Innovative optical fiber, developed by researchers from UNM, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Corning Incorporated and Clemson University, was chosen as one of the ‘Physics World’s Top 10 Breakthroughs of 2014’ by an international magazine. According to UNM, the editorial team recognized 10 achievements from 2014 in a range of topics from nuclear physics to nanotechnology. The international monthly magazine published by the Institute of Physics used the following criteria: fundamental importance of research; significant advance in knowledge; strong connection between theory and experiment; and general interest to all physicists.
Arash Mafi, associate professor in the UNM Department of Physics & Astronomy and a member of the Center for High Technology Materials at UNM, and his former doctoral student Salman Karbasi at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee harnessed “Anderson localization” to create an optical fiber with a strong scattering mechanism that traps a beam of light as it traverses the fiber. The work was done in collaboration with Mafi’s former undergraduate researcher Ryan Frazier at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with Karl Koch, a scientist with Corning Inc, and John Ballato and Thomas Hawkins of Clemson University.
The citation recognizing UNM’s research breakthrough reads:
“The researchers successfully demonstrated that Anderson-localization in an optical fiber could be used for endoscopic imaging. Their demonstration of spatial beam multiplexing suggested the possibility of using easily made disordered optical fibers for image transport and that it can have comparable or higher quality than some of the best commercially available multicore imaging optical fibers, with less pixilation and higher contrast.”
The researchers’ findings were published February in Nature Communications.
Erika Eddy is a news reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
UNM is among four Albuquerque businesses that have gone above and beyond by completing projects that save energy and money, earning them a PNM Energy Star.
According to UNM, Casas del Rio student housing received the award for the most innovative project. PNM reported, “The University of New Mexico took extra measures to reduce energy use at the Casas del Rio student housing. During construction, UNM installed a state-of-the-art HVAC system. HVAC systems can account for up to 30 percent of energy usage. Not only was the housing unit built with energy efficient HVAC, but also with low-energy use lighting and occupancy controls, earning each building LEED Silver certification. This project makes Casas del Rio one of the greenest student housing options on campus.”
“UNM went above and beyond code for their lighting and HVAC measures at Casas del Rio,” PNM Program Manager Carlos Lucero said. The projects resulted in a PNM rebate of $46,880 and annual energy savings of 658,000 kilowatt-hours. Based on the energy savings, UNM can expect to save $50,000 on their PNM bill annually.”
The City of Albuquerque also received the award as the largest business with the highest energy savings. The city replaced inefficient lighting and installed occupancy sensors in the East Convention Center, saving $75,000 annually in electric bills.
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