Scientists Embed Electronic Components Into Optical Fibers

An anonymous reader writes "Scientists at the Universities of Southampton and Penn State have found a way to embed electronic components into optical fibers, in a breakthrough that could lead to the creation of super high-speed telecommunications networks. Rather than trying to merge flat chips with round optical fibers, the team of scientists used high-pressure chemistry techniques to deposit semiconducting materials layer by layer directly into tiny holes in optical fibers. This bypasses the need to integrate fiber-optics onto a chip, and means that the data signal never has to leave the fiber."

cheaper?

[phriedom]

I don't understand this part: “Moreover, while conventional chip fabrication requires multimillion dollar clean room facilities, our process can be performed with simple equipment that costs much less." They can only be replacing the physical layer step, the laser or the photo-diode, if they don't need a multimillion dollar equipment. They will still need a conventional chip for the amplifier or laser-driver. So their claim that the signal won't have to leave the fiber is misleading right off the bat. Then I have to wonder why it would be cheaper to grow a laser (and test it) one-at-a-time on the end of a fiber instead of on a wafer. Okay, you skip packaging, but the market has already decided (for the moment) that packaged lasers are cheaper than putting a bare die directly into an integrated module. Where's the savings?

Re:Built in repeaters?

[ibsteve2u]

And I know I wasn't clear, but my point was the technology detailed in this article will make it possible to defeat the most well-trained network and security administrators out there: Won't do you much good to have absolute control of your firewalls and proxies - or to use encryption for all external communications - if your in-house fiber plant is reading your internal communications in the clear and then "talking" around your security measures. And even if you have transparent cable trays so that you can readily detect the insertion of a splice-and-tap, you won't catch it...the technology will be a part of the fiber itself....all bundled in the factory insulation.

Re:cheaper?

[Anonymous Coward]

Consider embedding LCD Crystals into the fiber.

The laser is constantly on but the crystals are beating, allowing light in at a specific angle so it hits a specific exit point at a specific frequency for the installed patch.

Lets say you can get 10-20 channels; that's a lot of bandwidth if we're talking OC Speeds. And realistically, it'd be a $10k dongle and $100k box you'd plug into your existing fiber.