Atom thin mirrors’ reflectivity can be turned on and off

Optoelectronics, in which photons interface with electrons to carry information within and between circuits, is a growing field many physicists believe will be crucial to increase computing power. Essential to its advancement are atomic-scale technologies to manipulate photons within optical integrated circuits. Now, two research groups – one in Switzerland and one in the US – have simultaneously developed atom thick mirrors that can be switched electrically.^1,2