. 24/7 Space News .
CHIP TECH
Microprocessors based on a layer of just 3 atoms
by Staff Writers
Vienna, Austria (SPX) Apr 12, 2017


Stefan Wachter, Dmitry K. Polyushkin and Thomas Mueller (f.l.t.r.). Image courtesy TU Wien, Marco Furchi.

Two-dimensional materials, or 2D materials for short, are extremely versatile, although - or often more precisely because - they are made up of just one or a few layers of atoms. Graphene is the best-known 2D material.

Molybdenum disulphide (a layer consisting of molybdenum and sulphur atoms that is three-atoms thick) also falls in this category, although, unlike graphene, it has semiconductor properties. With his team, Dr Thomas Mueller from the Photonics Institute at TU Wien is conducting research into 2D materials, viewing them as a promising alternative for the future production of microprocessors and other integrated circuits.

Microprocessors are an indispensable and ubiquitous component in the modern world. Without their continued development, many of the things we take for granted these days, such as computers, mobile phones and the internet, would not be possible at all. However, while silicon has always been used in the production of microprocessors, it is now slowly but surely approaching its physical limits.

2D materials, including molybdenum disulphide, are showing promise as potential replacements. Although research into individual transistors - the most basic components of every digital circuit - made of 2D materials has been under way since graphene was first discovered back in 2004, success in creating more complex structures has been very limited.

To date, it has only been possible to produce individual digital components using a few transistors. In order to achieve a microprocessor that operates independently, however, much more complex circuits are required which, in addition also need to interact flawlessly.

Thomas Mueller and his team have now managed to achieve this for the first time. The result is a 1-bit microprocessor consisting of 115 transistors over a surface area of around 0.6 mm2 that can run simple programs. "Although, this does of course seem modest when compared to the industry standards based on silicon, this is still a major breakthrough within this field of research.

Now that we have a proof of concept, in principle there is no reason that further developments can't be made," says Stefan Wachter, a doctoral student in Dr Mueller's research group. However, it was not just the choice of material that resulted in the success of the research project.

"We also gave careful consideration to the dimensions of the individual transistors," explains Mueller. "The exact relationships between the transistor geometries within a basic circuit component are a critical factor in being able to create and cascade more complex units."

Future prospects
It goes without saying that much more powerful and complex circuits with thousands or even millions of transistors will be required for this technology to have a practical application. Reproducibility continues to be one of the biggest challenges currently being faced within this field of research along with the yield in the production of the transistors used.

After all, both the production of 2D materials in the first place as well as the methods for processing them further are still at the very early stages. "As our circuits were made more or less by hand in the lab, such complex designs are of course pretty much beyond our capability.

Every single one of the transistors has to function as planned in order for the processor to work as a whole," explains Mueller, stressing the huge demands placed on state-of-the-art electronics. However, the researchers are convinced that industrial methods could open up new fields of application for this technology over the next few years.

One such example might be flexible electronics, which are required for medical sensors and flexible displays. In this case, 2D materials are much more suitable than the silicon traditionally used owing to their significantly greater mechanical flexibility.

Stefan Wachter, Dmitry K. Polyushkin, Ole Bethge, Thomas Mueller, A microprocessor based on a two-dimensional semiconductor. Nature Communications | DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS14948

CHIP TECH
Semiconducting properties of Si-III might lead to unpredictable technological advancement
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 10, 2017
It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of silicon when it comes to computing, solar energy, and other technological applications. (Not to mention the fact that it makes up an awful lot of the Earth's crust.) Yet there is still so much to learn about how to harness the capabilities of element number fourteen. The most-common form of silicon crystallizes in the same structure a ... read more

Related Links
Vienna University of Technology
Computer Chip Architecture, Technology and Manufacture
Nano Technology News From SpaceMart.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

CHIP TECH
You Say Tomato, I Say Tomatosphere: ISS Science to the Classroom

NASA Invests in 22 Visionary Exploration Concepts

No Roscosmos plans to send space tourists to ISS before 2020

US, Russian Astronauts Prepare for April Crew Swap on Space Station

CHIP TECH
Dream Chaser to use Europe's next-generation docking system

Europe's largest sounding rocket launched from Esrange

Bezos sells $1 bn in Amazon stock yearly to pay for rocket firm

US-Russia Venture Hopes to Sell More RD-180 Rocket Engines to US

CHIP TECH
Chile desert combed for clues to life on Mars

Russia critcal to ExoMars Project says Italian Space Agency Head

New MAVEN findings reveal how Mars' atmosphere was lost to space

Potential Mars Airplane Resumes Flight

CHIP TECH
Yuanwang fleet to carry out 19 space tracking tasks in 2017

China Develops Spaceship Capable of Moon Landing

Long March-7 Y2 ready for launch of China's first cargo spacecraft

China Seeks Space Rockets Launched from Airplanes

CHIP TECH
Ukraine in talks with ESA to become member

BRICS States Want to Expand Cooperation to Space Science

Mitsubishi Electric to Build New Satellite Production Facility

Horizon 2020 European funded DEMOCRITOS project concludes work with some key outcomes

CHIP TECH
Despite EU fines, Greece struggling to promote recycling

New method for 3-D printing extraterrestrial materials

Ultra-thin multilayer film for next-generation data storage and processing

USC Viterbi researchers develop new class of optoelectronic materials

CHIP TECH
'Smart' cephalopods trade off genome evolution for prolific RNA editing

Exoplanet mission gets ticket to ride

Atmosphere around super-earth detected

Possible Venus twin discovered around dim star

CHIP TECH
When Jovian Light and Dark Collide

Neptune's journey during early planet formation was 'smooth and calm'

Hubble takes close-up portrait of Jupiter

Neptune's movement from the inner to the outer solar system was smooth and calm









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.