Scientists have successfully built a computer circuit that processes data using high-speed sound waves instead of electricity.
March 31, 2026
Original Paper
Low-loss phononic integrated circuits based on a silicon nitride-lithium niobate platform
arXiv · 2603.27711
The Takeaway
While we usually think of sound as slow, on a microscopic level, acoustic waves can be manipulated like light or electrons. This 'phononic' platform allows for information processing at microwave speeds and could be the key to connecting different types of quantum computers.
From the abstract
Microwave-frequency acoustic waves in solids have emerged as a versatile platform for both classical and quantum applications. While phononic integrated devices and circuits are being developed on various material platforms, an ideal phononic integrated circuit (PnIC) platform should simultaneously support low-loss waveguide structures, high-quality-factor resonators, high-performance modulators, and efficient electromechanical transducers. Here, we establish a low-loss gigahertz-frequency PnIC