“We’re aiming to understand the properties of materials and molecules using light. We use extremely short light pulses, so rapid that they last only about 10 femtoseconds – which is a hundred thousand times shorter than a billionth of a second,” says Maccaferri.

This enables the researchers to study nature's most fundamental processes, which occur on ultrashort time scales. These processes underpin everything from how atoms and molecules react in chemical reactions to how electrons move in materials.

But Maccaferri and his team do more than just observe. They are also using light to manipulate matter in new ways, and this is where their research becomes truly groundbreaking.

Risk of future energy shortages

Electronics and digital information are cornerstones of modern society. However, the large data centers and countless devices we use every day consume huge amounts of energy. AI and quantum computing demand even more power, raising concerns that future energy shortages could hinder technological development.

“Imagine a computer that doesn’t need electricity but instead runs on light. It sounds like science fiction, but we are currently exploring how to develop components that make this possible,” says Maccaferri.

His team is using metamaterials – artificial materials possessing unique physical properties – to explore the potential for creating light-powered computers. These materials can be tailored to replace today’s electronic components, which often consume a lot of energy and generate heat that necessitates additional cooling.

One of the research projects involves developing “photoswitches” – molecules that can function as optical transistors and logic gates in a computer. Instead of controlling the flow of electrons in a circuit with voltage, as in traditional computer chips, photoswitches use light pulses to control the flow of information.

Reducing environmental impact

Maccaferri and his colleagues are also studying how the structure of light pulses can affect the magnetic properties of metamaterials. Understanding these phenomena may help scientists to develop new ways of storing and processing information more energy-efficiently, which in turn could reduce the environmental impact of the digital world.

As a young physics student, Maccaferri was fascinated by the existence and origins of everyday natural phenomena.

Imagine a computer that doesn’t need electricity but instead runs on light. It sounds like science fiction, but we can make it happen. Exciting – and revolutionary!

“Why does copper conduct electricity so well but is such a poor heat insulator? I’ve always been interested in using my knowledge to serve humanity, and the laws of physics are the best tool we have to do so,” he says.

A leading expert

During his doctoral studies, Maccaferri developed a passion for using lasers to study the properties of matter. Since then, he has focused on becoming a leading expert in ultrafast science and condensed matter physics.

“I studied physics at the University of Ferrara in Italy and received my doctorate from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. During my doctoral studies, I received the Piero Brovetto Prize from the Italian Physical Society for my contributions to nanomagnetism and nano-optics. That made me really proud,” says Maccaferri, whose research has been published in several prominent journals.

He has been awarded a number of prestigious grants for his work, including the Wallenberg Academy Fellowship.

“This grant gives me the freedom to explore my boldest and perhaps craziest scientific ideas – to test them in the lab and maybe have the luck to discover something new and unexpected – that would be fantastic!”

Maccaferri describes how the grant enables him to experiment and change research direction if his team discovers a promising path – a freedom that is rare today.

“One of my most exciting ideas is to create new types of memory that can store and manage infinite amounts of data. Imagine if we could also develop technology that allows computers, phones and hard drives to use light instead of electricity. It would be revolutionary!”

Aside from the technical potential of his research, Maccaferri hopes his work will inspire future generations.

“I believe that what we are researching may have an impact not only on society at large but also on how people approach science and conduct research,” he says.

Text Elin Olsson
Translation Maxwell Arding
Photo Johan Gunséus