What will the computer of the future look like? How will it work? The search for answers to these questions is a major driver of basic physical research. There are several possible scenarios, ranging from the further development of classical electronics to neuromorphic computing and quantum computers. The common element in all these approaches is that they are based on novel physical effects, some of which have so far only been predicted in theory.
Researchers go to great lengths and use state-of-the-art equipment in their quest for new quantum materials that will enable them to create such effects. But what if there are no suitable materials that occur naturally?
In a recent study published in Nature Physics ("Two-dimensional Shiba lattices as a possible platform for crystalline topological superconductivity"), the research group of UZH Professor Titus Neupert, working closely together with physicists at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle (Germany), presented a possible solution. The researchers made the required materials themselves – one atom at a time. They are focusing on novel types of superconductors, which are particularly interesting because they offer zero electrical resistance at low temperatures.
To read more, click here.