Wavy Surfaces for Better Light Control

The Internet owes its power to countless light pulses with which enormous amounts of data are sent around the globe via optical fibers. To steer and control these light pulses, various technologies are employed. One of the oldest and most important is the diffraction grating, which deflects light of different colors in precisely determined directions. For decades, scientists have been trying to improve the design and production of diffraction gratings to make them suitable for today's demanding applications. Researchers now have developed a new method by which more efficient and more precise diffraction gratings can be produced.