Several weeks ago, I told you about how Swiss researchers were able to control the speed of light both up and down. Today, I want to share with you the results obtained by other scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, which have used a laser amplifier to slow light at room temperature. With their device, they clocked the speed of light at 245 meters per second, slower than the speed of sound in air. This could lead to faster communication networks by eliminating the need for optical-electronic-optical (OEO) conversions. And the researchers want now to go even further, by almost 'freezing' light, which would completely change the world of optical memories and storage. Read more...
Sources: University of California, Berkeley, October 3, 2005; and various web sites
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7:40:34 PM
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