UK researchers have developed world-leading Compound Semiconductor (CS) technology that can drive future high-speed data communications.
A team from Cardiff University's Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS) worked with collaborators to innovate an ultrafast and highly sensitive 'avalanche photodiode' (APD) that creates less electronic 'noise' than its silicon rivals.
APDs are highly sensitive semiconductor devices that exploit the 'photoelectric effect' - when light hits a material—to convert light to electricity.
Faster, supersensitive APDs are in demand worldwide for use in high-speed data communications and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems for autonomous vehicles.
A paper outlining the breakthrough in creating extremely low excess noise and high sensitivity APDs is published today in Nature Photonics.
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