A lecture on cryogenic and superconducting electronics given by Researcher You Lixing, an alumnus of Kuang Yaming Honors School of Nanjing University, was held for freshmen and sophomores in the Summer School 2021.
Mr. You pointed out at the very beginning that his lecture aimed at broadening the students’ horizons and that they might not learn what he talked about in their future study.
In the lecture, Mr. You introduced the students to the development background and the concept of cryogenic electronics, the SIMIT research, and the property of superconductivity.
Moore’s law has led the traditional field of information technology for many years, but do we really need to pursue the making of even tinier and more expensive devices? That is the question.
Mr. You gave an example. In the era of Internet of Everything (IoE), data acquisition and computation are crucial, but it does not require tiny devices. Instead, people are more interested in information quantity and power consumption.
The development of information technology has gone beyond Moore’s law and moved towards the high-value system with the combination of digital content of information processing and non-digital content of human-environment interaction.
Semiconductor and integrated circuit (IC) technology is approaching the physical limit. Thus, superconducting high-performance computing can bring a revolution in this field. The potential high-performance solutions include superconducting high-performance computing and quantum computer, the cores of which are superconductivity and low temperature.
Mr. You also explained the necessity of low temperature and superconductivity from the theoretical perspective as well as demonstrating the challenges and solutions in the realization of these technologies.
Low temperature refers to the range below the temperature zone of liquid nitrogen. The lower the temperature, the lower-level the noise and the blackbody radiation. The less carriers in the semiconductor and the greater carrier mobility can lead to faster operation of devices.
Low temperature can fulfill the conditions of superconductivity and the Josephson Effect, thus meeting the requirements of quantum computing and superconducting computers.
Zero resistivity and perfect diamagnetism are two main characteristics of superconductors. Owing to their advantages of high sensitivity, high speed, low wastage and broad frequency band, superconducting devices have been widely applied in the areas where semiconductors are incompetent and have played an indispensable role in such areas as the military, medicine, transportation and astronomy.
At the end of the lecture, Mr. You introduced the ongoing projects and the achievements already made in the research institute he worked for. From import reliance to independent research and development, they have been filling the gaps in the related areas in China and standing at the forefront of the world, committed to addressing the core technological issues and achieving remarkable results.
In his conclusion, Mr. You said that living in this golden era of quantum information development, we must catch up with and even surpass the advanced level of the world in the near future.
The Summer School lecture not only allowed the students to have a better understanding of the prospects of their majors and the potential opportunities and challenges, but also set an example and a goal to the students.
