Guest_Jim_* Posted May 8, 2015 Posted May 8, 2015 There are many possibilities for the future of computing, but while the systems involved can be very different, many of them rely on optics in one way or another. Naturally this makes it important to find ways to precisely create the light being used, and researchers at the University of Rochester have made a significant discovery to achieving that. They have found how to make quantum dots in a two-dimensional semiconductor, which has never been accomplished before. Quantum dots are occasionally referred to as artificial atoms because we are able to engineer their properties, such as the color of light they absorb and emit. Naturally there is great interest in them for photonic devices, such as those that may be used in some future computer systems. Before that can happen though we will need to find ways to integrate them into chips, which is where this discovery comes in. The Rochester researchers discovered that by layering atomically-thin sheets of tungsten disulfide on top of each other, the points where they overlap create quantum dots. By controlling the applied voltage the researchers can already tune the brightness of the quantum dot, and the next step is to adjust the frequency by manipulating the voltage. It is an important advantage that tungsten disulfide is a 2D semiconductor, as these tend to be easier to integrate into electronics. The researchers also found that the quantum dots do not interfere with the semiconductor's electrical or optical properties, which will also prove invaluable for integration with electronics. Source: University of Rochester Back to original news post Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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