Atomic 'Photocopier' Method Developed by MIT Could Accelerate Quantum Device Development

Researchers at MIT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and collaborators have developed a method to rapidly and precisely position atoms within a material's 3D crystal lattice. This "atomic photocopier" uses algorithms to steer an electron beam with picometer-scale accuracy, enabling the creation of over 40,000 quantum defects in approximately 40 minutes. This breakthrough, reported in a Nature paper, could lead to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient quantum computers, dense magnetic memory, and advanced sensors.