Israeli Laser Innovation Paves Way for Light-Speed Processors

A remarkable Israeli scientific breakthrough could reshape the future of computing and communication. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a pioneering technique that allows them to manipulate and track changes in materials at attosecond speeds so fast, light itself travels less than the width of a hydrogen atom in that time.

This discovery, led by Prof. Nirit Dudovich from the Department of Physics of Complex Systems, promises to unlock next-generation processors and quantum devices capable of operating at light speed.

“Once we know how to trace the ‘journey’ of individual electrons between energy levels in a material, we can use light to deliberately and precisely change the properties of that material in mere hundreds of attoseconds,” explained Dudovich.

These changes could mean shifting a material from being a conductor to an insulator, or altering its transparenc all on demand. Until now, capturing such transformations in real-time had been impossible due to their lightning-fast nature.

The key to the breakthrough lies in a novel dual-laser approach. One laser, made of longer pulses, initiates changes within the material. Simultaneously, an ultra-short attosecond pulse acts as a high-speed camera, capturing the effects with microscopic accuracy. The result is a real-time map of how electrons respond to light an achievement akin to building a navigation system for the quantum world.

“This method is like a navigation app for electrons,” Dudovich said. “Just as Waze estimates travel time, we reconstruct the electron’s travel path through the material, analyzing how light is delayed. This tells us how the material’s energy levels shifted.”

The implications are revolutionary. By understanding and harnessing the behavior of electrons under laser exposure, scientists could create processors that operate at speeds exponentially faster than today's most advanced chips. Instead of relying on the flow of electricity, these processors would use light, bringing unparalleled efficiency and speed.

Beyond computing, this technique holds enormous promise for telecommunications. The ability to manipulate materials at such scales can lead to ultra-fast optical switches and modulators crucial for improving fiber-optic and quantum communication systems.

This breakthrough is yet another example of how Israeli innovation continues to shape the frontier of science and technology. The global tech landscape is already watching closely as this discovery opens doors to processors and devices operating at the speed of light. Share this article and subscribe to our newsletter.