Researchers at UCLA Announce Breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Devices

University of California - Los Angeles Press Release, 28 Jun 2006 Turning the tables on chip power consumption: Rather than using electrical power, new silicon optical amplifiers generate it by harvesting energy normally wasted as heat Building on a series of recent breakthroughs in silicon photonics, researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a novel approach to silicon devices that combines light amplification with a photovoltaic -- or solar panel -- effect. UCLA Engineering researchers report that not only can optical amplification in silicon be achieved with zero power consumption, but power can now be generated in the process. Read more