A research team from Peking University has achieved a significant breakthrough in semiconductor technology, potentially disrupting the global chip manufacturing landscape.
Their newly developed 2D transistor reportedly outperforms the latest 3-nanometre silicon chips from Intel and TSMC by 40% in speed while consuming 10% less energy. This innovation could enable China to circumvent traditional silicon-based chipmaking challenges.
“This is the fastest, most efficient transistor to date,” stated an official PKU announcement.
Led by physical chemistry professor Peng Hailin, the research team views their approach as a fundamental technological shift. “If existing material-based chip innovations are a ‘short cut,’ our 2D material-based transistors represent ‘changing lanes,'” Peng explained.
The breakthrough centers on a bismuth-based transistor that surpasses commercial chips from industry leaders like Intel, TSMC, Samsung, and Belgium’s Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre.
Unlike traditional silicon transistors constrained by miniaturization and power efficiency limitations, this design offers a novel solution. US-led sanctions restricting China’s access to advanced silicon transistors have paradoxically driven researchers to explore innovative alternatives.
The team developed a gate-all-around field-effect transistor (GAAFET) using bismuth-based materials, departing from the Fin Field-Effect Transistor (FinFET) structure standardized since 2011.
As the semiconductor industry struggles to push integration density beyond 3 nanometres, the new GAAFET structure eliminates the traditional “fin” design, increasing gate-channel contact area. The researchers likened this transformation to replacing tall buildings with interconnected bridges, facilitating electron movement.
To optimize performance, the team leveraged 2D semiconductor materials characterized by uniform atomic thickness and superior electron mobility. Previous attempts to implement 2D materials in transistors were hindered by structural challenges.
The PKU researchers engineered proprietary bismuth-based materialsBi2O2Se and Bi2SeO5serving as semiconductor and high-dielectric oxide components. Their high dielectric constant reduces energy loss, minimizes voltage requirements, and enhances computational efficiency.
Using PKU’s precision processing platform, they fabricated experimental transistors. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations validated the material interface’s reduced electron scattering and smoother electron flow.
“Electrons move almost resistance-free, similar to water flowing through a smooth pipe,” Peng elaborated.
With transistors operating 1.4 times faster than advanced silicon chips at 90% energy consumption, the team is now focusing on scaling production. Initial small logic unit demonstrations have shown promising high-voltage gain at ultra-low operating voltages.
This development potentially represents a significant milestone in next-generation semiconductor technology.
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