Quantum Simulation Accelerates Material Discovery

Underlying Framework of All-optical Controlled Synaptic Devices for Neuromorphic Computing Dunan Hu, Ruqi Yang, Zhizhen Ye & Jianguo Lu* Nano-Micro Lett. 18, 320 (2026). https://lnkd.in/g8Je__6w   This work is led by Prof. Dr. Jianguo Lu (Zhejiang University) and co-workers. Prof. Lu’s research centers on semiconductor thin films and optoelectronic devices, electrochemical energy storage and system integration, nanomaterials and smart coatings. This review articulates the framework and motivations for all-optical controlled (AOC) synaptic devices that use exclusively optical signals to emulate bidirectional synaptic weight modulation, bypassing the complexity and energy costs of electrical or electro-optical hybrid signals. It systematically summarizes current progress, highlighting synergistic relationships among physical mechanisms, material behaviors, device architectures, and neuromorphic computing based on optical writing/erasing, and proposes scalable design strategies. #AOC #synapse #neuromorphic #optical #AI

Electronics just survived near absolute zero… and didn’t fail. That shouldn’t be possible. Most semiconductors die below -173°C (100K) Quantum computers run at ~4K → That gap has been a hard wall. Until now. Scientists built working transistors using gallium oxide (β-Ga₂O₃) that operate down to: 2 Kelvin (-271°C) Almost absolute zero. Here’s why this matters: Normal chips fail because of “freeze-out”: • Electrons stop moving • Dopants can’t release charge • Circuits basically go dead Cold = no carriers = no electronics But this material breaks that rule: • Ultra-wide bandgap → stable structure • Low leakage → clean signals • No freeze-out → electrons still move Meaning: Electronics can now operate where physics normally shuts them down Why this is huge: • Quantum computers → control electronics can sit closer to qubits • Space tech → deep-space probes won’t freeze • Sensors → extreme environments become usable The deeper shift: We’ve always designed electronics for heat limits Now we’re engineering for cold limits That’s a completely different frontier. Follow me I track where physics becomes engineering.

💡  Researchers at the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) have created a new material that can capture light and control the location of its absorption with unprecedented precision. This breakthrough could pave the way for next-generation light detectors to be used in quantum technologies and biomedical imaging.    “We are leading globally at taking a crack at this; combining material science and semiconductor physics to demonstrate a near-perfect absorber,” says Sasan V. Grayli, the paper’s lead author. “We are combining different disciplines to make a perfect absorber in semiconductors to create the next generation of photodetectors, and we are one of the world leaders in this effort.”   Learn more ▶️ tinyurl.com/4jfeapb2    #CIW2026 #Innovation

According to professor Nakatsuji of the University of Tokyo "This new quantum switch means we can write and store data almost without consuming any active power."

#Satellites | 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱-𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘇 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟲𝗚 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 | Terahertz radiation could enable communication speeds far beyond 5G networks and revolutionize satellite data transmission. Empa researchers led by Elena Mavrona, Ph.D. and Dr. Erwin Hack developed ultra-thin terahertz filters measuring one thousandth of a millimeter. Their patented technique patterns pure gold microstructures onto polymer film substrates, creating components that weigh almost nothing while precisely controlling terahertz radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. This breakthrough enables practical applications in 6G mobile networks, satellite-to-satellite communication, and medical diagnostics including skin cancer detection. The filters mount on customizable 3D-printed frames, allowing engineers to build systems tailored for specific wavelengths. Empa's approach directly addresses the long-standing terahertz gap, transforming an underutilized frequency range into accessible technology for quantum computing, security screening, and space missions where every gram matters. 👇 Learn more: link in the comments 👇 🇨🇭 Follow #ScienceSwitzerland for the latest news and emerging trends on Swiss science, technology, education, and innovation >> swissinnovation.org Follow us >> Science-Switzerland #Science | #Education | #Research | #Innovation

PHOTONICS VALUE CHAIN — LAYER 1 MATERIALS & WAFERS Everything starts here. Before AI. Before hyperscale data centers. Before high-speed optical networks. There is material science. ⸻ This is the foundation of photonics: • Silicon • Indium phosphide (InP) • Gallium arsenide (GaAs) • Advanced substrates and epitaxy ⸻ These aren’t just inputs. They define: • Signal integrity • Efficiency at scale • Thermal performance • Yield potential ⸻ If this layer is wrong… Everything above it carries the defect. ⸻ There’s no fixing this later in: Design. Integration. Testing. ⸻ Sound familiar? It should. ⸻ This is no different than: Power infrastructure in a data center. If your foundation is unstable: • Systems don’t perform • Efficiency drops • Failures compound • Costs escalate ⸻ And just like mission-critical delivery: You don’t correct this at the end. You get it right at the beginning… Or you pay for it at the most expensive stage. ⸻ This is not “supply chain.” This is: Performance engineered at the atomic level. ⸻ In photonics… Materials are destiny. ⸻ Next: Layer 2 — where light becomes function. ⸻ #Photonics #Semiconductors #MaterialsScience #AIInfrastructure #DataCenters #MissionCritical #Engineering #Manufacturing #DeepTech #Execution #BuildRight

No heating coils, no ion beams, no chemical reactions — just lasers. epiray's Thermal Laser Epitaxy (TLE) replaces classical thin-film deposition with a single, compact system capable of vaporizing all elements in the periodic table at up to 2,800 °C. More details here: https://lnkd.in/dDZiUwtm The article shows how this Max Planck spin-off turned a lab concept into a commercially expanding technology — with ambitions in semiconductors, quantum computing, and industrial coating production. epiray GmbH Max Planck Society Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart, Germany Wolfgang Braun Hans Boschker

New technical papers recently added to Semiconductor Engineering’s library https://lnkd.in/gMJfejAH #semiconductor #nearmemory #chiplets #ESD #advancedpackaging #quantum #formalverification #EDA #AgenticAI #liquidcooling #photonics The University of Edinburgh University of Cambridge University of California, Riverside Runyu Miao Georgia Institute of Technology National Cheng Kung University SUNG-TING CHEN Kyoung-sik (Jack) Moon Technical University of Munich Peter Wegmann Aleksandra Świerkowska Emmanouil G. Pramod Bhatotia Infineon Technologies Sivaram Pothireddypalli Dr Ashish Raman, Deepak Gadde Aman Kumar Aalto University, University of Eastern Finland, Chipmetrics Aleksandr Danilenko Masoud Rastgou Farshid Manoocheri Jussi Kinnunen Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Young Jin (Youngjin) Lee Hansol Lee University of Oxford Håvard Hem Toftevaag Bowei Dong Nikolaos Farmakidis

A DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology) team has designed a system capable of real-time, precise observation of the heat generated within #semiconductor microstructures. The technology contributes to semiconductor research and advanced devices. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gFAy7QvC #materials #engineering #technology #science #research

As the AI infrastructure buildout scales to meet massive bandwidth demands, traditional copper interconnects are hitting a severe physical wall defined by catastrophic thermal limits and signal degradation. To bypass this architectural bottleneck, hyperscalers are executing a structural migration toward silicon photonics, utilizing photons rather than electrons to transmit data at blazing 800G and 1.6T speeds over entire kilometers. My latest research report maps this multi-year supercycle across its core upstream layers—tracking everything from lab-grown indium phosphide crystal substrates and atomic-scale epitaxy foundries to high-margin digital signal processors and finalized transceiver packaging. By evaluating the expanding margins, swelling order backlogs, and technical moats of the key public equities driving this space, this deep dive isolates exactly where high-conviction investment value is accumulating upstream.