Research: The Future of Computing--Carbon Nanotubes and Superconductors to Replace the Silicon Chip

The Future of Computing--Carbon Nanotubes and Superconductors to Replace the Silicon Chip
Institute of Physics (03/28/08)

The Institute of Physics Condensed Matter and Materials Physics conference at the University of London's Royal Holloway College will highlight the need to one day replace the silicon chip with new technologies in order to support ever-faster and more powerful computing. Among potential replacement technologies to be discussed at the conference are carbon nanotubes, whose conductive properties have led to their proposal as molecular-scale circuitry wires. Leeds University researchers led by Bryan Hickey have developed a method to expose a nanotube's structure and electrical characteristics so that it can accurately be positioned on a surface. "With this technique we can make carbon nanotube devices of a complexity that is not achievable by most other means," says Leeds team member Chris Allen. Also speaking at the conference will be Delft University of Technology's Hans Mooij, who will talk about progress in the use of superconductors to greatly increase computer power by tapping the unique properties of quantum physics. He will detail work to make practical quantum computers using an approach to induce communication between three quantum bits (qubits), a milestone that would enormously help achieve scalability. Meanwhile, Raymond Simmons of the National Institute of Standards and Technology will present his own work with superconductor loops, which can function as qubits when placed in quantum superposition states. He will describe the first demonstration of data transmitted between two superconducting qubits, which proves that such elements can serve as a quantum-computing memory and a "bus" for qubits to communicate with one another.
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