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45-Year Physics Mystery Shows a Path To Quantum Transistors
New submitter cyberspittle sends this research report from the University of Michigan:
An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation electronics. ... The researchers provide the first direct evidence that samarium hexaboride, abbreviated SmB6, is a topological insulator (abstract). Topological insulators are, to physicists, an exciting class of solids that conduct electricity like a metal across their surface, but block the flow of current like rubber through their interior. They behave in this two-faced way despite that their chemical composition is the same throughout. ... This deeper understanding of samarium hexaboride raises the possibility that engineers might one day route the flow of electric current in quantum computers like they do on silicon in conventional electronics.
The summary and the article itself are so fluffy and short that they don't give any useful information about how this material relates to quantum computing, nor why it's properties are significant. There is mention of a class of electrons involved, but not how nor why this particular type of electron is relevant to quantum computing.
It sounds interesting and all, but it would have been nice to have enough information to give one something to think about instead of just having to assume that the high faluting professors know their shit and must be right. :P
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
Yes, And Microsoft didn't exist and UNIX replaced CPM when the hardware got mature (protected flat 386) to support that ideal. VMS would be the solution to datacenters and intrusions would be reduced to knocking on doors.
Keep dreaming silly person.
Oh Wait,
I think that's what happened.
Except for VMS
Isn't that the beer that comes in the cool, silver can?
I think you're confused about isolator/insulator. Wires are commonly wrapped in insulation (e.g. rubber) to prevent them conducting. You can also put insulation into your walls to reduce heat loss.
An isolator is typically a mechanical switch that would completely disconnect an electrical circuit.
You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
But if you don't have any patience or ability to imagine that change is coming, you can always do us a big favor and commit seppuku.
Don't tell him that. We'll always need mindless drones to work the mines.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Interestingly this article, also from U Mich, talks about observing Dirac electrons: http://www.ns.umich.edu/new/re...
SmB6 - is that really Samba v.6? :-)
(Hey, someone was going to post this.)
https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
Quite a bit of it materializes in one way or another, many years later, and no one mentions which /. story the new tech is being used it, but it happens all the time.
Microsoft hired the VMS developers to write Windows NT, so technically that part happened too. Many intrusions are about as hard as knocking on a door too, so overall i think it is pretty accurate.
Every time I hear about (snip) quantum computing (snip), they keep saying "soon soon soon"... Well, what I want to know is when this stuff will leave the research labs and be of any practical use to anyone. Either shit or get off the pot already.
Buck Feta. You know what to do.
So do we have a chemistry nutter troll now, too?
Then stop coming to a tech news site.
This is literally what slashdot is here for.
It's not the end of silicon that's in sight. It's the end of the growth described by Moore's Law, ultimately the end of shrinking silicon devices, and the beginning of either cleverer manufacturing.
It the end of civilization as we know it, depending on how many friends in the semiconductor business you have...
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
Leading edge devices will likely depart from silicon, but it's going to be a long time before silicon ceases to be the default material for active electronic devices. Silicon tolerates higher temperatures than some other semiconductors, and having a native insulating oxide is a great advantage. There's a lot of production experience with silicon, and it won't be put aside lightly.
As far as speed is concerned, in my opinion it would be greatly advantageous to have significantly faster devices. I don't like programs that take hours to run.
Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
I don't drink, personally, because I'm on medication that sometimes has odd and, though rarely, deadly reactions to alcohol. But from what I've heard, it sounds like Europeans make beer that's fun to drink, while American beer manufacturers have simply created an alcohol delivery system and added marketing to it.
When I say the above, I'm simply regurgitating what my dad has said and what I've read online. Bcause, as i said before, I don't actually drink.
That's nothing, in my universe the Roman Empire never fell and we had the Internet in 1000AD.
You jokers haven't even made it past the moon, while I'm looking at a sky full of stars so prevalent that we don't even need streetlights.
(yes, I'm being imaginative)
We might have a short time where good code becomes important again.
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
Beyond your points, we're also seeing a decline in language skills for reasons seldom addressed. When people ensure that posts contain proper spelling and *written* grammar, it takes a little extra time and effort to proofread content. Corrections especially need to be made where the author of a post is sleep deprived, emotionally agitated, distracted, or in a hurry.
Then, just as happens on most websites when people research post topics before speaking, some chucklehead appears from the woodwork to crap all over the entire thing by calling names. Other adults behaving as children join in the juvenile name-calling and aversion to actual thought because it takes less effort and affords them the opportunity to get a nice Beavis and Butthead chuckle. Those who put forth the extra effort to write as informed, educated people are the most likely ones to attract such behavior for "thinking they're smart".
That experience punishes grammar, spelling, accuracy, and attention to detail until people get fatigued and simply join in the Beavis and Butthead chuckling. Case in point: minutes ago, I got called arrogant by somebody because I criticized a History Channel show for teaching events in a Shakespearean play as if those events are actual history. In my reply to that person, I put forth less effort because it had already been demonstrated that the attention to detail is wasted.
This isn't an American problem, and it's not just a problem in the sciences. This is eroding the smarts from discussion across the board. It doesn't *seem* to correlate with any markers of quality thoughts and work either. From economic station to political persuasion, profession, hobbies, interests, age, etc, it seems that everybody is having stupid beaten into their heads by social influences. It's spreading like a plague thanks to a growing legion of Beavis and Butthead clones.
Maybe in 1873, Maxwell wasn't aware of all linguistic distinctions necessary for the concepts to make sense everywhere in the world. I could be wrong, but maybe he was too busy being a physicist to also be a linguist and diplomat.
addendum: Also, Maxwell was Scottish.
diamond wafers are already a reality (albeit small sized). Sooner or later we'll step up to carbon semiconductors.