Most of you know that the wires used in computers need to be pretty small so more parts can be squeezed in, right? Well, scientists in Sydney, Australia have just created a wire that is only 4 atoms high.
You did not misread that.
Quantum computing would no doubt have a big effect on our day to day lives. Everything, from home computers to phones to gaming devices, could (eventually) be affected significantly by this huge leap forward.
However, before you get your hopes up that Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft will find a way to utilize this in their upcoming consoles, take note: researchers have noted that "the age of quantum computers" is at least 10 years away. It would also probably take a good amount of time before it would find itself in affordable consumer devices.
But hey, baby steps; we're getting there.
You did not misread that.
The team announced the finding on Thursday, saying they have created a wire just four atoms high, with the ability to conduct electricity similar to that seen in copper wires. The wires are 20 times smaller than the smallest wires now available and measure just four atoms wide by one phosphorus atom tall.
The finding could lead to advances in the field of quantum computing, where such devices would rely on nanoscale technology. The wires would allow for the creation of powerful computers that could sift through massive amounts of data faster than current digital computers which use binary code...
At the level of four atoms, scientists said they expected electricity to defy convention physics and instead adhere to the laws of quantum mechanics. Instead, researchers say the wire displayed the same electrical properties as ordinary electrical interconnects, leading to speculation that the wires may have the ability to improve the possibility of quantum computing.
Source: The State ColumnQuantum computing would no doubt have a big effect on our day to day lives. Everything, from home computers to phones to gaming devices, could (eventually) be affected significantly by this huge leap forward.
However, before you get your hopes up that Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft will find a way to utilize this in their upcoming consoles, take note: researchers have noted that "the age of quantum computers" is at least 10 years away. It would also probably take a good amount of time before it would find itself in affordable consumer devices.
But hey, baby steps; we're getting there.