An earthquake on a chip: New tech could make smartphones smaller, faster
Tech Xplore • • science
Key Points:
- Engineers have developed a surface acoustic wave (SAW) phonon laser capable of generating ultra-small vibrations akin to tiny earthquakes, which could improve the design of chips in wireless devices, making them smaller, faster, and more efficient.
- The device, created by a team including Matt Eichenfield and collaborators from the University of Arizona and Sandia National Laboratories, uses a single chip to produce high-frequency SAWs, unlike current devices that require two chips and external power sources.
- The phonon laser operates by generating vibrations on the surface of a chip composed of silicon, lithium niobate, and indium gallium arsenide, where vibrations and electric fields interact to amplify surface waves similarly to how light is amplified in traditional diode lasers.
