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Chinese scientists observe IT-advancing phenomenon

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Xinhua | 2013-4-11 8:27:36

By Agencies

Chinese scientists have made the very first experimental observation of a phenomenon known as the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, a discovery that will help accelerate the IT revolution and in developing low-power-consumption electronics.

Yang Zhenning, winner of a Nobel Prize in Physics, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the research was ground-breaking in the field, rating it as worthy of a Nobel Prize.

QAH effect is one of the most important physical effects that had remained unobserved worldwide, according to academic Xue Qikun, who has led a team working on the subject since 2008.

The discovery, if it is harnessed in the future, will help reduce unnecessary energy consumption stemming from irregular electron collisions, according to Xue.

"The technology may even bring about a supercomputer in the shape of an iPad," predicted Xue.

The QAH effect was predicted to occur in magnetic topological insulators by American scientist Edwin Hall more than 130 years ago. It is a kind of quantum Hall effect realized at zero magnetic field.

The quantum Hall effect describes how a voltage appears at both semiconductor edges when the electrons on a current-carrying semiconductor experience a force while being kept in a magnetic field, Xue explained.

The academic said that although leapfrog development has been made in semiconductor technology, the unsettled problem of thermal dissipation caused by irregular movements of electrons has created a bottleneck for the IT industry's further development.

The research, launched by a team of scientists from Tsinghua University and the Institution of Physics under the Chinese Academy of Science, was conducted on more than 1,000 samples at zero magnetic fields.

However, there remains a long way ahead for the observation to be taken into practical application due to limited research resources at present, Xue added.

Chinese scientists observe IT-advancing phenomenon - SCI_TECH - Globaltimes.cn
 
Chinese boffins predict iPad-sized supercomputers
Quantum physics discovery could spur even lower power consumption
By Phil Muncaster • Get more from this author
Posted in Science, 12th April 2013 04:19 GMT
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Chinese boffins are predicting iPad-shaped supercomputers could become a reality after observing for the first time a phenomenon known as the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, which could pave the way for a new generation of low energy-consumption electronics.

The QAH effect has never been observed in a laboratory environment, even though it was first predicted to occur in magnetic topological insulators by US scientist Edwin Hall over 130 years ago.

It refers to a type of quantum Hall effect which occurs in a zero magnetic field. Quantum Hall is explained well here but basically describes what happens when a magnetic field is applied perpendicular to a current running through a semiconductor – a voltage appears at its edges.

Tsinghua University explained the importance of the new discovery:

The dissipation-less edge states of the quantum Hall effect can be used for making new generation of low energy consumption transistors and electronic devices, which can help reduce the heating and energy cost of computers. However, the realisation of conventional quantum Hall effect needs a very strong magnetic field (more than 10,000 times larger than the earth magnetic field), making the application very challenging. The most fascinating property of the quantum anomalous Hall effect is that it occurs in zero magnetic field, which significantly facilitates the practical applications of the quantum Hall effect for low energy consumption electronics.

Research team leader Xue Qikun told Xinhua that if QAH can be tapped in the future it could help to overcome thermal dissipation in electronics caused by irregular electron collisions.

"The technology may even bring about a supercomputer in the shape of an iPad," he added.

The research by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University and Stanford is published in Science magazine here and is already being tipped for a Nobel prize.

It would seem to be a strong contender, given that German physicist Klaus von Klitzing won a gong back in 1985 for his discovery of the quantum Hall effect. ®

Chinese boffins predict iPad-sized supercomputers ? The Register
 
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