The clock rates of existing computers still remain single-gigahertz, but in a significant breakthrough, researchers have achievedsuper fast clock ratesin theterahertz of frequenciesby using light.
The researchers say that “electrical currents are best created using semiconductor crystals that absorb light.” Bursts of light usually contain frequencies that are “5,000 times higherthan the highest clock rate of modern computer technology.”
Theexperimentconducted at the Max-Born Institute used extremelyshort, intense light pulsesranging from near-infrared to visible orange color to generate oscillating currents in a semiconductor known as gallium arsenide.
According to the researchers, electrical currents are best created using semiconductor crystals which absorb light. In this case, the oscillations caused the chip to emitterahertz radiationwith a bandwidth up to20 THz.
It shows that electroniccharge transfercan occur between neighboringatoms in the crystallattice, representing the underlying mechanism.
This breakthrough can have interesting applications in high-frequency electronics which lead to the development of computers that are much faster than the existing ones.
Eventually, computer and other related electronics can be run on light and forms of photons, resulting in an ultimate shift towards light-based technologies.
