Ultrafast UV-C light just took a leap forward, opening the door to lightning-fast communications and next-generation photonic technologies.

Devices that work with ultraviolet light in the UV-C range (100−280 nm) are becoming increasingly important across many fields, including super-resolution microscopy and optical communications. Scientists are especially interested in UV-C light because it scatters strongly in the atmosphere, a property that makes it useful for non-line-of-sight communication. This means data could be sent even when a clear line of sight is blocked, such as in cluttered or obstructed environments. Despite these advantages, progress has been slow because researchers have lacked practical components that can reliably generate and detect UV-C light.

A new platform for ultrafast UV-C pulses.