A few extra cores or billions of extra transistors can make our computer run faster. But what if we want the device to be 100,000 times faster? For this, not only do you need smaller 3D transistors, you need to no longer rely on electricity, but a laser pointer, which is exactly what scientists are developing.
In a paper published in the journal Natural Photonics, scientists at the University of Michigan explained how they took steps to develop so-called “lightwave” computers, which rely on ultrafast laser pulses to move electrons. The team used gallium selenide crystals as their semiconductors and irradiated laser pulses into them at femtosecond speeds.
In conventional electronics, electrons move slowly, collide with each other and release energy in the form of heat. But for “light wave” electronic devices, charge carriers move too fast, they no longer collide with each other, not only can increase the speed, but also more energy-efficient. Not only that, the scientist further research proved that they can reliably infer the data from the pulses, these pulses bounce around the crystal and are absorbed and re-emitted, and can also reliably generate and read quantum mechanical effects.
With the development of laser technology, laser devices are moving towards ultra-short pulses, ultra-high intensity, and ultra-short (long) wavelengths, which has brought revolutionary progress to laser material processing. In recent years, ultra-short pulse laser precision machining has attracted more and more attention. This is mainly reflected in the ultra-short pulse laser processing can get higher precision than the long pulse laser processing, the highest can reach sub-micron or even nanometer.
In addition to the processing and modification of the surface of the material, the ultrashort pulse laser can also process and modify the interior of the transparent material. It is suitable for the processing of high-precision, complex-shaped components that cannot be achieved by other processing methods. In addition, the ultrashort pulse laser can interact with almost any material, and the materials that can be used for laser processing are not limited. For the processing of super hard, fragile, high melting point, explosive and other materials, it has the advantage that other methods can not match.
In the keynote speech, Professor Zhao Quanzhong said: “Ultrashort pulse green laser pointer microfabrication technology refers to the micromachining, precision cutting and microscopic modification of materials using ultrashort pulse laser. Compared with traditional laser marking, Laser welding, laser cutting, etc., ultra-short pulse laser precision micromachining also belongs to the emerging market, and has very good application prospects in the fields of solar cells, LCD, medical treatment, precision processing, transparent materials and microelectronics. Pulsed laser devices tend to be more mature industrial applications. Ultrashort pulse laser micro-nano processing technology will open up a wider application field and become an indispensable weapon in many industries.