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Shark Science

Engineers Build Ultrasmall Organic Laser 22

ckwu writes: Researchers have made the tiniest organic laser reported to date. The 8-micrometer-long, 440-nanometer-wide device, which looks like a suspended bridge riddled with holes, is carved into a silicon chip coated with an organic dye. Integrated into microprocessors, such tiny lasers could one day speed up computers by shuttling data using light rather than electrons. The new organic laser is optically pumped—that is, powered by pulses from another laser. But it has a very low threshold—the energy required to start lasing—of 4 microjoules per square centimeter. The low threshold brings the device closer to engineers' ultimate goal of creating an organic laser that can run on electric current, which would be key for on-chip use.
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Engineers Build Ultrasmall Organic Laser

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  • Now we need (Score:5, Funny)

    by rossdee ( 243626 ) on Friday October 03, 2014 @03:37PM (#48058643)

    ultrasmall sharks

    • with frickin' laser beams
      • hello! tfa is saying we've made the lasers. now we just need to make the sharks to attach the lasers to.

        Or maybe since the laser is organic, we could gene-splice it into the shark. that would be awesome! powered by tiny generators driven by the shark moving through water.

        • by Matheus ( 586080 )

          Sorry couldn't shrink the sharks...

          SO we got you ill-tempered minnows instead! Really ferocious little things...

  • by Anonymous Coward
    The new organic laser receives the same treatment as most attractive young women - they are optically pumped.
  • ...by shuttling data using light rather than electrons.

    in other words:

    ...by shuttling data using photons rather than electrons.

  • "Ultrasmall" is not a word.

    "Ultra-small" or "ultra small" are better, but sound way too stupid.

    "Extremely small", "smallest yet" are better alternatives.

    • "Ultrasmall" is not a word.

      "Ultra-small" or "ultra small" are better, but sound way too stupid.

      "Extremely small", "smallest yet" are better alternatives.

      Why does it matter?

      No, seriously, I would like to know why it matters enough to whingepoast.

  • by PPH ( 736903 ) on Friday October 03, 2014 @08:07PM (#48060409)

    ... are giving me threatening looks.

The truth of a proposition has nothing to do with its credibility. And vice versa.

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