Is it better than fiber-optic? A new chip enhances telecommunication

Researchers have invented a remarkable microchip capable of manipulating a light beam to circumvent obstacles. This development can significantly advance optical communication and might even pave the way for novel computer designs.

Light beam communication suffers from a crucial limitation - the presence of any obstacles, even small ones. The scientists from the Polytechnic University of Milan, highlighting the impact of minor obstacles, relate it to a frosted glass, which greatly alters the image viewed through it. Analogously, this scenario arises in wireless data transmission as well.

A collaborative team from Milan and other institutions in Italy, the United Kingdom, and the USA has devised a system capable of directing a light beam around obstacles. Interestingly, it works even when the obstacles are unpredictable and constantly changing.

This revolutionary chip also boasts another benefit. It enables the creation of numerous overlapping beams that don't interfere with each other, leading to a significant boost in the volume of data that can be transmitted.

"Our systems act as mathematical processors that perform computations using light rapidly and resourcefully, consuming almost no energy. Light beams are modified by basic algebraic operations, primarily addition and multiplication performed directly on light signals. These signals are then transmitted via micro-antennas integrated into the systems. This technology offers several advantages, including effortless signal processing, impressive energy efficiency, and an exceptionally vast bandwidth of frequencies exceeding 5,000 GHz," elaborates Francesco Morichetti, the author of the publication in the "Nature Photonics" magazine.

The scientists believe that the newly developed chip might be utilized in 5G and 6G networks and in creating a unique type of computer. These computers could potentially be built from processors that mimic neurons and also in quantum computing and cryptography. Additionally, the chip could be used in various sensor types, and massive amounts of data must be rapidly processed anywhere.