The world's smallest optical transistor comes out to break the size record

Researchers from Switzerland have recently made the name "the world's smallest phototransistor" - consisting of only a single dye molecule. The advent of the device means a major step toward all-optical circuits and photonic computing applications.

Since the first laser was introduced in 1960, scientists and engineers have been dreaming of using photons to replace electrons to make "circuits," where fiberglass or waveguides will act as cables or wires for conducting light, while optical switches and transistors. And diodes will also be used. Photonic integrated circuits have many distinct advantages over traditional electronic integrated circuits, including signal shielding, faster speed, less heat dissipation, greater bandwidth, and lower crosstalk.

Unfortunately, photonic integrated circuits are still far from desktop computers and other everyday applications, mainly because they require photons to be controlled in nanoscopic (1~100nm) space. very difficult. In addition, the effective mixing of the beams (transferring one beam of energy to other beams) also requires a macrosized crystal.

Despite this, the pace of research and development of photonic integrated circuits has not stopped. Recently, nano-optical research has advanced by leaps and bounds, allowing people to see new hopes. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZurich) recently announced that they have developed an optical transistor using a single molecule.

By concentrating the laser beam on a single molecule, ETHZurich scientists use only a single molecule to generate the basic condition of laser operation, stimulated emission. Because at low temperatures, molecules increase their apparent surface area to interact with light, the researchers cooled the molecules to minus 272 degrees Celsius, which is only one degree higher than absolute zero.

In a controlled mode, using a laser beam to get a single molecule into a control led fashion, the researchers can significantly reduce or amplify the second laser beam. This mode of operation is identical to that of a conventional transistor; the potential in the transistor can be used to modulate the second signal. However, ETH Zurich did not disclose its single-molecule chemical equation.

Photon computing technology is a long-term goal pursued by scientists because of its performance and heat dissipation performance. Photon not only generates less heat than electrons, but also achieves a higher data transfer rate. However, optical communication technology can only gradually evolve from long-distance communication to short-range communication and then into a single system.

Nonetheless, optically-operated and optically-operated optical switches have been developed. According to Vahid Sandoghdar, a professor of physical chemistry at ETHZurich, photonics is much like today's IC vacuum tube amplifiers from the 1950s.

The single-molecule optical transistor developed by ETHZurich also helps to generate quantum computers. Sandoghdar said that it takes many years to replace photons with electrons in transistors. At the same time, scientists are also studying how to skillfully use and control quantum systems to realize the dream of quantum computers.

Schematic diagram of a photo transistor

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