Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a groundbreaking device that uses light for energy-efficient and secure data processing, marking a major advancement in telecommunications.
The innovation, led by You Zhou, Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Maryland in collaboration with researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, promises greener telecom solutions and enhanced data security. The study, published in ‘Nature Photonics’, presents a device that processes information using minimal light, offering significant improvements in both energy efficiency and quantum communication security.
Telecommunications systems today rely on optical switches, which transmit data using light but still require electricity to interpret the signals, resulting in extra energy consumption. The device eliminates the need for electricity in processing, relying solely on light, improving the speed and efficiency of data transmission. Early trials have shown the device uses only one-tenth to one femtojoule of energy—100 times less than conventional systems. This makes it highly appealing to industries like telecommunications, data centers, and cybersecurity sectors, where both energy efficiency and secure communication are crucial.
The key to this breakthrough lies in the material’s “non-linear response,” which allows the device to process data with very small amounts of light. This non-linearity, according to Zhou, was unexpected and opened new avenues in quantum communication. “Achieving strong non-linearity was unexpected, which opened a new direction that we were not previously exploring: quantum communications,” Zhou explained.
The device was created using the Quantum Material Press (QPress) at Brookhaven Lab, a tool that enables scientists to synthesize quantum materials with atom-thin layers. This collaboration with Brookhaven Lab’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) has significantly boosted the research by providing high-quality materials. “We have been collaborating with Zhou’s group for several years,” said Suji Park, a co-author and CFN scientist, emphasizing how this partnership improved material fabrication.
The next goal is to further reduce the energy required for quantum communication, a key to enhancing cybersecurity. With cyberattacks on the rise, quantum communications offer an alternative to conventional systems, as they encode information in light, making it impossible to intercept without altering the signal.
This breakthrough represents a significant step forward in building secure, energy-efficient telecommunications for the future.
