For the first time the light is stored as a sound wave

Scientists have succeeded in storing light information in the form of sound waves on a computer chip. This groundbreaking research paved the way for the creation of supercomputers powered by light with tens of times faster processing speed than conventional computers.

Although this may sound a bit strange, this transition is extremely necessary to create breakthroughs in the computer field. Based on the results of this study, we can convert inefficient computers into light-based computers . The special thing is that data on the computer can be transferred at the speed of light - extremely fast!

Computers that operate on light or photonics work at least 20 times faster than conventional computers. Not only that, it did not generate heat or energy consumption like current electronic devices.

Explaining these preeminent features, scientists say, the new computer will process data in the form of photons (light) rather than electrons (electrons). Although there is great potential for development and well-known technology companies like IBM and Intel are investing a lot of money and effort to develop new computers, but this transition is not easy to implement. .

Store light in the form of sound waves.(Photo: Pixabay).

To encode information into photons is very easy - we've done it when sending information through fiber optics. But creating computer chips that can take and process information stored in photons is a problem: the rate at which photons are transmitted is so fast that the current circuits cannot keep up.

This is why light information transmitted through Internet cables is converted into electronic particles at a slow rate. But there's a more effective alternative to slowing down the rate of photons, which is converting it into sound - and this is exactly what researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia are doing.

The project manager, Birgit Stiller, said: "The information in the chips we make exists in the form of sound. Their movement speed is five times slower than optical information. It's like another. between lightning and thunder - lightning always appears before thunder! '

New research takes advantage of and overcome the disadvantages of light data transmitted by computers. The new computer does not generate heat because there are no resistors, unimpeded by electromagnetic radiation - it also slows down the rate of data transfer so that computer chips can read.

"To commercialize light-based computers, photonic data on chips must be slowed down so that processes such as processing, routing, storage and access are available," said Moritz Merklein, a researcher. can be done '.

"This is an important step in the field of optical information processing because it meets all the requirements for current and future optical communication systems , " added Benjamin Eggleton.

Conversion diagram.(Photo: University of Sydney).

The team of scientists conducted the study by developing a memory system that accurately conveys light waves and sound waves on a photonic chip. This chip will be used in future light-operated computers.

First, photonic information enters the chip as a light pulse (yellow), where it interacts with a 'burn' pulse (blue) to create sound waves storing data. After that, another light pulse called 'read' pulse (blue) accesses audio data and is converted back into light pulses (yellow) again.

Normally, unobstructed light will pass through the chip in between 2 and 3 nanoseconds, but when stored as a sound wave, they can stay on the chip for up to 10 nanoseconds. This time is long enough for information to be collected and processed.

Converting light into sound waves not only slows the speed of light, but also supports more accurate data collection. The special thing is that the system can operate on a broadband.

Merklein said: "Building an audio buffer inside the chip improves the control of information and our system is not limited to a narrow bandwidth. So it is not the same. Like previous systems, this allows us to store and search information at multiple wavelengths at the same time, increasing the efficiency of the device. "

This entire study was published in Nature Communications.