Computer and Internet Technology

The chemical composition of a material alone sometimes reveals little about its properties. The decisive factor is often the arrangement of the molecules in the atomic lattice structure or on the surface of the material. Materials science utilizes this factor to create certain properties by applying individual atoms and molecules to surfaces with the aid of high-performance microscopes. Using artificial intelligence, a new research group now wants to take the construction of nanostructures to a new level.

For decades there has been near constant progress in reducing the size, and increasing the performance, of the circuits that power computers and smartphones. But Moore's Law is ending as physical limitations -- such as the number of transistors that can fit on a chip and the heat that results from packing them ever more densely -- are slowing the rate of performance increases. Computing capacity is gradually plateauing, even as artificial intelligence, machine learning and other data-intensive applications demand ever greater computational power.

Engineers have demonstrated a well-known quantum thought experiment in the real world. Their findings deliver a new and more robust way to perform quantum computations and they have important implications for error correction, one of the biggest obstacles standing between them and a working quantum computer.

Imagine a future where your phone, computer or even a tiny wearable device can think and learn like the human brain -- processing information faster, smarter and using less energy. A breakthrough approach brings this vision closer to reality by electrically 'twisting' a single nanoscale ferroelectric domain wall.

Researchers have recently achieved a significant breakthrough in the development of next-generation carbon-based quantum materials, opening new horizons for advancements in quantum electronics. The innovation involves a novel type of graphene nanoribbon (GNR), named Janus GNR (JGNR). The material has a unique zigzag edge, with a special ferromagnetic edge state located on one of the edges. This unique design enables the realization of one-dimensional ferromagnetic spin chain, which could have important applications in quantum electronics and quantum computing.

Quantum computers require extreme cooling to perform reliable calculations. One of the challenges preventing quantum computers from entering society is the difficulty of freezing the qubits to temperatures close to absolute zero. Now, researchers have engineered a new type of refrigerator that can autonomously cool superconducting qubits to record low temperatures, paving the way for more reliable quantum computation.

A research team has achieved a groundbreaking quantum simulation of the non-Hermitian skin effect in two dimensions using ultracold fermions, marking a significant advance in quantum physics research.

Quantum teleportation could provide near-instant communication over long distances. But, inside Internet cables, photons needed for teleportation are lost within the millions of light particles required for classical communications. A new study quantified light scattering to find exact areas to place photons to keep them safe from other particles. The approach successfully worked in experiments carrying regular Internet traffic.

The future of data security depends on the reliable application of quantum technology, but its widespread adoption requires rigorous verification. Researchers have developed a novel approach to verify quantum protocols, ensuring their reliability in safety- and security-critical applications. This advancement addresses the need for trustworthy quantum systems, which is essential for the secure deployment of quantum technologies in high-reliability systems.

Researchers developed a laser-based artificial neuron that fully emulates the functions, dynamics and information processing of a biological graded neuron, which could lead to new breakthroughs in advanced computing. With a processing speed a billion times faster than nature, chip-based laser neuron could help advance AI tasks such as pattern recognition and sequence prediction.

Scientists have performed computer simulations confirming a technique that prevents the production of unhelpful electromagnetic waves, boosting the heat put into fusion plasma.

Scientists have successfully achieved a quantum collective behavior of macroscopic mechanical oscillators, unlocking new possibilities in quantum technology.

A new material for high density data storage can be erased and recycled in a more efficient and sustainable way, providing a potential alternative to hard disk drives, solid-state drives and flash memory in future. The low-cost polymer stores data as 'dents', making a miniscule code in patterns, with the indents just nanometers in size -- promising to store more data than typical hard disk drives.

The quantum Hall effect, a fundamental effect in quantum mechanics, not only generates an electric but also a magnetic current. It arises from the motion of electrons on an orbit around the nuclei of atoms. These results can potentially be used to develop new types of inexpensive and energy-efficient devices.

How does the Earth generate its magnetic field? While the basic mechanisms seem to be understood, many details remain unresolved. A team of researchers has introduced a simulation method that promises new insights into the Earth's core. The method simulates not only the behavior of atoms, but also the magnetic properties of materials. The approach is significant for geophysics, but could also support the development of future technologies such as neuromorphic computing -- an innovative approach to more efficient AI systems.

A team of researchers unlock heat flow principles in ultra-thin metals, paving the way for faster, smaller, more efficient computer chips.

DNA stores the instructions for life and, along with enzymes and other molecules, computes everything from hair color to risk of developing diseases. Harnessing that prowess and immense storage capacity could lead to DNA-based computers that are faster and smaller than today's silicon-based versions. As a step toward that goal, researchers report a fast, sequential DNA computing method that is also rewritable -- just like current computers.

Researchers discovered that three-layer graphene can naturally self-organize into specific stacking patterns (ABA/ABC domains) during growth on silicon carbide, eliminating the need for manual manipulation. This breakthrough could enable scalable production of quantum devices.

Researchers have realized a new design for a superconducting quantum processor, aiming at a potential architecture for the large-scale, durable devices the quantum revolution demands. Unlike the typical quantum chip design that lays the information-processing qubits onto a 2-D grid, the team has designed a modular quantum processor comprising a reconfigurable router as a central hub. This enables any two qubits to connect and entangle, where in the older system, qubits can only talk to the qubits physically nearest to them.

When a quantum computer processes data, it must translate it into understandable quantum data. Algorithms that carry out this 'quantum compilation' typically optimize one target at a time. However, a team has created an algorithm capable of optimizing multiple targets at once, effectively enabling a quantum machine to multitask.

A ground-breaking study showcases a significant advancement in laser technology, promising more affordable and scalable solutions for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to biomedical imaging. Researchers have developed the first colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based laser capable of operating across the entire extended short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrum.

Physicists have devised an algorithm that provides a mathematical framework for how learning works in lattices called mechanical neural networks.

Computer memory could one day withstand the blazing temperatures in fusion reactors, jet engines, geothermal wells and sweltering planets using a new solid-state memory device developed by a team of engineers.

With the help of a new experiment, researchers have succeeded in confirming a ten-year-old theoretical study, which connects one of the most fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics -- the complementarity principle -- with information theory. Their study provides a piece of the puzzle for understanding future quantum communication, metrology, and cryptography.

Research is paving the way for advanced diamond-based technologies in electronics and quantum computing.

A research team has taken inspiration from the brains of insects and animals for more energy-efficient robotic navigation.

Researchers developed a fully integrated photonic processor that can perform all the key computations of a deep neural network on a photonic chip, using light. This advance could improve the speed and energy-efficiency of running intensive deep learning models for demanding applications like lidar, astronomical research, and navigation.

A team of physics educators is focusing on a new approach to teaching quantum physics in schools. Traditional classroom teaching has tended to focus on presenting the history of the origins of quantum physics, which often poses problems for learners. Using the quantum measurement process as an example, the researchers have now published their first empirical findings on learning quantum physics -- based on two-state systems.

Accelerating rates of heat uptake by oceans that don't fit current climate models can now be explained by quantum physics.

Humans get a real buzz from the virtual world of gaming and augmented reality but now scientists have trialled the use of these new-age technologies on small animals, to test the reactions of tiny hoverflies and even crabs. In a bid to comprehend the aerodynamic powers of flying insects and other little-understood animal behaviors, the study is gaining new perspectives on how invertebrates respond to, interact with and navigate virtual 'worlds' created by advanced entertainment technology.

Researchers have succeeded in building a quantum computer gate based on a double-transmon coupler (DTC), which had been proposed theoretically as a device that could significantly enhance the fidelity of quantum gates. Using this, they achieved a fidelity of 99.92 percent for a two-qubit device known as a CZ gate and 99.98 percent for a single-qubit gate.

Researchers have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Engineers designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high efficiencies within practical design parameters.

A new theory, that explains how light and matter interact at the quantum level has enabled researchers to define for the first time the precise shape of a single photon.

Quantum-science advances using AI can measure very small surfaces and distances -- opening a world of medical, manufacturing and other applications.

How to keep stray radiation from 'shorting' superconducting qubits; a pair of studies shows where ionizing radiation is lurking and how to banish it.

A new study has uncovered important behavior in the flow of electric current through quantum superconductors, potentially advancing the development of future technologies like quantum computing.

Two quantum information theorists have solved a decades-old problem that will free up quantum computing power.

A less wasteful way to train large language models, such as the GPT series, finishes in the same amount of time for up to 30% less energy, according to a study.

Researchers have developed a novel type of nanomechanical resonator that combines two important features: high mechanical quality and piezoelectricity. This development could open doors to new possibilities in quantum sensing technologies.

To expand the potential use of diamond in semiconductor and quantum technologies, researchers are developing improved processes for growing the material at lower temperatures that won't damage the silicon in computer chips. These advances include insights into creating protective hydrogen layers on quantum diamonds without damaging crucial properties like nitrogen-vacancy centers.

Nanoscale 3D transistors made from ultrathin semiconductor materials can operate more efficiently than silicon-based devices, leveraging quantum mechanical properties to potentially enable ultra-low-power AI applications.

A research team developed a new paradigm for the control of quantum emitters, providing a new method for modulating and encoding quantum photonic information on a single photon light stream.

Edge computing on a smartphone has been used to analyze data collected by a multimodal flexible wearable sensor patch and detect arrhythmia, coughs and falls.

A discovery by physicists is unlocking a new understanding of magnetism and electronic interactions in cutting-edge materials, potentially revolutionizing technology fields such as quantum computing and high-temperature superconductors.

Researchers created a synthetic magnetic field using a superconducting quantum processor, which could enable them to precisely study complex phenomena in materials, like phase changes. This could shed light on properties of unique materials that may be used to create faster or more powerful electronics.

Researchers have demonstrated a network connection between quantum processors over metropolitan distances. Their result marks a key advance from early research networks in the lab towards a future quantum internet. The team developed fully independently operating nodes and integrated these with deployed optical internet fiber, enabling a 25-km quantum link.

Lower cooling requirements, longer operating times, lower error rates: Quantum computers based on spin photons and diamond promise significant advantages over competing quantum computing technologies. The consortium of the BMBF project SPINNING coordinated by Fraunhofer IAF has succeeded in decisively advancing the development of spin-photon-based quantum computers.

Researchers have developed a new binarized neural network (BNN) scheme using ternary gradients to address the computational challenges of IoT edge devices. They introduced a magnetic RAM-based computing-in-memory architecture, significantly reducing circuit size and power consumption. Their design achieved near-identical accuracy and faster training times compared to traditional BNNs, making it a promising solution for efficient AI implementation in resource-limited devices, such as those used in IoT systems.

Scientists have used high-performance computing at large scales to analyze a quantum photonics experiment. In specific terms, this involved the tomographic reconstruction of experimental data from a quantum detector.

The European research project 'Federated Secure Computing' presents a new approach that allows patient data from different institutions to be analysed securely and anonymously.

Until now, researchers have been limited in developing photonic memory for AI processing -- gaining one important attribute like speed while sacrificing another like energy usage. An international team demonstrates a unique solution that addresses current limitations of optical memory that have yet to combine non-volatility, multibit storage, high switching speed, low switching energy, and high endurance in a single platform.

Developing edge-computing and AI capabilities from wearable sensors enhances their intelligence, critical for the AI of Things, and reduces power consumption by minimizing data exchange between sensory terminals and computing units. This enables wearable devices to process data locally, offering real-time processing, faster feedback, and decreased reliance on network connectivity and external devices, thereby enhancing efficiency, privacy, and responsiveness in applications like health monitoring, activity tracking, and smart wearable technology.

The speed and agility of cloud computing opens doors to completing advanced computational chemistry workflows in days instead of months.

Predicting the behavior of many interacting quantum particles is a complicated process but is key to harness quantum computing for real-world applications. Researchers have developed a method for comparing quantum algorithms and identifying which quantum problems are the hardest to solve.

A new study opens the door to cutting-edge solutions that could contribute to the realization of a system capable of processing quantum information in a simple yet powerful way. The work presents a method for manipulating the photonic states of light in a never-before-seen way, offering greater control over the evolution of photon propagation. This control makes it possible to improve the detection and number of photon coincidences, as well as the efficiency of the system.

A paper has solved a major hurdle facing researchers working with diamond by creating a novel way of bonding diamonds directly to materials that integrate easily with either quantum or conventional electronics. With this technique, the team directly bonded diamond with materials including silicon, fused silica, sapphire, thermal oxide, and lithium niobate without an intermediary substance to act as 'glue.' Instead of the several-hundred microns thick bulk diamonds typically used to study quantum qubits, the team bonded crystalline membranes as thin as 100 nanometers while still maintaining a spin coherence suitable for advanced quantum applications.

Scientists have used light to visualize magnetic domains, and manipulated these regions using an electric field, in a quantum antiferromagnet. This method allows real-time observation of magnetic behaviors, paving the way for advancements in next-generation electronics and memory devices, as well as a deeper understanding of quantum materials.

Researchers have developed and demonstrated a technique that allows them to engineer a class of materials called layered hybrid perovskites (LHPs) down to the atomic level, which dictates precisely how the materials convert electrical charge into light. The technique opens the door to engineering materials tailored for use in next-generation printed LEDs and lasers -- and holds promise for engineering other materials for use in photovoltaic devices.

A research team has devised a unique method to observe changes in materials at the atomic level. The technique opens new avenues for understanding and developing advanced materials for quantum computing and electronics.

Engineers have worked out how to give robots complex instructions without electricity, which could free up more space in the robotic 'brain' for them to 'think'. Mimicking how some parts of the human body work, researchers have transmitted a series of commands to devices with a new kind of compact circuit, using variations in pressure from a fluid inside it.