A major breakthrough has been made that could have a significant impact on the development of low-power semiconductors and quantum devices.
With the constant advancement of integrated circuits powering our electronic devices, there is a growing demand for smaller and more powerful microelectronic components. However, the shrinking size of these components presents a challenge. To prevent overheating, microelectronics must consume much less electricity while still maintaining optimal performance.
This is where the new discovery from the researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory comes into play.
Published in Advanced Materials, the study proposes a unique technique called "redox gating" that can regulate the flow of electrons in and out of a semiconducting material. The term "redox" refers to a chemical reaction that involves the transfer of electrons, and in this experiment, the scientists were able to manipulate this process to control the movement of electrons.
By applying a voltage, or pressure, to the material, the researchers were able to create an "electron gate" that could control the flow of electrons from one end to another. This allowed the material to function as a transistor, switching between states of high and low conductivity.
One of the authors of the study, Dillon Fong, explains, "The new redox gating strategy allows us to significantly modulate the flow of electrons at low voltages, making it much more energy-efficient and preventing damage to the system." This also allows for repeated use without a decrease in performance.
Not only does this technique have practical applications for creating more efficient microelectronic devices, but it also has potential in the development of quantum materials and their phases. As co-corresponding author Wei Chen points out, "The subvolt regime used in this material is of great interest to scientists exploring brain-like circuits that operate with high energy efficiency."
With the ability to be applied to a wide range of functional semiconductors and quantum materials, this redox gating technique has the potential to revolutionize the field. The study's contributors, including Le Zhang, Changjiang Liu, Hui Cao, Andrew Erwin, Anand Bhattacharya, Luping Yu, Liliana Stan, Chongwen Zou, and Matthew V. Tirrell, are excited about the possibilities of this groundbreaking discovery.