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Vici grant for TU/e research into fluid electronics

Professor Rembert Duine of the TU/e department of Applied Physics has received a grant of 1.5 million euros for his research into fluid electronics. The so-called Vici-grant has been awarded to him by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), which targets innovative research by advanced researchers in the Netherlands.

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Duine, who also works at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University, is delighted with the grant. “It is the crowning achievement of a wonderful scientific year. The grant allows me to set up a new line of research to develop the fundamental physics for energy-efficient ICT-applications, such as data storage and transport.”

Rembert Duine.

The research into fluid elektronics focusses on ultrapure conductors, in which electrons behave as a viscous fluid. This allows for a much more efficient exchange of information in electronical and magnetic systems (such as computers). Additonally, ultrapure conductors work at room temperatures, making them much more energy-efficient than super conductors.

Spin

Duine will use part of the grant to investigate new materials in which electrons transmit their spin property, rather than their charge. Spin is a magnetic property of fundamental particles that can be imagined as a built-in compass needle.

The research builds on an analogy between black holes and magnetic systems, that was previously discovered by Duine. In theory, this will make it possible to amplify spin signals and generate quantum entanglement. Quantum entanglement is a key ingredient of super fast quantum computers.   

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