May 2001
The Next Generation of Optical Fibers
Novel "photonic-band-gap materials" promise to light up the pipes of the telecom network. Their breakthrough? They carry signals through air rather than glass.
By Philip Ball
At first sight, these new materials are simply odd: thin as a hair, transparent and full of holes. Like the optical fibers that are the mainstay of the telecommunications industry, they're made of glass. But there the similarities with conventional materials come screeching to a halt.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology