Quantum physicists working at the University of Wales, Bangor and the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, USA, have discovered a means of making micro-chips for super-fast computing which are beyond the capabilities of current production methods.

"Current high speed computing relies on ever-smaller chips with tiny circuits made up of on-off switches or transistors. The decreasing size of these chips enables the current to pass through at greater speeds, improving the number crunching capabilities of our computers," explains Dr Sam Braunstein, of the University's School of Informatics.

These chips are made by etching the surface using a laser light. The rest of the surface needs to be protected, leaving the surface to be etched exposed by first cutting a stencil. The size of the chips is therefore dictated by the size of stencil that can be cut. These are currently cut to reveal circuits that are 400 times thinner than the width of a human hair. There is a limit to how small these circuits can be cut using current technology, which follows the rules of what quantum physicists refer to as "classical" physics. "Classical" physics dictates that the etching can be no smaller that half the wave length of the light source being used.

The quantum physicists have proved, in theory, that by taking advantage of the unique properties of the quantum, or sub-atomic world, they can use "entangled light", which acts as though it has wavelength shorter than conventional light, and because of this, will be able to create stencils far smaller than those available at the furthest extent of current technology.

"It is very exciting to be working in this field," said international PhD student Pieter Kok of the Netherlands. "The theory has to be developed further, but over the coming years, there will be increasing numbers of new applications of quantum mechanics."

ENDS.
22.9.00
Editor's Notes:
1. This press released is based on an article to be published in Physical review of Letters 25 September 2000.
2. Fuller versions of the press release are available on:
http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/~schmuel/news98/bstein.html
Further information:
Dr Sam Braunstein