The practical polariton laser [News]

Lasers have largely replaced the copper wiring of old to speedily stream bits among servers in large data centers. Engineers have long dreamed that they could use lasers to do the same within the servers?? data-congested processors, too. One problem standing in their way is that even the most efficient lasers need an awful lot of current before they light up. But a new kind of device, the polariton laser, could light the way using merely a trickle of electrons. Until recently, however, the device has worked only in an impractical environment.