Caltech scientists have developed a way to guide light on silicon wafers with low signal loss approaching that of optical fiber at visible wavelengths. This accomplishment paves the way for a new generation of ultra-coherent and efficient photonic integrated circuits (PICs), which will have a profound impact in a variety of on-chip applications, including precision measurements, such as optical clocks for timing and gyroscopes for rotation, as well as AI data-center communications and even quantum computing.

