Abacwaningi basePenn State University e-United States bathi maduze nje, i-semiconductor core fiber ngokwayo ingase ikwazi ukwenza ukuguqulwa okubizayo “kwe-electrical-optical-electrical” ngaphandle kokuthembela kuma-converter kagesi-optical (electron-optical), kanye ne-optical ebizayo- iziguquli zikagesi ekugcineni kokwamukela.

Lokhu okusungulwe okusha okokuhlanganisa i-crystal silicon core eyodwa ku-capillary yengilazi enobubanzi bangaphakathi obungama-microns angu-1.7, futhi kuqiniswe futhi kuvalwe emikhawulweni yomibili ukuze kwakhiwe i-crystal silicon eyodwa, ngaleyo ndlela kuhlanganiswe eshibhile i-crystal silicon germanium eyodwa kanye ne-crystal silicon eyodwa kuzo zombili iziphetho. . Lolu cwaningo lwenziwe ngokuhlanganyela ngosolwazi Venkatraman Gopalan noJohn Badding eMnyangweni Wezesayensi Yezinto Zokusebenza Nobunjiniyela ePenn State University, kanye nesitshudeni sobudokotela u-Xiaoyu Ji.

Faka i-amorphous silicon core ku-capillary yengilazi enobubanzi bangaphakathi obungama-microns angu-1.7

I-optical fiber elula esetshenziswa namuhla ingakhipha ama-photon kuphela eduze kweshubhu lengilazi elimbozwe nge-polymer ethambile. Isignali engcono kakhulu igcinwa ku-fiber optical ngokubonisa kusuka engilazini kuya ku-polymer, ngakho-ke cishe akukho ukulahlekelwa kwesignali phakathi nokudluliswa kwebanga elide. Ngeshwa, yonke idatha edluliselwa kusuka kukhompuyutha idinga ukusetshenziswa kwamamojula abizayo okuguqula i-electro-optical ekugcineni kokudlulisela.

Ngokufanayo, umamukeli yikhompyutha edinga iziguquli ze-photoelectric ezibizayo ekugcineni kokwamukela. Ukuze kuqiniswe isignali, ibanga elide kakhulu phakathi kwamadolobha ahlukene lidinga "isiphindaphinda" ukuze senze ukuguqulwa okubucayi kagesi, bese sikhulisa ama-electron, bese sidlula kusiguquli se-super electro-optical ukuvumela isignali yokubona. dlulela kwelandelayo I-relay ekugcineni ifika lapho iya khona.

Abacwaningi base-Penn State University banethemba lokuthuthukisa imicu ye-optical egcwele ama-semiconductors ahlakaniphile, okubanikeze amandla okwenza ukuguqulwa kukagesi-optical-electrical ngokwabo. Njengamanje, ithimba locwaningo alikafinyeleli umgomo walo, kodwa lihlanganise ngempumelelo zonke izinto ezidingekayo ku-fiber optical semiconductor futhi lifakazele ukuthi lingadlulisela ama-photons nama-electron ngesikhathi esifanayo. Okulandelayo, badinga ukwenza iphethini ye-crystal silicon eyodwa kuzo zombili iziphetho ze-fiber optical ukuze benze ukuguqulwa okudingekayo kwe-optical-electric and electric-optical ngesikhathi sangempela.

U-Badding wabonisa ukuthi kungenzeka ukusebenzisa imicu egcwele i-silicon ngo-2006, futhi u-Ji wabe esesebenzisa ama-laser ukuhlanganisa i-high-purity single crystal silicon germanium nama-capillaries engilazi ocwaningweni lwakhe lwethisisi yobudokotela. Umphumela uwuphawu oluhlakaniphile lwe-monosilicon olude ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-2,000, oluguqula i-prototype yasekuqaleni esebenza kahle kakhulu ye-Badding ibe into ekwazi ukuhwebelana.

U-Xiaoyu Ji, ikhandidethi le-PhD eMnyangweni Wesayensi Yezinto Zokusebenza e-Penn State University, wenza izivivinyo ze-crystallization e-Argonne National Laboratory.

Lo mgogodla we-crystal silicon core omncane kakhulu futhi uvumela i-Ji ukuthi isebenzise isithwebuli se-laser ukuze incibilike futhi icwengisise isakhiwo sekristalu phakathi nendawo yengilazi ezingeni lokushisa elingu-750-900 degrees Fahrenheit, ngaleyo ndlela igweme ukungcoliswa kwe-silicon yengilazi.

Ngakho-ke, kuthathe iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-10 kusukela emzamweni wokuqala ka-Badding ukuhlanganisa ama-semiconductors ahlakaniphile nama-optical fibers ane-optical-electrical fiber efanayo.

Okulandelayo, abacwaningi bazoqala ukuthuthukisa (ukuze benze i-smart fibre ifinyelele isivinini sokudlulisela kanye nekhwalithi eqhathaniswa nefayibha elula), futhi iphethini i-silicon germanium ukuze isetshenziswe ngendlela engokoqobo, okuhlanganisa ama-endoscopes, imaging nama-fiber lasers.