RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT - Light could be the future of the internet and data transmission

Fast data transmission could be delivered in homes and offices through light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, complementing existing communication technologies and networks.

New internet technologies are being rapidly refined, and LED-based communication links are expected to be used in services and scenarios including Light-fidelity (Li-Fi), underwater communications, moderate- to high-speed photonic connections and various ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) devices.

A study, led by the Universities of Surrey and Cambridge and published in the journal Nature Photonics, has investigated how to release high-speed photonic sources using materials known as metal-halide perovskites. These semiconductors are studied with LEDs for their excellent optoelectronic properties and low-cost processing methods.

"This is a significant step toward perovskite light sources for next-generation data communications. It also paves the way for the integration of perovskites with micro-electronics platforms, presenting new opportunities for seamless integration and advancement in the field of data communications,"   Hao Wang (co-first author), PhD candidate, Dept of Engineering. “

Read the full University of Cambridge article.

Publication: Aobo Ren, Hao Wang et al. ‘High-bandwidth perovskite photonic sources on silicon.’ Nature Photonics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-023-01242-9