U of Minnesota Engineers Invent Device to Increase Internet Speeds

About eight years ago in the year 2012, a team of scientists and engineers at the University of Minnesota developed a groundbreaking microscale optical device that utilizes the force generated by light to operate a mechanical switch at high speeds. This innovative technology has the potential to significantly enhance internet download speeds and reduce transmission costs, while also consuming less power. The device operates on principles similar to electromechanical relays but relies entirely on optical signals.

The device consists of two optical waveguides, each transmitting an optical signal, with an optical resonator shaped like a microscale donut positioned between them. This resonator allows light to circulate numerous times, increasing its intensity through resonance. The enhanced optical signal from the first waveguide generates a strong optical force on the second waveguide, which is designed to oscillate like a tuning fork when activated. This mechanical motion alters the transmission of the optical signal, effectively functioning as a relay to amplify the input signal.

Currently, this optical relay device operates at a frequency of 1 megahertz, but researchers anticipate improvements that could boost this rate to several gigahertz. The rapid mechanical motion enables direct connections between radio-frequency devices and fiber optics, facilitating broadband communication. Mo Li, an assistant professor involved in the project, emphasized that this is the first instance of using such an optomechanical effect to amplify optical signals without converting them into electrical signals.

The research findings were published in Nature Communications, marking a significant advancement in integrated photonics technology. The implications of this work extend beyond internet speeds; it could lead to advancements in computation and signal processing by leveraging light rather than electrical currents for higher performance and lower energy consumption.

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^{[1] https://www.laserfocusworld.com/test-measurement/research/article/16565415/micro-optical-device-has-optomechanical-nonlinear-light-switch
[2] https://www.photonics.com/Articles/All-Optical_Amplification_of_Signals/a51998
[3] https://cacmb4.acm.org/news/155966-university-of-minnesota-engineers-invent-new-device-that-could-increase-internet-download-speeds/fulltext
[4] https://cse.umn.edu/college/news/university-minnesota-engineers-invent-new-device-could-increase-internet-download
[5] https://cse.umn.edu/college/news?field_category_target_id=146&page=3
[6] https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Related_All-Optical_Amplification_of_Signals/ar51998
[7] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6445001/
[8] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263083017_Microscale_Dielectric_Barrier_Discharge_Plasma_Actuators_Performance_Characterization_and_Numerical_Comparison}