Researchers find ways to squeeze light into spaces never thought possible
By Donald Melanson 
posted Jul 31st 2008 3:11PM
posted Jul 31st 2008 3:11PM
It looks like a team of UC Berkeley researchers led by mechanical engineering professor Xiang Zhang (pictured) have found a way to squeeze light into tighter spaces than ever though possible, which they say could lead to breakthroughs in the fields of optical communications, miniature lasers, and optical computers. The key to this new technique, it seems, is the use of a "hybrid" optical fiber consisting of a very thin semiconductor wire placed close to a smooth sheet of silver, which effectively acts as a capacitor that traps the light waves in the gap between the wire and the metal sheet and lets it slip though spaces as tiny as 10 nanometers (or more than 100 times thinner than current optical fibers). That's apparently as opposed to previous attempts that relied on surface plasmonics, in which light binds to electrons and allows it to travel along the surface of metal, which only proved effective over short distances. While all of this is still in the theoretical stage, the researchers seem to think they're on to something big, with research associate Rupert Olten saying that this new development "means we can potentially do some things we have never done before.
"Rupert Olten saying that this new development means we can potentially do some things we have never done before."
Oh wow.
Who could've imagined.
首先
"The most striking thing about that quote is the end.
"
@OneLove
FAIL: you arent first. and i think and "FIRST!" posts should get ranked down, even if they're in chinese.
http://www.nndb.com/people/471/000092195/eggshen.jpg
Egg Shen: Can see things no one else can see. Do things no one else can do.
http://www.nndb.com/people/471/000092195/eggshen.jpg
Egg Shen: Can see things no one else can see. Do things no one else can do.
What, like the back of a Volkswagen?
Solid Mallrats reference
is that his yearbook photo
Squeeze them on random spots in Boston, like Subway entrances and highway overpasses.
"do some things we have never done before"
like get a girlfriend!
all joking aside, though, this is pretty cool.
So, does that mean that the light will shine where the sun dont shine?
Some people have already shown those places to the camera.
Damn, beat me to making that comment, LOL
Only if you fold it up seven times first.
you are going to get sued for this
This is FiOS. This is big.
"Rupert Olten saying that this new development 'means we can potentially do some things we have never done before.'"
I wish he would explain to us mere mortals what those "things" are.
Looks like the usual university engineering departmental webpage photo.
This headline sounds like it should be something submitted for a photo caption contest. BTW, when is Engadget gonna have another one of those? It's been a while.
"While all of this is still in the theoretical stage..."
If they've actually managed to trap and move light in these devices, it's well beyond the theoretical stage. It's in that vast gulf between theoretical and practical.
Am I the only one who read the title as "Researchers find ways to squeeze tight into spaces never though possible"?
Haha i read that too, i was like, my flashlights have been seeing behind my fridge so my dog can lick the shit i spill behind my fridge for years. I thought this was already possible
Rick James, you gotta move to tha can so much fasta man!
love that reply system!!! WOW!
Go Cal !!
yeah Cal! you bribe all the best nerds from China
thats what..he said?
"Researchers find ways to squeeze light into spaces never thought possible"
Windows source code?
iphone contract loopholes?
Difference b/t Eee models X and Y?
er...Engadget comment/reply system????
you left the t out of the word thoughT. I'd copy and paste you the quote but I don't think apple wants me to cause they didn't include support for it on the iPhone/iPod touch.
let's see if it's possible to turn every post into a iphone reference, shall we?
Is it me, or is engadget's English getting worse by the post?
Engadget is having good engrish
Is his first and last names pronounced the same?
is -> are
No the first is pronounced "Xiang" and the last is pronounced, "Zhang," but you can call him Professor Xiang.
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