Microchips’ optical future
To keep energy consumption under control, future chips may need to move data using light instead of electricity — and the technical expertise to build them may reside in the United States.
Turning heat into power
A new kind of high-temperature photonic crystal could someday power everything from smartphones to spacecraft.
Electronics takes on a new spin
Researchers at MIT find a way to observe and control the way electrons spin on the surface of exotic new materials.
Important step toward computing with light
Research at MIT produces long-sought component to allow complete optical circuits on silicon chips.
Fink named RLE director
Succeeds Shapiro to lead one of the Institute’s oldest interdepartmental labs
Making materials to order
New method of forming composites allows fine-tuning of mechanical, electrical, thermal and other properties.
Biology rides to computers’ aid
Photonic crystals could usher in an age of low-power optical computing, but they’re hard to manufacture. Maybe adding a little DNA would help.