Broadening the nitride palette with AlYN

AlYN provides a promising material for pioneering sustainable high-performance applications and green technologies.

BY STEFANO LEONE, ISABEL STREICHER, PATRIK STRAŇÁK AND LUTZ KIRSTE FROM FRAUNHOFER IAF, FREIBURG,GERMANY

In today’s digitally connected society, characterised by the relentless demand for high-energy data computing that’s needed to power artificial intelligence (AI) applications, one key question is this: What must be done to keep up with the pace? Reflecting on this at the recent World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, issued a poignant warning, leaving no-one in any doubt that the future of AI hinges upon breakthroughs in energy efficiency, essential for accommodating the escalating demands for power consumption. Altman’s cautionary note is resonating deeply within the tech community, sparking a critical dialogue on the need for innovation in energy-efficient computing.

A new way of thinking is needed to ensure success on this front. Traditionally, efforts have focused on increasing power capacity to meet burgeoning computational requirements. Now, though, there is a need to shift to optimising existing technologies for efficiency. This paradigm shift, promoting the value of sustainability, is particularly pertinent in compound semiconductor materials, where advances in materials science are already unlocking new possibilities for enhancing performance while minimising energy consumption.