Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in the field of computer technology by successfully creating a functional and scalable semiconductor using graphene. This achievement has the potential to revolutionize the industry, offering faster and more efficient computer chips compared to traditional silicon ones.
Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, possesses remarkable properties such as exceptional strength, electrical conductivity, and resistance to heat and acids. However, one of the challenges in utilizing graphene as a semiconductor has been the absence of a controllable bandgap, which is essential for building logic chips in computers. A bandgap allows for the controlled flow of electricity, enabling the switching of current on and off, a crucial aspect of binary systems in digital computers.
Previous research demonstrated graphene’s semiconductor-like behavior on a small scale, but scalability for practical computer chips remained elusive. Researchers at Georgia Tech, led by Walter de Heer, have now successfully produced graphene with a bandgap and demonstrated a functional transistor – an on/off switch controlling the flow of current. Their approach, utilizing silicon carbide wafers and processes similar to those used in silicon chip manufacturing, offers a more scalable solution.
De Heer emphasized the superior electrical properties of graphene semiconductors compared to silicon chips, likening the difference to driving on a gravel road versus a freeway. While silicon chips currently dominate the industry, graphene circuits could overcome the limitations of miniaturization progress, as predicted by Moore’s Law. Moore’s Law suggests that the number of transistors in a circuit doubles every two years, but progress in miniaturization has slowed down. Graphene circuits, with their scalable processes, could potentially reinvigorate this progress.
However, some experts remain skeptical about an immediate shift from silicon to graphene chips. David Carey at the University of Surrey acknowledges the importance of using wafers in the process, making it truly scalable using existing semiconductor industry technologies. Nevertheless, he highlights the need for further refinement in transistor size, quality, and manufacturing techniques before graphene can challenge silicon’s established dominance.
In conclusion, the breakthrough in creating a functional and scalable graphene semiconductor opens up exciting possibilities for faster and more efficient computer chips. While challenges remain, the potential of graphene circuits to overcome current limitations and reinvigorate progress in miniaturization is promising.
