Dancing atoms paves the way to cooler computer chips, better biosensors

Dancing atoms paves the way to cooler computer chips, better biosensors

A new theory developed by Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, Maryland) researchers, if harnessed, could lead to cooler computer chips and better biosensors. According to the researchers when atoms in the proper configuration are struck by the right laser light their electrons will begin moving apart and then joining together again repeatedly like lively swing partners on a danace floor. This is opposite to the traditional way, in which electrons move back and forth together in a regular pattern, kind of like nanoscale soldiers marching in a lock step formation.

The beauty of this new theory according to the team, is that this atomic free-style dancing can be controlled. The critical conditions needed for the atoms to behave differently, is that the system must be very small (no more that a few hundred atoms). Second, the atoms must also be arranged in a 1 or 2-dimensional configuration and grouped in a sufficiently close concentration. This arrangement may allow more space between atoms than exists in a typical crystal. And third, the frequency of the laser driving the atoms must be closely tuned to one of the specific frequencies of the atomic electrons.

When these conditions are met, electrons get strongly “coupled,” and their motion is affected by one another. The atomic dance partners begin to match or counter-match the motion of each other, while still being driven by the laser’s “music.” This idea runs counter to the Lorentz-Lorenz theory, which asserts that the atomic electrons in a crystal, when exposed to a laser beam, will move back and forth in tandem in a uniform way under any conditions.

“Fortunately, once this atomic structure is built, the ‘dancing style’ of the atoms can be controlled by the laser tuning,” Kaplan said. “Furthermore, if the laser intensity is sufficient, we believe the atoms in this lattice will engage in so-called nonlinear behavior. That means they can be made to behave like switches in a computer. They will act like a computer’s memory or logic components, assuming the positions of either 1 or 0, depending on the initial conditions.”

Because of this, the team believes that the proposed components would generate less heat. Contact Phil Sneiderman at 443-287-9960 or prs@jhu.edu for more information.

Christina Nickolas