Semiconductor quantum transistor opens the door for photon-based computing

Semiconductor quantum transistor opens the door for photon-based computing

6 years ago
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https://phys.org/news/2018-07-semiconductor-quantum-transistor-door-photon-based.html

Scientists can use many kinds of quantum particles as qubits, even the photons that make up light. Photons have added appeal because they can swiftly shuttle information over long distances, and they are compatible with fabricated chips. However, making a quantum transistor triggered by light has been challenging because it requires that the photons interact with each other, something that doesn't ordinarily happen on its own.

Now, researchers at the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering and Joint Quantum Institute (JQI)—led by Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, JQI Fellow, and Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics Affiliate Edo Waks—have cleared this hurdle and demonstrated the first single-photon transistor using a semiconductor chip. The device, described in the July 6 issue of Science, is compact; roughly one million of these new transistors could fit inside a single grain of salt. It is also fast and able to process 10 billion photonic qubits every second.