First Room-Temperature Germanium Laser Completed 80
eldavojohn writes "MIT researchers have built and demonstrated the first room-temperature germanium laser that can produce light at wavelengths suited for communication. This achievement has two parts: '[U]nlike the materials typically used in lasers, germanium is easy to incorporate into existing processes for manufacturing silicon chips. So the result could prove an important step toward computers that move data — and maybe even perform calculations — using light instead of electricity. But more fundamentally, the researchers have shown that, contrary to prior belief, a class of materials called indirect-band-gap semiconductors can yield practical lasers.' While these are only the initial steps in what may become optical computing devices, the article paints it as very promising. The painful details will be published in the journal Optics Letters."
Re:Fill us in, please? (Score:4, Informative)
Why is this better than existing solid-state lasers?
-jcr
Already being integrated with silicon for circuits [wikipedia.org]. And like the summary says, manufacturing is much easier.
Re:Fill us in, please? (Score:5, Informative)
lasers compatible with silicon processing technology are a good thing. SiGe is a proven IC material set with a sort-of robust processing knowledgebase. Incorporating Germanium optics into silicon designs supposedly will usher in a new era of wacky computing with on-chip optical logic elements, interconnects, etc. Some people think quantum computing would be easier if you were working in the optical instead of electrical domain. Blah blah. People made silicon lase not too long ago, but efficiency was horrible. Germanium can make for a much better optics, and now you can put in together.
Re:Fill us in, please? (Score:3, Informative)
Silicon has a 0.7v drop across a pn junction, whereas germanium only drops 0.3v. I would imagine that being able to use much lower operating voltage has some benefits.