Imagine your laptop could run non-stop without getting hot. This scenario might soon become reality. The world of electronic devices is currently undergoing a revolution, and at the centre of this transformation is none other than lossless electronics. Given rising global energy costs and the growing energy demand caused by the ever wider use of artificial intelligence (AI), research in this field is of the utmost importance.
The heat of the data flood #
Electrical resistance generates heat. Anyone who has ever used a laptop or a smartphone has felt this heat. Electronics that suffer no energy loss would be a breakthrough. Data processing today consumes 10% of the world’s electricity. With the expansion of AI, whose use soared in 2022 and 2023 alone, energy consumption could increase considerably further. A drastic example: in the worst case, Google’s AI alone could consume as much electricity as all of Ireland.
Topological revolution #
This is where the research of PD Dr Shi-Xia Liu and her team at the W. Inäbnit Laboratory for Molecular Quantum Materials at the University of Bern comes in. In collaboration with the Department of Physics at the University of Basel and the European XFEL in Hamburg, the Liu team is developing a class of materials that could potentially provide the answer to the energy-loss problem of electronics. Their research focuses on topological materials – a special phase of matter whose discovery was honoured with the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics (David J. Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz). Topological materials are known for their unique quantum mechanical properties, which are based on mathematical concepts. These properties make them particularly valuable for applications in quantum information technology and topological electronics.
Quantum bits as a solution #
This is precisely where the Liu team’s project at the University of Bern comes in. Together with the research team at the University of Basel, the researchers are developing a novel material with very special properties. To this end, special molecules are produced that are similar to graphene, a material made mainly of carbon that is only one atom thick. These molecules can then take up individual electrons and thereby generate a magnetic moment. They form very thin layers on a special superconductor, a material that conducts electricity without energy loss.
Combining these molecules with the superconductor creates a new material known as a topological superconductor. Each of these small molecular islands on the superconductor works as a quantum bit, or qubit. Thanks to the combined material properties, these qubits are very stable and protected against external influences. This makes them ideal for new forms of data processing in future quantum computers, which consume significantly less energy.
About the researcher #
PD Dr Shi-Xia Liu has been conducting research at the University of Bern for almost 25 years. She has a background in chemistry and materials science. She heads the W. Inäbnit Laboratory for Molecular Quantum Materials and, together with her team, works in an interdisciplinary way at the interface of chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering. The collaboration with the Department of Physics at the University of Basel enables Liu and her team to push the boundaries of this innovative research.
What does this mean for us? #
The prospect of lossless electronics could have a considerable impact on our society. On the one hand, energy consumption could be reduced enormously, which is of great ecological and economic importance. On the other hand, it could decisively improve the performance of our devices and AI systems, which could open the door to even more advanced and efficient technologies.
Looking ahead #
The work of PD Dr Liu and her team offers an exciting glimpse into the future of electronics. In a world that will depend more and more on data processing and AI, their research could pave the way for a significant reduction in energy consumption.
Your three key takeaways #
- Lossless electronics: With topological materials, electronic devices could work without energy loss.
- Lower energy consumption: The use of quantum bits could drastically reduce energy demand, especially in AI applications.
- Better performance: The stable and robust materials could greatly improve the performance and efficiency of computers and AI systems.
YouTube link #
Disclaimer: This article was written by humans; however, AI tools were used selectively for research, structuring the text, simplifying complex topics and proofreading. All content was reviewed and approved by the researchers involved.
Glossary #
- Topological matter: A special phase of matter with unique properties that are protected against external influences, similar to a fortress that protects its inhabitants from attacks from outside.
- Superconductor: A material that conducts electricity without resistance and therefore without energy loss. You can think of it as a motorway without traffic jams, on which cars can always travel at a constant speed.
- Qubits: Basic building blocks of quantum computing systems, which in this context consist of topological materials and are therefore more stable. These building blocks can do more than the bits of a classical computer, are superconducting and immune to interference, like a puzzle piece that fits perfectly and never falls out.
- Magnetic moment: A measure of the strength and direction of the magnetisation of a molecule or atom, which can be imagined as an invisible arrow that shows where north is and indicates the strength of a hidden force.
Publications (selection) #
S.-X. Liu*, A.K. Ismael, A. Al-Jobory, C. Lambert. Signatures of Room-Temperature Quantum Interference in Molecular Junctions. Accounts of chemical research 2023, 56(3), 322-331.
J.-C. Liu, R. Pawlak, X. Wang, H. Chen, P. D’Astolfo, C. Drechsel, P. Zhou, R. Häner, S. Decurtins, U. Aschauer, S.-X. Liu, W. Wulfhekel, E. Meyer. Proximity-Induced Superconductivity in Atomically Precise Nanographene on Ag/Nb(110). ACS Materials Lett. 2023, 5, 1083-1090.
C. Li, C. Kaspar, P. Zhou, J.-C. Liu, O. Chahib, T. Glatzel, R. Häner, U. Aschauer, S. Decurtins, S.-X. Liu*, M. Thoss, E. Meyer, R. Pawlak. Strong signature of electron-vibration coupling in molecules on Ag(111) triggered by tip-gated discharging. Nature Communications 2023, 14:5956.
B. J. Kang, E. J. Rohwer, D. Rohrbach, E. Zyaee, M. Akbarimoosavi, Z. Ollman, G. Sorohhov, A. Borgoo, M. Cascella, A. Cannizzo, S. Decurtins, R. J. Stanley, S.-X. Liu*, T. Feurer. Time-resolved THz Stark spectroscopy of molecules in solution. Nature Communications 2024, 15:4212.
