Optical Properties of Multiferroic BiFeO3 Films

Lightwave communication systems are predominantly used for handling high-speed data traffic. Long-distance ground-based systems particularly depend on optical fibers. Several business and research facilities employ direct fiber connections, and fiber to the home (FTTH) technology is foreseeable in the near future. These developments are driven particulary by the high demand for bandwidth necessary for many computers contributing to internet traffic. Lightwave communication systems are one of the fastest growing industrial fields because of a few important inventions and extensive research and development by physicists and engineers. The key components of a long-distance lightwave communication system are semiconductor lasers, low-loss glass fibers, optical amplifiers, and photodetectors. Apart from these key elements, several additional functions are required to enable modulating, switching, and combining the optical signals. In addition, network traffic management and switching, routing, and distribution systems are essential. Therefore, we focused on the development of optical components such as modulators and switches.