optical devices

A new method of controlling light is changing the world of optical communication.

Researchers at MIT’s Media Lab and Harvard University have discovered that mixing solids and liquids enhances the optical properties of both materials. They found that changing the temperature of a solid-liquid mixture dramatically alters the way that light is diffused. The researchers also built a computer model that can be used to design custom liquid-solid mixtures for specific purposes.

For the first time, researchers have built a quantum cascade laser (QCL) on silicon....