'Rainbow-on-a-chip' could help unlock 6G networks and precision timing for quantum technologies
Loughborough University physicists and an international team have demonstrated that a grain-of-rice-sized microchip can be used to produce a spectrum of precisely spaced frequencies of light, which is then converted into multiple high-frequency electromagnetic signals known as millimeter waves.
A team of physicists from Loughborough University and an international group of researchers have developed a microchip capable of generating a spectrum of precisely spaced millimeter-wave frequencies. Millimeter waves, which have higher bandwidth and can transmit more data, are of growing interest for future communications technology.
However, producing them with the required precision and stability has been a challenge. Dr. Luke Peters, from Loughborough University's Emergent Photonics Research Center, explained that the new microchip functions like a "rainbow on a chip," where the microcomb continuously circulates through the chip and the loop of optical fiber, creating a stable and highly precise light source.
The team demonstrated that they could control the microcomb, making some frequencies stronger or weaker, providing more control over the signals produced. This level of precision is valuable for applications requiring accuracy and stability, such as high-capacity communications, radar systems, spectroscopy, and astronomical instruments.
The researchers are now exploring how their microcomb technology could be used in real-world systems, potentially leading to smaller, more compact and energy-efficient devices that could fit inside a shoebox. The technology could also have applications in satellites and precision timing for emerging quantum technologies.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
