New Optical Fiber Replaces Glass With Semiconductive Core

cylonlover writes "Fiber optic cables can transmit over a terabyte of information per second – but that doesn't mean there still isn't room for improvement. One of those improvements, which was officially announced today, involves replacing the silica glass core of fiber optic strands with semiconductive zinc selenide. This new class of fiber optics, invented and created at Penn State University, is said to 'allow for a more effective and liberal manipulation of light.' The technology could have applications in the fields of medicine, defense, and environmental monitoring."