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Category: computing – Page 5

How sputtering could drive the adoption of high-performance ScAlN-based transistors

Gallium nitride (GaN)-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are a type of field-effect transistors (FETs) designed to operate at very high frequencies with low noise. As such, they have been widely applied in high-power and high-frequency applications, like high-speed wireless communications, power switching devices, and power amplifiers.

HEMTs utilize a heterojunction, which is a junction between two different semiconductor materials, typically GaN and aluminum GaN (AlGaN). This junction creates a narrow region called the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), where electrons have very high mobility, resulting in excellent high-frequency performance.

Scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) has attracted significant attention as a novel barrier material that can further enhance the performance of GaN HEMTs. It exhibits large polarization, which increases electron densities in the 2DEG. Additionally, its ferroelectric nature makes it suitable for use as a ferroelectric gate material in ferroelectric HEMTs.

Powerful form of quantum interference paves the way for phonon-based technologies

Just as overlapping ripples on a pond can amplify or cancel each other out, waves of many kinds—including light, sound and atomic vibrations—can interfere with one another. At the quantum level, this kind of interference powers high-precision sensors and could be harnessed for quantum computing.

In a new study published in Science Advances, researchers at Rice University and collaborators have demonstrated a strong form of interference between phonons—the vibrations in a material’s structure that constitute the tiniest units (quanta) of heat or sound in that system. The phenomenon where two phonons with different frequency distributions interfere with each other, known as Fano resonance, was two orders of magnitude greater than any previously reported.

“While this phenomenon is well-studied for particles like electrons and photons, interference between phonons has been much less explored,” said Kunyan Zhang, a former postdoctoral researcher at Rice and first author on the study. “That is a missed opportunity, since phonons can maintain their wave behavior for a long time, making them promising for stable, high-performance devices.”

Quantum dot technique improves multi-photon state generation

A photonics research group co-led by Gregor Weihs of the University of Innsbruck has developed a new technique for generating multi-photon states from quantum dots that overcomes the limitations of conventional approaches. This has immediate applications in secure quantum key distribution protocols, where it can enable simultaneous secure communication with different parties.

Quantum dots—semiconductor nanostructures that can emit on demand—are considered among the most promising sources for photonic quantum computing. However, every quantum dot is slightly different and may emit a slightly different color. This means that to produce multi-photon states, we cannot use multiple quantum dots.

Usually, researchers use a single quantum dot and multiplex the emission into different spatial and temporal modes, using a fast electro-optic modulator. The technological challenge is that faster electro-optic modulators are expensive and often require very customized engineering. To add to that, they may not be very efficient, which introduces unwanted losses into the system.

Programmable 2D nanochannels achieve brain-like memory

Researchers at The University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute have developed a new class of programmable nanofluidic memristors that mimic the memory functions of the human brain, paving the way for next-generation neuromorphic computing.

In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists from the National Graphene Institute, Photon Science Institute and the Department of Physics and Astronomy have demonstrated how two-dimensional (2D) nanochannels can be tuned to exhibit all four theoretically predicted types of memristive behavior, something never before achieved in a single device.

This study not only reveals new insights into ionic mechanisms but also has the potential to enable emerging applications in ionic logic, neuromorphic components, and adaptive chemical sensing.

Quantum Computing

What if scientists could use the peculiar world of quantum mechanics to design solutions once thought impossible — changing how we build, heal, and communicate?

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, researchers are developing quantum systems that could help us do just that. These machines think differently, tapping into the strange rules of quantum mechanics to simulate atomic interactions, unlock new materials, and reveal hidden patterns in nature. In this episode, we’ll explore how quantum computers work, why they need to be colder than deep space, and what it will take to bring their full potential to life.

(This is an Apple Podcast)

Podcast Episode · Big Ideas Lab · 06/03/2025 · 21m.

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