Posted on 01/19/2023 12:59:52 PM PST by ShadowAce
Researchers have solved three fiendishly difficult technical challenges that were effectively blocking the realization of the potential shown by semiconducting 2D materials, a key ingredient to creating new atom-thick transistors that can reset Moore's Law. Thanks to the works of a multi-institutional team of researchers the production of high-quality 2D materials at a commercial scale now appears to be solved.
The advance of semiconductor development is threatened by natural restrictions imposed by the way transistors are fabricated and the materials that are used. This barrier to Moore’s Law has long been looming on the horizon, and forward-thinking scientists have been researching and developing alternative routes to deliver the continuous improvement that is sought.
One of the most likely practical ways that the semiconductor industry can put a new spring in its step is to replace silicon with so-called 2D materials to creat 2D transistors. Scientists looking closely at 2D materials have highlighted several attractive qualities which should help deliver significant improvements to performance, efficiency, and scalability. Intel’s Components Research (CR) Group, for example recently presented nine research papers, with some of them touting the use of new 2D materials as a route to developing processors with over a trillion transistors, by 2030.
Now three critical challenges to the commercialization of 2D materials have been solved, claim the international group of scientists, making the manufacture of 2D materials in single-crystalline form on silicon wafers possible. These challenges were specifically described as follows:
You can read the full paper for further details about each of these challenges and how they have been solved by the processes invented by the multi-institutional team. The work is detailed in a paper titled ‘Non-epitaxial single-crystal 2D material growth by geometric confinement’ and published by Nature magazine.
(Image credit: Nature)
Sang-Hoon Bae, one of the project leaders, and a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, certainly seems confident in the impact of the research. “We believe that our confined growth technique can bring all the great findings in physics of 2D materials to the level of commercialization by allowing the construction of single domain layer-by-layer heterojunctions at the wafer-scale,” explained Bae. “Our achievement will lay a strong foundation for 2D materials to fit into industrial settings.”
As with all research of this nature, it could be years before we see 2D materials used in practical applications. However, with companies like Intel and Samsung deeply involved in this project — and the fact that Intel already has 2D Gate All Around (GAA) transistors in its research pipeline — that future might come sooner than you think.
Will this mean faster pr0n?................
It'll mean smaller/faster/more dense chips in the future....
“atom-thick transistors”
Still not technically 2D. And if scientists aren’t going to be technically correct, then who will???
Layer by layer. Wouldn’t that be 3D?
While it may mean more powerful computers for scientists and engineers, The average person doesn’t need any faster computer to flip thru FakeBook and YouTube videos or writing emails to friends and relatives.
Of course energy consumption will be a problem when all the cars and trucks become an anchor on the power grid.................
How much current and voltage can be tolerated? Logic level stuff only probably but how will all the heat be conducted away?
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
—OGINJ
Power consumption by devices drops when advances like this are made and proven to be practical/scalable where the rubber meets the road (i.e., within the fabrication plant).
“…developing processors with over a trillion transistors, by 2030.…”
Heat the house with that baby.
I certinally hope so!
“heh
It’ll mean smaller/faster/more dense chips in the future....”
=faster pr0n.
It means stronger AI, more advanced weapons of mass destruction, More memory to store the lives of every individual on earth, and much easier control of them.
Not really they are going to solve that problem by requiring your car be attached so that it can power the grid in emergencies. They announced that plan this week, they did not however recommend a way for the person to get to work the next day.
The big new plan is the 15 minute cities, you know like we had in 1700.
Apple's new MN chip claims 13.9 trillion transistors already.
Well we wouldn't let our Creator rule over us so He is letting us build our own ruler.
Nice, more 2D materials like graphene. A good background is here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_metal_dichalcogenide_monolayers
Anyone else here object to the “2D” designation?
I don’t care if it’s only 1 micron thick, that’s STILL 3D.
It might be less! But there’s still a quantifiable thickness to it, and as such, 3D.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.