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Semiconductor revolution: flashes of light control ultra-fast components!
Physicists at Bielefeld University are using terahertz light to develop a method for controlling atomically thin semiconductors for fast electronics.
Semiconductor revolution: flashes of light control ultra-fast components!
An international research team consisting of physicists from Bielefeld University and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden) has made significant progress in the control of atomically thin semiconductor technologies. The study, published in Nature Communications, describes a novel method for manipulating these materials using extremely short bursts of light in the terahertz range. This technique could pave the way for a new generation of optoelectronic devices controlled directly by light, signaling a revolution in the field of ultrafast devices.
Terahertz light, which lies in the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwaves, is transformed into vertical electric fields by specially developed nanoantennas. These nanostructures, which were developed at the IFW Dresden under the direction of Dr. Andy Thomas produced electric field strengths of several megavolts per centimeter. According to Dr. Dmitry Turchinovich, the project leader, traditional electronic gate voltages offer slow response times, while the new approach offers the possibility of generating strong control signals in the semiconductor material, thus enabling real-time control of the electronic structure on sub-picosecond time scales.
New perspectives for semiconductor technologies
These advances are particularly relevant to the development of ultra-fast signal control devices, electronic switches and sensors. Possible applications range from data transmission to ultra-fast cameras to laser devices. The research could impact not only communications systems and computing, but also imaging and quantum technologies.
In addition, another team led by TU Dresden has made significant progress in researching ultra-thin materials. In an experiment at the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), scientists demonstrated the rapid interaction between electrically neutral and charged, luminous particles known as excitons. These can be converted into trions, which opens up new possibilities for electronic and optical control. The results of this experiment were published in Nature Photonics.
The switching speed in this new process is almost a thousand times faster than traditional electronic methods. By using a free electron laser (FELBE) to generate intense terahertz pulses, the team led by Prof. Alexey Chernikov and Dr. Stephan Winnerl speeds up the switching process significantly.
Future outlook and applications
The results of both research approaches point to promising technical applications in sensor technology and optical data processing. Future research could focus on complex electronic states and platforms to develop novel modulators and pixel-rich terahertz cameras.
The combination of both approaches shows how terahertz technology and innovative semiconductor research come together to achieve significant advances in materials science. The developments could not only revolutionize existing technologies, but also open up new fields of application and thus fully exploit the potential of such materials.