Now, 100K times more efficient transistors possible using molybdenite
By ANIMonday, January 31, 2011
LONDON - Smaller and more energy-efficient electronic chips are on their way as Swiss scientists have found a material-molybdenite- that has distinct advantages over traditional silicon or graphene for use in electronics applications.
EPFL’s Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures (LANES) discovery could play an important role in electronics, allowing us to make transistors that are smaller and more energy efficient.
The researchers have revealed that molybdenite, or MoS2, is a very effective semiconductor. This mineral, which is abundant in nature, is often used as an element in steel alloys or as an additive in lubricants. But it had not yet been extensively studied for use in electronics.
“It’s a two-dimensional material, very thin and easy to use in nanotechnology. It has real potential in the fabrication of very small transistors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar cells,” said EPFL Andras Kis.
He compared its advantages with two other materials: silicon and graphene.
One of molybdenite’s advantages is that it is less voluminous than silicon, which is a three-dimensional material. And, another is that it can be used to make transistors that consume 100,000 times less energy in standby state than traditional silicon transistors.
The findings were reported in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.(ANI)
