20 Sept 2016

The photonic integrated circuits could replace electronic, currently used in computers or smartphones, to make them faster and compact
In order to create effective technology that provides competitive in the market for data transmission, the mexican engineer Aura Higuera Rodriguez works in the design, manufacture and testing of dedicated optical interconnection between chips nanolasers, which ensures low power consumption and quick communication between them for sending information.

These are devices that can measure up to 300 nanometers in length, which consume low power, ie that do not generate excessive heat such as electronic devices made from silicon. "Those who we created are capable of supporting light sources and transmit data at high speed”, explained Aura Rodriguez, a doctoral student in Photonic Integration at the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
A single chip can contain hundreds of thousands of devices, they can be nanolasers, receivers or transmitters.
These nanolasers be adapted in optical interconnects within a single chip, for example in the central processing unit of a computer or a smartphone, the purpose is to generate quick communication between chips to send information. The next generation of devices, the era of photonics.

"When we produce is like playing with a block of modeling clay, that is what we cut and molded to create and shape the laser. We ended up forming similar blocks to the lego, who put them together forms a data transmission system that uses light to carry information at high speed”, said the Telecommunications engineer from UNAM.
Is worth highlighting that these lasers are not yet marketed in the world, because, among other things, premature state in which has not reached a performance of high efficiency, difficulty in manufacturing and handling of physical properties of materials, and processing that is delicate because they are toxic materials; however, the large telecommunications companies have already announced that they will change their mode of operation to photonics, ie invest in the development of this technology because electronics no longer be viable in the future to meet the need for data transmission more speed.

Currently the investigation is under development and continuous study. "At the moment have made a chip with nanolasers, we must now characterize and check if it works technologically and then integrate it with other functions”, explained.
Despite being technology and very expensive in Mexico may apply. "You can create designs chips using specialized software, sent to Europe to manufacture and characterize a given that the necessary equipment is not expensive as used for manufacturing laboratory. It really is possible, photonics has niche opportunity and development in Mexico, you only need to start generating cooperation and seek opportunities for projects at universities and research institutes and development to consider working with technology ".

Image: Circuitos fotónicos integrados.