This week’s issue of the magazine Science has no less than three papers on a single topic, namely new ways of computing using the quantum mechanical property of spin. Taken together, these provide a brief glimpse into the different ways researchers have progressed in incorporating spin into electronic devices. The fundamental element of a computer [...]
Read moreHow to put the quantum into silicon computers
Quantum computers are so highly sought after because they can solve complex mathematical problems and parallel computer operations such as code breaking really fast. Attempts to build quantum computers come in many flavours and use different kinds of quantum states, ranging from trapped atoms, superconductors to semiconductors such as gallium arsenide or diamond. The approach [...]
Read moreRelaxing times for scanning tunnelling microscopes
Scanning tunnelling microscopes (STM) are a wonderful instruments that can not only image but also manipulate individual atoms on a surface. Developed by Gerd Binning and Heinrich Rohrer in 1981, STM and their derivatives revolutionized our understanding of what happens on the surface of materials. Expanding on Binning and Rohrer’s work at IBM in Zurich, Don Eigler at [...]
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December 17, 2010

