Belgian Researchers Demonstrate Both Attractive and Repulsive Nanophotonic Forces

In what is being described as an experiment of fundamental scientific importance, optical signal processing in telecommunications could be impacted

1 min read

Joint research at the University of Ghent and the nanoelectronics research center IMEC have developed waveguides that when laser is passed through them generate both attracting and repulsing optical forces upon them.

According to the early announcement of the research, which eventually will be published in the August issue of Nature Nanotechnology, the demonstration of the repulsive force is a first and constitutes a matter of “fundamental scientific importance.”

The applications for this research will be in high-speed telecommunications where the technology could be an option for all-optical signal processing functions on a chip.

The Conversation (0)