Scientists at Northeastern University have made a major breakthrough that could revolutionize how fast and powerful our electronic devices become.
By learning how to switch a special quantum material between two different states—one that conducts electricity and one that doesn’t—they’ve created the possibility of making electronics up to 1,000 times faster than today’s.
Right now, most electronic devices run on silicon-based parts that control the flow of electricity using transistors.
These parts work at gigahertz speeds, which is already fast—but the new discovery could push devices into the terahertz range, reaching speeds never before seen in everyday technology.
The team, led by physicist Alberto de la Torre, used a method called “thermal quenching,” which involves carefully heating and cooling the material to control whether it conducts electricity like metal or blocks it like an insulator.
This switch can be done quickly and repeatedly, which is key for developing future electronics.
The researchers focused on a material called 1T-TaS₂, a quantum material known for behaving differently depending on its temperature and structure.
In the past, scientists could only make this material act like a metal at extremely cold temperatures—near absolute zero. But now, the team has managed to create and stabilize this metallic state at temperatures close to room temperature, which is a huge leap forward for practical use.
What’s more, the material stays in its programmed state for months, which means it’s stable enough to be used in real devices.
This kind of control is rare in quantum materials, and it could eliminate one of the biggest challenges in electronics: having to combine different materials to get both insulating and conducting properties. With this new discovery, a single material can do both jobs, simply controlled by light.
Professor Gregory Fiete, who helped analyze the findings, says this approach is like replacing a complicated system with a much simpler one, using light instead of wires to change how a material behaves.
That could lead to smaller, more energy-efficient devices that work faster than anything we’ve seen before.
This research, published in Nature Physics, builds on earlier experiments using lasers to briefly change a material’s conductivity. But unlike those fleeting effects, the changes here are long-lasting and happen at usable temperatures.
As we reach the limits of how small and dense silicon chips can be, breakthroughs like this offer a new path forward. Whether it’s speeding up your computer or making next-generation quantum devices, this discovery could shape the future of electronics.
