Pennstate University
Researchers at Penn State University have developed the first silicon-free computer, using atomic-thick materials.
For decades, silicon has been the basis of semiconductor technology that powers devices such as cell phones, computers and electric vehicles.
But now that has changed. The authors of a new, recently published in Natureused two distinct 2D materials to form the necessary transistors: molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) for n-type transistors and tungsten diselenide (WSe₂) for p-type ones.
“This is the key advance of our work,” scientist Saptarshi Das told . “Silicon technology has been developed for around 80 years, but research into 2D materials is relatively recent, really emerging around 2010,” he said.
The team used a technique called MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) to grow large sheets of MoS₂ and WSe₂ and manufacture more than 1,000 transistors of each type.
This new 2D computer operates with low supply voltages and minimum power consumption, being capable of performing simple logical operations at frequencies up to 25 kHz.
A computational model was also developed, calibrated with experimental data, to design 2D computer performance and compare it with modern silicon technologies.
“We predict that the development of computers based on 2D materials will also be a gradual process, but this is a leap forward compared to the silicon path”, says the researcher.
