Ultrafast Electronics: Petahertz Optoelectronics
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, University of Science and Technology of China, and University of Göttingen have developed an approach to design and build high speed electronic devices using petahertz optoelectronics. These devices have the potential to be one million times faster than devices in common use.
Description
Current electronics are based on electric fields exerting forces on charged electron quasiparticles. These electric fields function continuously (DC) or alternating (AC) at rates up to 109 Hz (GHz). An example is 5G cell phones operating at GHz frequencies. Optical fields can improve these speeds to 1012 Hz (THz). These novel petahertz optoelectronics have the potential to reach speeds of 1015 Hz (PHz) and could be essential in developing the high-speed electronic devices of the future.Applications
• High speed electronics• Spectroscopic devices
• Quantum computing
Advantages
At present THz technology is used in some areas of spectroscopy driving inter-electronic band transitions and generating harmonics of the driving frequencies. Optoelectronics involves oscillating the field of light (optical field) and are shown to drive electric charges at high THz, raising the question of whether higher frequencies can be achieved. At higher frequencies, such as PHz, the dominant electron response is quantum mechanical and so may be advantageous in the developing field of quantum computing.These novel PHz optoelectronic materials have the potential to be one million times faster than electronics in common usage.