Light-controlled quantum material paves the way for next-gen electronics

Researchers have taken a giant leap toward transforming how future electronics will work—by controlling matter itself. For decades, scientists have chased the dream of designing devices that operate at speeds far beyond today’s silicon-based electronics. A new study published in Nature Physics shows that this goal may finally be within reach.

The research focuses on a quantum material known as 1T-TaS₂, a compound made of tantalum, sulfur, and layers of atoms stacked in a special pattern. Scientists have now shown that this material can switch between being an insulator and a conductor on command. Even more impressive, the material holds that state for months and works at practical temperatures. That kind of control and stability has never been achieved before.

At the core of the breakthrough is a process called thermal quenching. This method involves heating the material and then quickly cooling it down. The rapid change in temperature triggers a shift in the material’s structure, forcing it to jump from one electronic state to another.

Using this approach, researchers created what's called a hidden metallic state in 1T-TaS₂. In the past, this state could only be observed for a fraction of a second and only at extremely cold temperatures near absolute zero. But now, it can be maintained at 210 K, or about -63°C—well above cryogenic conditions. That may still sound cold, but for materials science, it's a big step closer to room temperature.

Alberto de la Torre, a physicist at Northeastern University and the study’s lead author, explained the practical implications. “Processors work in gigahertz right now. The speed of change that this would enable would allow you to go to terahertz,” he said. That means electronics could potentially run a thousand times faster.

The material behaves much like a transistor. It can be toggled between an “on” and “off” state, meaning it can allow electricity to pass through or block it. This same behavior powers nearly every electronic device today. But here’s the difference: traditional transistors need multiple materials and carefully engineered layers. This new discovery uses just one material that can switch roles instantly—thanks to light and heat.

Gregory Fiete, another physicist at Northeastern University who helped interpret the findings, emphasized the value of this advancement. “Everyone who has ever used a computer encounters a point where they wish something would load faster,” he said. “There’s nothing faster than light, and we’re using light to control material properties at essentially the fastest possible speed that’s allowed by physics.”

And unlike earlier attempts to achieve such control with laser pulses, which faded in trillionths of a second, this new method makes the change last. It’s like turning on a light switch and having it stay on for months without touching it again.

This opens the door for future electronics that don’t rely on layered semiconductors. “We eliminate one of the engineering challenges by putting it all into one material,” Fiete said. “And we replace the interface with light within a wider range of temperatures.”

To observe and confirm the new phase, researchers used advanced techniques like scanning tunneling spectroscopy and high-dynamic-range X-ray mapping. These tools allowed them to study how the atoms inside the material rearranged themselves.

They discovered that the hidden metallic state coexists with a commensurate charge density wave—a pattern in which electrons group together in a regular structure. Both states break a certain symmetry in the material, creating tiny domains with different chiral orientations—basically, mirror-image patterns. These patterns even cause the unit cells of the material to triple in height in some regions.

Despite the presence of metallic areas and a measurable density of electronic states, the bulk of the material still resists electricity. This is due to disorder in the stacking of the charge density wave layers, which blocks current on a larger scale.

In short, the material acts metallic in some areas but stays mostly insulating overall. This unusual mix of traits makes 1T-TaS₂ especially promising for electronics. Its properties can be tuned with heat or light, and it can hold a chosen state for long periods—key features for building future memory and logic devices.

Current semiconductors are reaching their limits. Chips are now so packed with transistors that engineers stack them in layers. But this approach can’t keep pace with future demands. That’s why quantum materials like 1T-TaS₂ are gaining attention. These materials can switch between conducting and insulating states quickly and reliably, using heat or light as triggers. This discovery offers a new way to design electronics without needing multiple materials or complex interfaces.

“What we’re shooting for is the highest level of control over material properties,” says Gregory Fiete, a physicist involved in the study. “We want it to do something very fast, with a very certain outcome.” While quantum computing is one way forward, this research focuses on making everyday electronics faster, smaller, and more efficient. Replacing silicon with programmable materials could change how devices store and process data. “Quantum materials offer a new paradigm,” Fiete adds.

In the long term, this could lead to phones, computers, and data systems that are thousands of times faster and more energy-efficient. Beyond electronics, these phase-changing materials may someday power new kinds of sensors or storage devices.

This isn’t just a one-time experiment—it’s a major step toward reimagining how technology works. With each advance, scientists move closer to building ultra-fast, light-controlled electronics that could redefine modern computing.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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