Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have created a new brain-inspired chip. This chip works at temperatures near absolute zero. This could help quantum computing and deep-space technology.
Brain-Inspired Computing in the Extreme Cold
The team developed a new electronic hardware that mimics how brains work. It functions in extremely cold environments. This could help solve a big problem in quantum computing. It also opens doors for future missions into deep space.
The new platform can be programmed and works in very cold conditions. It offers a practical way to make quantum computers larger and more powerful.
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Start Your News DetoxProfessor Yuhao Zhang and PhD student Xin Yang led the research. They found a new way to create and control negative differential resistance (NDR) in standard Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs.
They showed that a single transistor can act like a biological neuron. It can perform energy-efficient "spiking" at temperatures as low as 10 mK.
This is important because quantum computers need to be kept extremely cold. Their qubits are very sensitive and must stay at millikelvin temperatures. However, the electronics that control these qubits use a lot of power and create heat.
Today's silicon controllers must be placed far from the qubits. This creates many wires, which slows down the system. It also makes it harder to build bigger quantum computers.
Professor Zhang explained that their new hardware can be placed right next to quantum processors. He noted that using the unique properties of silicon carbide makes circuits thousands of times more energy-efficient. This greatly reduces the heat load on the cooling systems.
Silicon Carbide's Unique Behavior
The researchers discovered that SiC MOSFETs act differently when cooled below 2K. At these temperatures, the devices show a strong "S-shape" NDR effect. This is caused by electron-donor impact ionization (EDII).
This effect comes from the material's atomic structure, not from heat. This makes it very stable and reliable across different batches of manufacturing.
Mr. Yang said this approach is strong and can be scaled up. He added that SiC is already used in electric vehicles and power grids. This means they can use existing factories to make these cold-resistant chips on large wafers.
Future for Quantum Systems and Space
The study also showed that these artificial neurons can be linked together into bigger networks. This could allow for more advanced data processing in cold places. It could improve things like quantum error correction and real-time quantum control.
These circuits could also be used for deep-space exploration. Future spacecraft and instruments need to work in very cold places, like the Moon's surface or far parts of our solar system.
The findings were published in Nature Communications.
Deep Dive & References
Cryogenic neuromorphic circuits using gate-controlled negative differential resistance in silicon carbide - Nature Communications, 2026
