A major bottleneck with high-frequency wireless communications is the conversion from radio frequencies to optical signals and vice versa. This is performed by an electro-optic modulator (EOM), which generally are limited to GHz-level signals. To reach THz speeds, a new approach was needed, which researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland claim to have found in the form of a plasmonic phase modulator.
Although sounding like something from a Star Trek episode, plasmonics is a very real field, which involves the interaction between optical frequencies along metal-dielectric interfaces. The original 2015 paper by [Yannick Salamin] et al. as published in Nano Letters provides the foundations of the achievement, with the recent paper in Optica by [Yannik Horst] et al. covering the THz plasmonic EOM demonstration.
The demonstrated prototype can achieve 1.14 THz, though signal degradation begins to occur around 1 THz. This is achieved by using plasmons (quanta of electron oscillators) generated on the gold surface, who affect the optical beam as it passes small slots in the gold surface that contain a nonlinear organic electro optic material that ‘writes’ the original wireless signal onto the optical beam.
Plasmodic phase modulators, dont just sound like something off of star treck, they make star treck sound dated, or mythical.
The reality is that things like plasmodic phase modulators will contribute to actual space exploration.
That, and perhaps the writers here could see if they can get on as technical consultants for any new star treck or doctor who script writing……
I’m pretty sure Star Trek sounds the way it does by not having technical consultants. E.g. I recall an episode of Enterprise where Klingons seize a planet to gain control of its priceless deuterium mines…
TNG did have technical consultants, at least sometimes. I remember chatting with a professor who got a character named after him on TNG due to a technical consultant who was one of his former students.
Also……..
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/01/jurriaan-maessen/captain-kirks-predecessor-star-trek-was-rand-corporation-predictive-programming/
Sometimes the Internet gets it mostly right…..
I remember seeing interviews with Gene Roddenberry when I was in my 20s and he mentions going to the RAND institute for advice on what the future might look like.
The above is as about close to what I remember…..
Darn. One of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas. We could have done this 30 years ago. All the pieces were in hand then.