Inspired by the Netflix series Snowpiercer’s endlessly circling train, a team of scientists, including Swinburne University of Technology’s Professor David Moss have created an ultra-stable light-based computer chip that might one day replace GPS or allow ultra-fast internet speeds.The device is an ultra-stable version of an optical frequency microcomb – a device that generates very precise frequencies of light an equal distance apart – a bit like the teeth of a comb.Optical frequency microcombs can act like a ruler for light, allowing scientists to use them for precise time keeping, something that is crucial for next generation telecommunications or for highly accurate mapping to replace GPS.
