Researchers at the University of Ljubljana have developed a soft-matter photonic switch that controls light using only light, without altering material properties. The device uses a liquid crystal bead infused with fluorescent dye, trapped between polymer waveguides. A first laser pulse excites the dye via whispering gallery mode resonance; a second STED-inspired pulse then triggers stimulated emission, depleting the first pulse and amplifying the second. This all-optical switching reduces energy requirements by over 100x compared to prior soft-matter techniques. The approach enables logic gate operations using light and offers manufacturing advantages over silicon-based photonics, including room-temperature fabrication and flexible geometry. Researchers see long-term potential in photonic computing and neural networks, though practical applications remain years away.
Sort: