Electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, or technology that uses light for communication, particularly fiber optic systems.
Compound of 'light' (Old English leoht, from Proto-Germanic *leuhtam) and 'wave' (Old English wafian 'to wave with the hands'). The compound emerged in the 20th century with the development of wave theory of light and optical communication technology.
The term 'lightwave' beautifully captures the wave-particle duality of light - it behaves as both a wave and a particle depending on how you observe it! Modern lightwave technology can carry millions of phone conversations simultaneously through a single fiber thinner than human hair.
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