Researchers from the University of Sydney have found a way to manipulate laser light at a fraction of the cost of current technology, using perovskites to make Faraday rotators.
The discovery, published in Advanced Science, could help drive down costs in industries as diverse as telecommunications, medical diagnostics, and consumer optoelectronics.
The research team, led by Dr Girish Lakhwani from the University of Sydney Nano Institute and School of Chemistry, has used inexpensive crystals, known as perovskites, to make Faraday rotators. These manipulate light in a range of devices across industry and science by altering a fundamental property of light – its polarisation. This gives scientists and engineers the ability to stabilise, block or steer light on demand.
Dr Lakhwani said: “Development and uptake of our technology could be aided by the excellent positioning of Australia within the Asia-Pacific region, which is growing rapidly due to increasing investments in its high-speed communication infrastructure.” Find out more here.
