University of Utah engineers have discovered a 2D semiconducting material that could enable faster devices which consume less power.University of Utah engineers have discovered a 2D semiconducting material that could enable faster devices which consume less power.
While researchers in this field have recently discovered 2D materials such as graphene, molybdenum disulphide and borophene, these only allow the movement of electrons. According to associate professor Ashutosh Tiwari, pictured, in order to create an electronic device, you need semiconductor material that allows the movement of both electrons and ‘holes’ and the material discovered by Tiwari and his team is claimed to be the first stable P-type 2D semiconductor material.
“Now we have everything,” he said. “We have P-type and N-type 2D semiconductors. Now things will move forward much more quickly.”
Tiwari says devices made with SnO could lead to computers and smartphones that are more than 100 times faster than regular devices whilst generating less heat and consuming less power.
Tiwari believes this could be important for medical devices such as electronic implants that will run longer on a single battery charge.
“The field is very hot right now and people are very interested in it,” Tiwari says. “So, in two or three years, we should see at least some prototype device.”
Pic: Dan Hixson/University of Utah College of Engineering
Author
Graham Pitcher
Source: www.newelectronics.co.uk