Researchers have showcased the first functional graphene semiconductor. The discovery could change computing and electronics forever. By Fred Schwaller.
“The good thing about graphene is, not only can you make things smaller and faster and with less heat dissipation, you’re actually using properties of electrons that are not accessible in silicon. So this is really a paradigm shift — it’s a different way of doing electronics,” said de Heer.
Scientists have made a breakthrough in electronics, creating the world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene — a material known for being tough, flexible, light and with a high resistance.
Classical computerslike the chip in your phone or laptop use electricity flowing through silicon switches to represent ones and zeros — also known as bits.
One option was graphene. Graphene is a single sheet of carbon atoms — a 2D material held together by the strongest chemical bonds known. These carbons are arranged in tessellated hexagons, much like honeycomb. It is an incredibly strong material — about 200 times stronger than steel. It’s so strong you can hold up a football with just one atomic layer of graphene.
The band gap is a crucial electronic property that allows semiconductors to switch on and off. Graphene didn’t have a band gap — until now. Experts say the innovation holds huge potential for the electronics industry. For one thing, it could allow us to create new graphene semiconductors which are much more powerful, but use less energy than their silicon counterparts. Nice one!
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