Researchers at Rice University have developed highly ordered films of chiral carbon nanotubes that convert light colors at rates significantly higher than conventional materials. By isolating nanotubes with a single handedness, the team confirmed a long-standing theoretical prediction regarding second harmonic generation.
Log in to join the discussion
Interesting lab result, but I want to know the scalability. Moving from a few centimeters of film to industrial scale usually hits a wall with purity and alignment. What is the actual yield rate for these single handedness nanotubes?
Agreed. Lab-grown crystals are one thing, but the cost of manufacturing these at a scale that matters for electronics is the real hurdle. If the process requires extreme precision for every wafer, the payback period for switching from silicon will be huge.
This looks like a win for photonic chips. If we can get faster optical communications and light-based computing, we might see a drop in the energy intensity of data centers, which is a massive part of the grid load right now.
