“AI data centers in the future, need huge amounts of new electrical generation to run them.”
Maybe, it’s pretty odds on that the future won’t be like you assume
Several emerging technologies could dramatically reduce the energy consumption of future information technology, potentially replacing or complementing traditional electronics:
## Atomically Thin Materials and Topological Insulators
- New types of electronic conduction without resistance are being developed using atomically thin materials and topological insulators. These materials allow electrons to flow only along their edges, or as superflows strongly coupled to photons, resulting in switching devices (transistors) with vastly lower energy consumption than silicon CMOS[2][7].
- These advances are enabled by the science of 2D materials, which support unique quantum effects at room temperature[2][7].
## Spintronics and Beyond
- Spintronics, which uses the spin of electrons in addition to their charge, is already revolutionizing data storage and is now being developed for ultra-low power logic and memory. New directions include magnonics (using spin waves), orbitronics (using electron orbital momentum), and oxytronics[3][5][8].
- Recent breakthroughs show that spin waves can transmit information efficiently at room temperature, paving the way for Ising machines—energy-efficient alternatives to quantum computers for optimization and AI tasks[4].
## Neuromorphic and Non-Charge-Based Computing
- Brain-inspired neuromorphic chips mimic neural networks, enabling highly energy-efficient AI and real-time computing[6].
- Non-charge-based memories and logic, such as those using magnetic or phase-change materials, offer faster operation and lower energy use compared to traditional charge-based electronics[6].
## Photonics and Excitonics
- Photonic integrated circuits use light instead of electrons for data transmission and processing, greatly reducing resistive losses and heat generation[6].
- Excitonics leverages excitons (bound electron-hole pairs) for information processing, potentially enabling ultra-fast, low-energy devices[2][7].
## Advanced Materials
- Ultra-thin 2D materials and high-entropy materials are being developed to further improve efficiency, speed, and flexibility in next-generation electronics[6].
## Summary Table
| Technology | Key Benefit | Energy Efficiency Potential |
|------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Topological Insulators/2D | Resistance-free conduction | Vastly lower than silicon CMOS[2][7]|
| Spintronics/Magnonics | Spin-based logic and memory | Much lower than conventional[3][4][5][8]|
| Neuromorphic Chips | Brain-like processing | High, especially for AI[6] |
| Photonic Circuits | Light-based data processing | Far less heat, high speed[6] |
| Non-Charge-Based Memories | Alternative to electron charge | Lower energy, faster[6] |
Spintronics remains a leading candidate, but these other fields—especially those leveraging quantum effects in new materials—are rapidly advancing and may soon deliver electronics that use orders of magnitude less energy than today’s silicon-based devices[2][3][4][6][7].
Sources
[1] Emerging Technologies in Power Electronics - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/emerging-technologies-power-electronics-wrtre
[2] ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics ... https://www.rmit.edu.au/research/centres-collaborations/multi-partner-collaborations/arc-coe-fleet
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[5] Spintronics: The Future Of Electronics With Magnetic Materials https://freescience.info/spintronics-the-future-of-electronics-with-magnetic-materials/
[6] EIC announces 34 emerging technologies that will change the world https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/34-emerging-technologies-that-will-change-the-world/54326/
[7] FLEET ARCHIVE https://archive.fleet.org.au
[8] Spin gapless semiconductors: promising materials for novel ... https://archive.fleet.org.au/blog/dirac-spin-gapless-semiconductors/
[9] France 2030: The CEA and CNRS are leading a national spintronics ... https://www.cnrs.fr/en/press/france...tional-spintronics-programme-frugal-agile-and
[10] Spintronics: Deciphering a material for future electronics - Phys.org https://phys.org/news/2014-02-spintronics-deciphering-material-future-electronics.html
[11] Emerging Technologies for Advanced Power Electronics and ... - MDPI https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/24/11559
[12] These six technologies will shape power electronics in the next few ... https://www.power-and-beyond.com/th...few-years-a-04c53fa8d2d490359c5c237c11b06dae/
[13] [PDF] MATERIALS FOR LOW LOSS ELECTRONICS - Henry Royce Institute https://www.royce.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/M4ET-Low-Loss-Electronics-Roadmap.pdf
[14] Emerging Technologies | ACEEE https://www.aceee.org/topic/emerging-technologies
[15] Can spintronics and quantum technologies help to mitigate the ... https://www.ipcms.fr/en/actualite/c...ologies-help-to-mitigate-the-energy-crisis-2/
[16] QBN News › Cold Spin-Electronics for Quantum Technologies https://qbn.world/cold-spin-electronics-for-quantum-technologies/
[17] Spintronics for ultra-low-power circuits and systems - Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/s44287-024-00119-5
[18] Top 10: Emerging Technologies - Energy Digital Magazine https://energydigital.com/top10/top-10-emerging-technologies
[19] The Most Recent Energy-Saving Technologies and Research https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1895
[20] A quest for hybrid spintronic-photonic technology https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-even...est-for-hybrid-spintronic-photonic-technology
