Lasers Shake Atoms to Create Faster, Smaller, Smarter Electronics

Michigan State University researchers used ultrafast lasers to shift atoms in tungsten ditelluride, creating a nanoscale switch. This atomic “dance” may power faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient devices, from smartphones to quantum computers.

Scientists at Michigan State University have discovered a way to “wiggle” atoms with ultrafast lasers, temporarily changing the way certain materials behave at the electronic level. The breakthrough could pave the way for smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient technologies — from smartphones to quantum computers.

Shifting Atoms With Light

The team focused on tungsten ditelluride (WTe₂), a layered material made of one sheet of tungsten sandwiched between two sheets of tellurium. Using a custom-built scanning tunneling microscope, they were able to observe individual atoms in real time. Then, by firing ultrafast terahertz laser pulses — moving hundreds of trillions of times per second — onto the microscope tip, they created a powerful localized field.

This field nudged the top layer of atoms slightly out of alignment with the layers beneath, much like sliding the top page of a stack of papers. The shift, though only a few picometers, was enough to change the material’s electronic properties. Effectively, the researchers had created a nanoscale switch, flipping the material’s behavior between “on” and “off” states.

Experiment Meets Theory

The project brought together two complementary approaches.

Tyler Cocker, associate professor of physics, led the experimental side, using his advanced microscope to watch the atoms move and capture images of their changed states.

Jose L. Mendoza-Cortés, assistant professor of chemical engineering and materials science, ran quantum simulations that modeled how the atoms would behave under such conditions.

Remarkably, the experimental observations and theoretical predictions lined up perfectly. Mendoza-Cortés’ team even calculated the precise 7-picometer shift of the atoms — a scale too small to measure directly with the microscope — and confirmed the frequencies at which the atoms vibrated.

Why It Matters

By controlling atomic motion with lasers, the team has uncovered a new way to tune materials for advanced electronics. Unlike traditional components, which are limited by their fixed properties, materials like WTe₂ could be dynamically reconfigured on demand.

Such control could revolutionize how we design devices:

• Smaller and faster smartphones and laptops with greater energy efficiency.
• Next-generation quantum technologies where precise atomic-scale switching is essential.
• Lower-cost devices, since tuning properties with light may reduce the need for exotic manufacturing.

“This is what excites us most,” said Cocker. “We’re not just looking at atoms — we’re showing how we can make them work in ways that could transform future technology.”

The findings were published in Nature Photonics and supported by the Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research at Michigan State University.