Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Gaining light from silicon

Nature volume 408, pages 411–412 (2000)Cite this article

Silicon lasers would help computers operate faster by replacing electrical connections with optical ones. The trouble is, normal silicon doesn't glow. Densely packed silicon nanocrystals could be the answer.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: First light for silicon.
Figure 2: How an electrically driven silicon laser might work in the future.

References

  1. Pavesi, L., Dal Negro, L., Mazzoleni, C., Franzo, G. & Priolo, F. Nature 408, 440–444 (2000).

  2. Gelloz, B. & Koshida, N. J. Appl. Phys. 88, 4319–4324 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Goodman, J. W. et al. Proc. IEEE 72, 850– 866 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Holmes, J. D. et al. Science 287, 1471– 1473 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Nesbit, L. A. Appl. Phys. Lett. 46, 38–40 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ledoux, G. et al. Astron. Astrophys. 333, L39– L42 (1998).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zubko, V. G. et al. Astrophys. J. 511, L57– L60 (1999).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Defence Evaluation Research Agency, St Andrews Road, Malvern, WR14 3PS, UK

    Leigh Canham

Authors
  1. Leigh Canham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Canham, L. Gaining light from silicon. Nature 408, 411–412 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35044156

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35044156

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing