A research team led by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed prototype devices using unconventional materials that may reduce electronic noise in communication devices and sensors. This development could have significant implications for quantum computing and other advanced technologies.
Electronic noise, which can disrupt cellphone calls and limit the effectiveness of sensors, results from electrons being scattered by defects and vibrations within conductive materials. These disturbances also present challenges for quantum computers, which require stable environments to operate effectively.
The UCLA-led study demonstrated that nanowires made from two unique materials were able to conduct electricity with less noise than traditional electronics when a certain voltage was applied. Unlike conventional systems where noise levels are typically steady, these nanowires showed a decrease in noise as electrical current increased.
The observed effect is linked to a quantum phenomenon where electrons move collectively with phonons—vibrations driven by temperature—which often cause flicker noise. Notably, one of the studied materials reduced electronic noise at room temperature and above.
“Normally we think about phonons as the bad guys that are scattering electrons,” said corresponding author Alexander Balandin, holder of the Fang Lu Endowed Chair in Engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and a member of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA (CNSI). “In this particular case, we found the phonons allowed electrons to jointly move along. This weird, unique property with respect to noise could allow us to improve signal-to-noise ratio.”
The findings were published in Nature Communications.
Researchers used nanowires fabricated from compounds based on tantalum and niobium—metals known for their use in electronics components. In experiments, both types showed substantial reductions in electronic noise under certain conditions: The tantalum-based material achieved near-unmeasurable levels at very low temperatures, while the niobium-based material maintained reduced noise even at room temperature.
To confirm these results, additional tests were conducted alongside new theoretical models accounting for this unexpected behavior. Balandin explained: “Strongly correlated materials are transforming materials science. It seems a lot of properties were lost in the simplified description that we had before, so we needed to revise our theoretical models and interpretations. If we can describe the materials more accurately, it can help us to elicit and understand new properties.”
These discoveries may benefit future ultralow-noise communications technology as well as contribute to stabilizing key components in quantum computers without requiring extremely cold operating temperatures.
Balandin discussed broader impacts: “All good things come to an end,” he said. “With the demand for high-end, high-power computation for artificial intelligence, we have to look at materials that, 10-plus years from now, can give us an alternative means for sending electrical signals and processing them.”
Future work will focus on exploring similar or superior materials capable of supporting efficient charge density waves at room temperature. “Perhaps there are materials that are even better,” Balandin said. “The search is on.”
The study’s authors include researchers from UCLA; University of Georgia; Polish Academy of Sciences; and UC Riverside. Funding came from the U.S. Office of Naval Research and European Research Council.
Fabrication took place at UCLA’s NanoLab with testing performed in its Phonon Optimized Engineered Materials Laboratory. Additional analysis occurred at CNSI’s Electron Imaging Center for Nanosystems; Nano and Pico Characterization Laboratory; and Brillouin – Mandelstam Inelastic Light Scattering Spectroscopy Facility.
UCLA is recognized internationally for its achievements including Nobel laureates and MacArthur Fellows, excellence across scholarship and research, fostering diverse perspectives through academic programs and inclusive environments, all supported by its 419-acre campus within the University of California system.
