Scientists at Clemson University for the first time have been able to make a practical optical fiber with a silicon core, combining optoelectronics with optical fibers.

The development of a silicon fiber opens the way for signal processing functions that are currently done electronically or in separate optical circuits to be performed directly inside the fiber, which allows for more compact, efficient systems.

The advance ultimately should help increase efficiency and decrease power consumption in computers and other systems that integrate photonic and electronic devices, allowing for more compact devices with decreased power consumption.

Source: Optical Society news release