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solid-state lightwave electronics
Electron motion, controlled on a mesoscopic scale constitutes the basis for modern information technologies. Rendering electronics more powerful means ever faster control of currents on ever smaller scales. Microelectronics therefore naturally and inexorably evolves towards atomic-scale charge transport control, paving the way towards the ultimate frontier of electronics: information processing at light frequencies in solid-state systems or molecular systems assembled on surfaces.
Can this ultimate speed limit of electron-based information technology be reached, i.e. can electric current in solid-state structures be switched on and off with the electric field of infrared or visible light for realizing ultimate-speed electronics? Can charge transport be manipulated and controlled in molecular systems assembled on surfaces: is molecular or solid-state lightwave electronics feasible?
We are devising several experiments to address these exciting questions of utmost importance for the future course of development of electron-based information technologies. One example is the modulation of photoemission induced by a sub-fs UV/VUV pulse with the electric field of a few-cycle NIR field. This would constitute current control in a solid-state device at the ultimate speed limit of electronics and represent a solid-state attosecond oscilloscope for light fields. Extension of the concept to current control within solid-state circuitry may be the next step towards solid-state lightwave electronics.
contact: R. Ernstorfer, A. Schiffrinlink to the personal page of Agustin Schiffrin, N. Karpowiczlink to the personal page of Nicholas Karpowicz
Fig. 1. The illustration represents a semiconductor nanoscaled device connected to two metal electrodes. The setup will allow addressing the influence of a few-cycle NIR laser pulse on the ballistic motion of conduction-band electrons excited by a synchronized isolated UV pulse. (© ags)
Fig. 1. The illustration represents a semiconductor nanoscaled device connected to two metal electrodes. The setup will allow addressing the influence of a few-cycle NIR laser pulse on the ballistic motion of conduction-band electrons excited by a synchronized isolated UV pulse. (© ags)