Land of ancient myths,super-microchips & quantum devices part II

Semiconductor companies in Japan are making major investments in quantum devices technology. The interest in quantum devices by Japanese firms is largely due to the commercial success of the HEMT, and quantum well lasers in satellite broadcasting and optical communications. The key issue all researchers face is: how to fashion these novel materials, quantum wells, wires and dots into working devices. In this two-part article I show how Japanese workers are very serious about quantum devices, warn that European and American manufacturers are in real danger of being left out by their failure to back fundamental research, and report on the research activities of the laboratories I visited.