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New light-powered chip could accelerate AI and quantum computing
Scientists have created a tiny chip that can generate, steer, and read light-based information all in one device, marking a major leap toward ultra-fast, energy-efficient computing. The breakthrough uses atomically thin materials and nanoscale structures to control a unique quantum property of light called the “valley” degree of freedom, allowing information to be encoded in new ways.
The article doesn't explain how exactly the light-powered chip differs from existing optical computing approaches, which seems like a key distinction given that optical computing has been explored for decades. It also doesn't address whether this technology faces the same fundamental limitations as previous optical systems, like maintaining coherence over large scale integration.