Visualization of New 2-D Transistor (VIDEO)
Caption
Transistors act as the building blocks for computer chips, sending signals required for computer processing. Future tech innovations will require finding a way to fit more transistors on computer chips, so experts have begun exploring new semiconducting materials that are two-dimensional. In this visualization of what happens inside a 2-D transistor, a University of Texas at Austin research team led by physicist Keji Lai found that electric currents move differently through new materials used for 2-D transistors, appearing initially at the outer edges and then inside of the device (a contrast with today's silicon-based transistors). Thread-like flaws can be seen in the interior part of the device, suggesting that to avoid defects, researchers may need to focus more on the edges of the material.
Credit
Keji Lai, The University of Texas at Austin
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