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Cooler Silicon Lasers Via Energy Harvesting
Light Licker writes "UCLA researchers have developed a way to cut power use and heat output from a silicon laser used for optoelectronics. Both have been problems because silicon absorbs too much light — producing high-energy free electrons that make heat. One of Intel's best silicon lasers produced 125 times more heat than usable light. The UCLA team added a diode to their laser which can harvest free electrons and use them to help power the circuit — simultaneously cutting heat output and power use."
You'd think Intel would know that Radio Shack carries a wide variety...
We figured out a long time ago that it's easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.
This just goes to show that even seemingly simple ideas can be powerful.
Isn't enough that I ruined a pony, making a gift for you?
"It's a very clever approach," says Philippe Fauchet, an applied physicist at the University of Rochester in New York State. "I did not expect it at all, which is always a nice surprise."
An applied physicist "didn't expect" that an electric field would move the free electrons out of the way?
Even the best and brightest can sometimes forget the little things. You can get so focused on another aspect.Bearded Dragon
You haven't been to a Radio Shack lately, have you? They have almost nothing.
"You've got questions, we've got Blank Stares"
From the Onion: Even CEO Can't Figure Out How Radio Shack Still In Business
We figured out a long time ago that it's easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.
that the newest batch of CD players won't be hot enough to reveal the secret disc art on NIN's new CD?
Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
Look, its simple. If its an article about lasers, the oblig comment will involve how a cooler laser will make the shark more comfortable, not the overlords comment. The overlords comment is better saved for when somebody actually develops the shark-carrying robots that will destroy us all (using the 1,2,3:??,4:profit! model, of course).
Maybe he didn't expect that the diode would create the electric field, maybe it's hard to put a diode right next to the laser, or maybe he didn't think the free electrons would travel away so easily.
To me it sounds exactly like how photovoltaic cells work; a light beam gives an electron enough energy to dislodge it, and a diode forces the electron to jump through a few hoops to get back to where it started. At face value it's too obvious to not have been thought of before, so you can bet there's something NewScientist aren't covering well.
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