New optical materials break digital connectivity barriers

In our increasingly networked world, we need much faster computer components to support enormous amounts of data transfer and data processing. A new study finds that new optical materials could serve as the nuts and bolts of future ultra-high-speed optical computing components. These 'nonlinear metamaterials,' which possess physical capabilities not found in nature, may be the building blocks that allow major companies like IBM and Intel to move from electronic to optical computing. ...read more