Researchers claim to have made a breakthrough in quantum mechanics that could kick off a new age of sensors, switches, and computers. The new discovery is based on the discovery of a ‘topological axion insulator, a quantum matter state that was only described in theory until now.
This axion state was realized by creating, atom by atom, a small two-dimensional crystalline structure that is created with manganese bismuth telluride in a solid-state chip. This material is a good conductor of current while the overall structure is completely opposite, which means it acts as both conductor and insulator at the same time.
A new age of electronics
As a result, the storage, transportation, and manipulation of magnetic become swifter and more energy efficient. “It’s like discovering a new element,” said physicist Arun Bansil, who led the research. “And we know there’s going to be all sorts of interesting applications for this.”
This discovery could pave the way for the development of a new kind of electronic device known as spintronics. These devices will depend upon manipulating quantum structures through how electrons spin.
As of now, most electronics use chemical batteries, but future spintronic devices could make use of magnetic energy from special materials without requiring a chemical reaction. These devices are in the works and would overcome power consumption hurdles and boost speed in computers, which currently rely on a battery charge.
Solving power consumption problems
“There is no question the next generation of electronics will need to have low-power consumption,” Bansil said. “When you discover new materials like this, that opens up the possibilities. These newer kinds of materials can help usher in entirely new technologies.”
Previously, researchers from the University of Cambridge designed a low-cost technique that allowed them to identify the “speed limits” for charging cycles within batteries and then figure out ways to push them to their potential. Previous techniques to observe the inner workings of these batteries required hefty and time-eating methods such as synchrotron X-ray or electron microscopy.
