Researchers have built a record energy-efficient switch, which uses the interplay of electricity and a liquid form of light, in semiconductor microchips. The device could form the foundation of future signal processing and information technologies, making electronics even more efficient.
We’re reaching the limits of how small we can make transistors, and electronics based on liquid light could be a way of increasing the power and efficiency of the electronics we rely on.
Hamid Ohadi
Researchers have built a miniature electro-optical switch which can change the spin – or angular momentum – of a liquid form of light by applying electric fields to a semiconductor device a millionth of a metre in size. Their results, reported in the journal Nature Materials, demonstrate how to bridge the gap between light and electricity, which could enable the development of ever faster and smaller electronics.
There is a fundamental disparity between the way in which information is processed and transmitted by current technologies. To process information, electrical charges are moved around on semiconductor chips; and to transmit it, light flashes are sent down optical fibres. Current methods of converting between electrical and optical signals are both inefficient and slow, and researchers have been searching for ways to incorporate the two.
In order to make electronics faster and more powerful, more transistors need to be squeezed onto semiconductor chips. For the past 50 years, the number of transistors on a single chip has doubled every two years – this is known as Moore’s law. However, as chips keep getting smaller, scientists now have to deal with the quantum effects associated with individual atoms and electrons, and they are looking for alternatives to the electron as the primary carrier of information in order to keep up with Moore’s law and our thirst for faster, cheaper and more powerful electronics.
The University of Cambridge researchers, led by Professor Jeremy Baumberg from the NanoPhotonics Centre, in collaboration with researchers from Mexico and Greece, have built a switch which utilises a new state of matter called a Polariton Bose-Einstein condensate in order to mix electric and optical signals, while using miniscule amounts of energy.
Polariton Bose-Einstein condensates are generated by trapping light between mirrors spaced only a few millionths of a metre apart, and letting it interact with thin slabs of semiconductor material, creating a half-light, half-matter mixture known as a polariton.
Putting lots of polaritons in the same space can induce condensation – similar to the condensation of water droplets at high humidity – and the formation of a light-matter fluid which spins clockwise (spin-up) or anticlockwise (spin-down). By applying an electric field to this system, the researchers were able to control the spin of the condensate and switch it between up and down states. The polariton fluid emits light with clockwise or anticlockwise spin, which can be sent through optical fibres for communication, converting electrical to optical signals.
“The polariton switch unifies the best properties of electronics and optics into one tiny device that can deliver at very high speeds while using minimal amounts of power,” said the paper’s lead author Dr Alexander Dreismann from Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory.
“We have made a field-effect light switch that can bridge the gap between optics and electronics,” said co-author Dr Hamid Ohadi, also from the Cavendish Laboratory. “We’re reaching the limits of how small we can make transistors, and electronics based on liquid light could be a way of increasing the power and efficiency of the electronics we rely on.”
While the prototype device works at cryogenic temperatures, the researchers are developing other materials that can operate at room temperature, so that the device may be commercialised. The other key factor for the commercialisation of the device is mass production and scalability. “Since this prototype is based on well-established fabrication technology, it has the potential to be scaled up in the near future,” said study co-author Professor Pavlos Savvidis from the FORTH institute in Crete, Greece.
The team is currently exploring options for commercialising the technology as well as integrating it with the existing technology base.
Learn more: Liquid light switch could enable more powerful electronics
The Latest on: Liquid light switch
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Liquid light switch” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Liquid light switch
- First Impressions: 10 beauty launches to check out in Mayon May 2, 2024 at 12:59 am
ST reviews products worth a spot in your shopping cart, like Rare Beauty's blush and the Dyson Airstrait. Read more at straitstimes.com.
- Nintendo Switch 2 leak: 8-inch screen and Joy-Cons with 'electromagnetic suction'on May 2, 2024 at 12:31 am
There has been no shortage of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks and the latest one comes from Switch accessory manufacturer Mobapad, who took to its website to share a list of what to expect Nintendo's next ...
- Nintendo Switch 2 might sacrifice portable power for better battery lifeon May 1, 2024 at 4:40 pm
According to a fresh leak, the Nintendo Switch 2 in undocked mode will be "clocked crazy low" to improve battery life.
- Rumor: Switch 2 Could Be Making a Big Sacrifice for Better Battery Lifeon May 1, 2024 at 1:20 pm
According to sources, Nintendo's next console could take some major measures to ensure a longer battery life while in handheld mode.
- Simple Ways To Upgrade Your Hot Fudge Sauceon May 1, 2024 at 8:29 am
Hot fudge shouldn't just live up to its name thermally; it should be hot stuff in the tastiest way possible. Fortunately, there are simple ways to elevate it.
- The Crucible may be creaking, but snooker on TV is as good as everon April 29, 2024 at 12:00 am
It is that time of year, when you draw the curtains against the afternoon light, sit down on the sofa, switch on the telly and, several hours later, find you are still there, bewitched, bewildered, ...
- Really Cold Hydrogen Could Bring Driving Range Parity with Dieselon April 26, 2024 at 3:33 pm
The time it takes to fuel a hydrogen-powered fuel cell truck is already on par with diesel. But there is still a yawning gap when it comes to comparable driving range.
- The best headphones for running in 2024, tried and testedon April 26, 2024 at 5:21 am
Music is key to light jogs and distance races alike, so we tested more than a dozen pairs of earbuds over hundreds of miles to find the best headphones for running.
- 12 Wedding Guest Makeup Trends To Try in 2024on April 25, 2024 at 7:29 am
This wedding is not about you. But it could be, like, a little bit about you, right? Your wedding guest makeup look is a chance to play with trends you see on your TikTok feed or a lipstick color you ...
- The 6 best tablets for business in 2024on April 21, 2024 at 4:30 am
If you need a tablet for business use, we're here to help. We've picked out all the best tablets for business encompassing different price ranges and needs.
via Bing News