Optical data processing benefits from new kind of mobillity

Mode control is essential for optical communications and data processing technologies. Whether it's connections and switches in data transmission lines or some sort of non-reciprocal device for optical circuits, the ability to control, for example, whether the output mode will be even or odd for a given input mode is key. Now, researchers in China and Canada have demonstrated how to achieve efficient optical mode transfer in more compact devices than previously possible by exploiting "exceptiona...