At the heart of optoelectronics are light-emitting semiconductors. Built into switches, repeaters and other components, it’s these devices that translate electrical signals into optical impulses to carry data and phone conversations around the world. At present, there’s just a few types of semiconductor that can emit the light without costing a fortune to make.
A spin-out from the University of Surrey, England, is developing a new process to get infrared light from the cheapest and easiest semiconductor of all, silicon, using existing manufacturing techniques. The firm, Si-Light Technologies Ltd., says its silicon-based light emitters can operate in standard commercial, industrial and military temperature ranges, at a smaller size, lower power, and lower cost than is normally possible in silicon.
The company was spun-out fro Surrey in 2002, by Prof. Kevin Homewood, and Drs. Russell Gwillam and Guosheng Shao. The company says it’s currently closing a seed round but will be looking for more cash in 2006.
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