New research lights the way to super-fast computers
2014-11-07
(Press-News.org) New research published today in the journal Nature Communications, has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future.
The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems.
Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signals once they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing.
"The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr Richard Curry of the University of Surrey.
"This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as 'pn-junction' devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector - something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds."
The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.
INFORMATION:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2014-11-07
A new study suggests that the flightless birds named moa were completely extinct by the time New Zealand's human population had grown to two and half thousand people at most.
The new findings, which appear in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, incorporate results of research by international teams involved in two major projects led by Professor Richard Holdaway (Palaecol Research Ltd and University of Canterbury) and Mr Chris Jacomb (University of Otago), respectively.
The researchers calculate that the Polynesians whose activities caused moa extinction ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - Many people have been told, incorrectly, that they're allergic to penicillin, but have not had allergy testing. These people are often given alternative antibiotics prior to surgery to ward off infection. But when antibiotic choices are limited due to resistance, treatment alternatives may be more toxic, more expensive and less effective.
According to two studies presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, people who believe they have a penicillin allergy would benefit from consultation ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - Asthma symptoms affect an estimated 26 million Americans and are one of the leading causes of work and school absences. People who suffer from asthma know it's a challenge to make sure symptoms are under control at all times. And it's even a challenge to know where to get the best information on how to do that.
According to a study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, teens and caregivers have different levels of health literacy, and teens don't necessarily get their information ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - Last year's long, harsh winter was brutal, and caused some experts to predict the "polar vortex" would turn into the "pollen vortex," and make allergy sufferers more miserable than ever before. But the "pollen vortex" didn't happen - at least not everywhere.
According to a study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, the spring pollen count in Ontario, Canada was not higher than usual, and in fact, was down considerably - and far lower than at any other time in the previous ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - People who suffer from allergies want to keep up-to-date on the latest information regarding treatment, but it's not always easy. Some doctors don't even know fact from fiction when it comes to treating allergies.
According to a study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, prevailing allergy myths have a long shelf life. The study surveyed 409 physicians - either in internal medicine or pediatrics - on the topic of treating allergies. The physicians all received six questions ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - Millions of children across the country need emergency epinephrine at school because they could suffer a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to food or an insect sting. As schools across the country implement policies to stock emergency epinephrine, some are seeing dramatic results.
According to a new study being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, stock epinephrine was used on 38 children and adults in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) during ...
2014-11-07
Children with asthma and hay fever often struggle with their breathing. Add secondhand smoke, kerosene and biomass fuel to the mix and allergy and asthma symptoms increase. According to a study being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta, November 6-10, increased levels of asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever) were found in children in India who were exposed to more indoor pollutants. The study examined 70 households where no children had symptoms of asthma and/or hay fever, while the other 70 ...
2014-11-07
Past research has been inconsistent in determining the relative effects of mouse droppings vs. cockroach exposure on asthma in children. According to a study being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta, November 6-10, mice infestation is a stronger predictor of asthma symptoms in young children than exposure to cockroaches. The study examined 49 children under the age of 4, residing in the Bronx, New York. Both skin prick testing and blood tests were done to determine allergic response. Children ...
2014-11-07
ATLANTA, GA (November 7, 2014) - Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are symptoms asthma sufferers are used to. They are also the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For sufferers, as well as physicians, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two conditions.
According to a presentation at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, as many as 50 percent of older adults with obstructive airway disease have overlapping characteristics of asthma and COPD. And this percentage increases ...
2014-11-07
AUDIO:
In the first study comparing packed lunches to National School Lunch Program lunches, researchers from Virginia Tech found that school lunches have greater nutritional quality. Findings suggest that nutrition education...
Click here for more information.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, November 7, 2014 - Approximately 60% of the more than 50 million public elementary and secondary education students obtain a substantial portion of their daily calories from school lunches. The 2012-2013 ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] New research lights the way to super-fast computers
