A single transistor that behaves like a brain cell in the deep freeze ought to assist the next generation of quantum computer and space exploration systems.
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have created a new type of brain-inspired electronic hardware that can perform at temperatures close to absolute zero. The breakthrough could support address one of the biggest demanding situations going through quantum computing while also beginning new possibilities for future deep-space missions.
The work was performed by scientists from HKU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering inside the Faculty of Engineering and the Centre for Advanced Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits (CASIC). Their latest developed programmable neuromorphic platform functions in significantly cold environments and could give a practical way to enhance the scalability of quantum computers.
Brain-Inspired Computing at Near Absolute Zero
The research group, managed by Professor Yuhao Zhang and PhD scholar Xin Yang, discovered a new technique for developing and controlling negative differential resistance (NDR) in industry-standard Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs.
Using this technique, they proven for the first time that a single transistor can reproduce the energy-efficient “spiking” activity seen in biological neurons at temperatures as low as 10 mK.
This breakthrough is considerable due to the quantum computers operate beneath extraordinarily cold conditions. Their qubits are extremely sensitive and must be kept at millikelvin temperatures. Moreover, the electronic systems used to control those qubits commonly consume substantial power and generate heat.
As a result, today’s silicon-based controllers need to be positioned farther faraway from the qubits, developing a complicated web of wiring that limits system performance and makes it more tough to form large quantum computers.
“Our work releases a hardware platform that may be incorporate alongside quantum processors,” stated Professor Zhang. “By using of the unique carrier dynamics in silicon carbide, we can form circuits that are thousands of times more energy-efficient than conventional electronics, substantially decreasing the thermal load on cryogenic systems.”
Silicon Carbide Reveals Unique Cryogenic Behavior
The researchers found that SiC MOSFETs behave otherwise while cooled below 2K. Under those conditions, the gadgets show off a robust “S-shape” NDR effect driven by electron-donor effect ionization (EDII).
Unlike other technologies that rely upon heat-related processes, this impact originates from the material’s own atomic structure. As per the team, that makes the behavior notably stable and continuously reproducible across different production batches.
“This is a strong and scalable approach,” stated Mr. Yang. “Because SiC is already used globally in electric vehicles and power grids, we can leverage current industrial foundries to produce these cryogenic chips on 300-mm wafers.”
Toward Larger Quantum Systems and Deep-Space Missions
The study also showed that those artificial neurons can be “cascaded” into larger networks. This capability could permit more advanced local data processing in cryogenic environments, improving functions which include quantum error correction and real-time quantum control.
The potential applications increase beyond quantum computing. Because the circuits can operate reliably in extraordinarily cold conditions, they may also be well suited for deep-space exploration. Future spacecraft and scientific instruments must frequently function in environments as cold as the lunar surface or the distant regions of our solar system.
