted payload

Arianespace and Starsem launch 34 OneWeb satellites to help bridge the digital divide

Australia's first space incubator seeks global applicants for 2020 program

RUAG Space dispenses another batch of Airbus OneWeb satellites

TECH SPACE
First time controlling two spacecraft with one dish

New threads: Nanowires made of tellurium and nanotubes hold promise for wearable tech

Fastest high-precision 3D printer

Researchers report progress on molecular data storage system

TECH SPACE
Distant giant planets form differently than 'failed stars'

CHEOPS space telescope takes its first pictures

Scientists discover nearest known 'baby giant planet'

NASA's Webb will seek atmospheres around potentially habitable exoplanets

TECH SPACE
Pluto's icy heart makes winds blow

Why Uranus and Neptune are different

Seeing stars in 3D: The New Horizons Parallax Program

Looking back at a New Horizons New Year's to remember









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.