Scientists Create 'Phonon Laser' to Improve Cell Phone Chips

New chip design could lead to smaller, more powerful mobile devices.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:17am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a new type of 'phonon laser' that can efficiently convert radio waves into surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and vice versa. This breakthrough could allow for the creation of smaller, more powerful mobile device components by integrating all the necessary SAW-making technology onto a single chip.

Why it matters

SAW filters are crucial components in smartphones and other mobile devices, allowing them to receive radio signals clearly. However, current SAW devices require multiple chips and power sources, taking up valuable space. This new phonon laser design could enable the integration of all SAW functionality onto a single chip, leading to more compact and efficient mobile devices.

The details

The phonon laser is made up of a stack of materials including silicon, lithium niobate, and indium gallium arsenide. When an electric field is applied, the lithium niobate layer produces oscillating acoustic waves, or 'phonons', at a rate of up to 1 gigahertz. This is much faster than typical SAW devices, which max out around 4 gigahertz. The researchers believe they can eventually reach speeds of hundreds of gigahertz with this design.

  • The study detailing the new phonon laser was published in the journal Nature on January 27, 2026.

The players

Matt Eichenfield

The senior author of the study and a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder.

University of Colorado Boulder

The institution where the research on the phonon laser was conducted.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Diode lasers are the cornerstone of most optical technologies because they can be operated with just a battery or simple voltage source, rather than needing more light to create the laser like a lot of previous kinds of lasers. We wanted to make an analog of that kind of laser but for SAWs.”

— Matt Eichenfield, Senior author of the study (Press statement)

“This phonon laser was the last domino standing that we needed to knock down. Now we can literally make every component that you need for a radio on one chip using the same kind of technology.”

— Matt Eichenfield, Senior author of the study (Press statement)

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue optimizing the phonon laser design to reach even higher frequencies, with the goal of enabling more compact and powerful mobile devices.

The takeaway

This new phonon laser technology represents a significant breakthrough in the field of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, potentially leading to smaller, more efficient components for smartphones and other mobile electronics.