Washington: A computer that is a thousand-fold faster than the fastest current supercomputers is being developed by an Indian American scientist.
The machine of the future being developed by Ashok Nahata of the University of Utah relies on infrared wavelengths rather than electrical wires.
Nahata and his team made the equivalent of wires that carried and bent this form of infrared light, or terahertz radiation, the least exploited segment of electromagnetic spectrum.
Scientists want to harness this spectrum, since vast loads of communication clog the existing spectrum. It would not only make for much faster computing but also help in designing scanners and sensors able to detect biological, chemical or other weapons.
Nahata said the long-term goal is to develop capabilities to create circuits that run faster than modern-day electronic circuits "so we can have faster computers and faster data transfer via the Internet".
"We have taken a first step to making circuits that can harness or guide terahertz or infrared radiation," said Nahata. "Eventually - in a minimum of 10 years - this will allow the development of superfast circuits, computers and communications."
The findings will be published Friday in the online journal Optics Express.
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