Advancing frontiers: Semiconductor fibers in modern technology

Abstract

Semiconductors emerged as pivotal agents of technological transformation in the 1940s with the groundbreaking advent of the transistor. Their profound significance reverberates across a myriad of contemporary applications, spanning electronic circuits, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and lasers. Beyond their traditional electronic purview, semiconductors reveal promising characteristics when harnessed in bulk for deployment in optics and photonics, particularly within the infrared spectrum. The dawn of the 21st century witnessed the establishment of semiconductors as the cornerstone material for optical fibers. Among the array of semiconductors enlisted for this purpose are silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, zinc selenide, and selenium telluride, showcasing remarkable efficacy in guiding light across the near-infrared and mid-infrared domains. A plethora of alternative semiconductor materials have been posited for incorporation into optical fibers, each offering unique advantages. Of notable mention is the semiconductor's pronounced nonlinearity, surpassing silica-based glasses by several orders of magnitude. This exceptional trait unlocks a myriad of optical phenomena when semiconductors serve as the core medium within optical fibers. Within this discourse, we provide a succinct overview encompassing fabrication methodologies, recent advancements, prevalent forms of semiconductor fibers, as well as the myriad applications and attendant challenges intrinsic to the evolution of semiconductor fibers.