In a groundbreaking achievement, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have unveiled the world's first functional semiconductor made from graphene. This event is important not only because it represents a major leap forward in semiconductor technology but also because it paves the way for new developments in electronics.

The Rise of Graphene Semiconductors

Graphene, which is a single layer of carbon atoms that is known for its conductivity and strength, has long been viewed as a potential silicon replacement in electronics applications. The most recent discovery made by Professor Walter de Heer and his group addresses one of the fundamental roadblocks to its widespread use which is its missing bandgap required for switching on and off currents.

Their work published in Nature shows how they have overcome this problem by making epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide wafers. This approach provides compatibility with established microelectronics technologies while improving the semiconducting properties of graphene. On the other hand, unlike silicon, electrons can move 10 times faster when they are in graphene hence heating up less while processing computations even at higher speeds.

Advantages Over Silicon

Silicon (which underpins today’s electronics) is approaching its speed and efficiency limits. Graphene surpasses silicon concerning electrical characteristics and endurance. Graphene not only handles large currents without overheating but also shows promise for nanoelectronics and potentially quantum computing.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Electronics

This discovery has very great implications beyond just a minor improvement in the existing technology. Graphene’s ability to harness the quantum mechanical properties of electrons could pave the way for entirely new technologies. Transitioning from vacuum tubes to silicon-based transistors changed electronics as we know them and now graphene semiconductors are poised to do the same.

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Journal Reference: Jian Zhao, Peixuan Ji, Yaqi Li, Rui Li, Kaimin Zhang, Hao Tian, Kaicheng Yu, Boyue Bian, Luzhen Hao, Xue Xiao, Will Griffin, Noel Dudeck, Ramiro Moro, Lei Ma, Walt A. de Heer. Ultrahigh-mobility semiconducting epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide. Nature, 2024; 625 (7993): 60 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06811-0

Source: Georgia Institute of Technology. (2024, January 3). Functional semiconductor made from graphene. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 8, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240103131030.htm