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Ultrafast laser pulses control electrons in graphene, making ultrafast computing possible

IMAGE: The driving laser field (red) ‘shakes’ electrons in graphene at ultrashort time scales, shown as violet and blue waves. A second laser pulse (green) can control this wave and thus determine the direction of current. (Image credit: FAU/Christian Heide)

Being able to control electronic systems using light waves instead of voltage signals is the dream of physicists all over the world. The advantage is that electromagnetic light waves oscillate at petaherz frequency. This means that computers in the future could operate at speeds a million times faster than those of today. Scientists at Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU; Erlangen-Nurenberg, Germany) have now come one step closer to achieving this goal as they have succeeded in using ultra-short laser impulses to precisely control electrons in graphene. The scientists published their results in Physical Review Letters.

Current control in electronics that is one million times faster than in today’s systems is a dream for many. Ultimately, current control is one of the most important components as it is responsible for data and signal transmission. Controlling the flow of electrons using light waves instead of voltage signals, as is now the case, could make this dream a reality. However, up to now, it has been difficult to control the flow of electrons in metals as metals reflect light waves and the electrons inside them cannot be influenced by these light waves.

China Is Building a $9 Billion Rival to the American-Run GPS

Location data beamed from GPS satellites are used by smartphones, car navigation systems, the microchip in your dog’s neck and guided missiles — and all those satellites are controlled by the U.S. Air Force. That makes the Chinese government uncomfortable, so it’s developing an alternative that a U.S. security analyst calls one of the largest space programs the country has undertaken.


The Beidou Navigation System will be accessible worldwide by 2020.

World experts heading down under to talk silicon quantum computing

Scientists from around the world are meeting in Sydney to discuss the latest advancements in silicon quantum computing.

Scientists from around the world are landing in Sydney this week to join discussions on the latest research in silicon quantum computing with renowned physicist and Australian of the Year, Professor Michelle Simmons, and UNSW Sydney researchers from the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQCT), including Professor Andrew Dzurak, Professor Sven Rogge and Professor Andrea Morello.

Bringing together more than 200 leading researchers in the field, the Silicon Quantum Electronics Workshop is a global initiative to share research insights and technology advancements in the race to build the world’s first quantum computer – in silicon.

This video is the seventh in a multi-part series discussing computing and the final discussing classical computing

The Future of Classical Computing (Heterogeneous Architecture – CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs,…) https://www.facebook.com/singularityprosperity/videos/440265…prosperity


In this video, we’ll be discussing what heterogeneous system architecture is and how it is going to shape the future of classical computing!

[0:27–6:40] Starting off we’ll look at, what heterogeneous system architecture (HSA) is and two new types of computing devices, FPGAs & ASICs.

[6:40–9:44] Following that we’ll discuss, the impact of heterogeneous system architecture on the future of classical computing!

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Scientists to create ‘truly unhackable’ network based on quantum physics

Scientists are planning to create a network in the Chicago area tapping the principles of quantum physics. The idea is to prove that quantum physics could provide the basis for an unhackable internet.

This, they say, could have wide-ranging impact on communications, computing and national security.

The quantum network development, supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), will stretch between the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Acceleratory Laboratory, a connection that is said will be the longest in the world to send secure information using quantum physics.