Engineers Create Chip-Sized Laser That Shrinks Phones

Your smartphone might be about to get a major upgrade, thanks to microscopic earthquakes on a chip.

Engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Arizona, and Sandia National Laboratories just created a device that generates incredibly tiny vibrations called surface acoustic waves. These waves already power critical functions in every smartphone, GPS receiver, and wireless device you use, but they've always required bulky setups across multiple chips.

The new "phonon laser" changes everything by fitting the entire system onto a single chip half a millimeter long. Published January 14 in the journal Nature, the breakthrough could make future phones smaller, faster, and significantly more power efficient.

Surface acoustic waves work like invisible filters inside your phone right now. When radio signals arrive from a cell tower, your device converts them into tiny mechanical vibrations to separate useful signals from background noise. The vibrations then convert back into radio waves for your apps and calls.

The problem? Current systems max out at about 4 gigahertz and need two separate chips plus an external power source. That takes up precious space and drains your battery.

The new device solves this by stacking specialized materials in a clever way. A silicon base supports a layer of lithium niobate, which creates vibrations and electric fields simultaneously. The top layer contains indium gallium arsenide, which accelerates electrons at incredibly high speeds even under weak power.

When electric current flows through, surface waves form and bounce between reflectors like light in a laser pointer. Each forward pass strengthens the wave until vibrations escape from one side. The team already hit 1 gigahertz and believes they can reach tens or hundreds of gigahertz with the same design.

Lead researcher Matt Eichenfield, who holds the Gustafson Endowed Chair in Quantum Engineering at CU Boulder, explains the device works like an optical laser but for vibrations instead of light. "We wanted to make an analog of that kind of laser but for surface acoustic waves," he said.

Graduate student Alexander Wendt, who led the study, compares it to waves from an earthquake, only on the surface of a small chip. The device loses almost 99% of its power moving backward, so the team designed it to gain substantial power moving forward to overcome that loss.

The Ripple Effect

The advance reaches far beyond just phones. Surface acoustic wave devices power key fobs, garage door openers, radar systems, and countless wireless technologies that keep modern life running smoothly.

By combining everything onto one chip that runs on battery power alone, the technology could transform how engineers design all wireless electronics. Devices could shrink dramatically while handling more data at higher speeds and sipping less power.

The breakthrough represents years of work bringing together expertise in quantum engineering, materials science, and semiconductor design. The team's phonon laser demonstrates how fundamental physics research can directly solve real-world problems that touch billions of people daily.

A future where your phone is thinner, lasts longer, and connects faster just got a whole lot closer.