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Efficiently Producing Quantum Dots
generica1 writes "The Edmonton Journal is reporting on the University of Alberta's National Institute for Nanotechnology's recent invention of a new method to produce quantum dots — what are currently the world's smallest quantum dots, possibly allowing for startling increases in the efficiency of semiconductor-based equipment. 'Roughly speaking, we predict there could be a 1,000-time reduction in power consumption with electronic computers built in this new way,' said Robert Wolkow, a physicist at the University of Alberta and leader of the team behind the breakthrough. Read the article for a description of the wave-like phenomenon employed by Wolkow's team to accomplish a vastly lower power consumption during the transfer of electrons."
> reduction in power consumption with electronic computers
so this won't help make a Difference Engine more efficient?
oh what's the point even trying then...
"Previously developed quantum dots range in size from two to 10 nanometres -- a nanometre is one-billionth of a metre -- and contain groupings of 1,000 or more atoms."
"The quantum dot developed by Wolkow's team is much smaller; less than a nanometre in diameter and containing only one or two particles."
I guess your guess is wrong, because atoms are clearly not subatomic particles.
Does this mean we get solar power 1,000 times cheaper? 1,000 times sooner? Panels, 1,000 times smaller, yet generating equal output? I remember, in the 1970's (you know, before the turn of the century) "they" told us nuclear energy plants would provide electricity for "virtually free..." If it isn't one thing, it's another. I'm still waiting.
There is nothing to FEAR but NOTHING itself; and I fear there is a whole lot of nothing going on. --scorpivs
They also claim that Physical Review Letters, is considered the world's premier physics journal. By whom? It was 12th in the ranking in 2007.
By most of the physicist I know. Publishing in higher ranked journals like Nature Physics etc. usually is good news, but good research in physics is typically awarded by a PRL paper. Actually, the existence of a one main authorship in PRL is a criterion of quality of a PhD study in my lab. Cheers, K
As someone who works in the field of nanotechnology, I assure you that this development is definitely a milestone.
Some of the major developments in quantum computing and photonics relies on cheap and efficient development of quantum dots.
... They also claim that Physical Review Letters, is considered the world's premier physics journal. By whom?
By physicists.
It was 12th in the ranking in 2007....
by whom?
I actually agree with most of what your comments above-- there's more hype than reality in that press release-- but Phys Rev Letters really is the gold standard in peer-reviewed physics publication. If somebody ranks PRL as "12th", this is an indication that this ranking system is broken.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
They can, from what I gather in the story, act as gates in a digital circuit. Which means if they can be made this small and to operate at this low of a power and actually interconnected to work reliably, then we'll have very small and efficient CPUs once that has been moved from single-gate prototype through processor prototype and into manufacturing. I'm not a nanotechnologist, a physicist, or an electronics engineer, but that was my understanding of their role pretty much as soon as they were compared to on-chip transistors for storing and forwarding values.