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First 2D, non-silicon computer developed


In a world first, a team led by researchers at Penn State used two-dimensional materials, which are only an atom thick and retain their properties at that scale, unlike silicon, to develop a computer capable of simple operations. The advancement, published in Nature, represents a major leap toward the realization of thinner, faster and more energy-efficient electronics, the researchers said.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Silicon is king in the semiconductor technology that underpins smartphones, computers, electric vehicles and more, but its crown may be slipping, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State. Das explained that CMOS technology requires both n-type and p-type semiconductors working together to achieve high performance at low power consumption — a key challenge that has stymied efforts to move beyond silicon. By carefully tuning the device fabrication and post-processing steps, they were able to adjust the threshold voltages of both n- and p-type transistors, enabling the construction of fully functional CMOS logic circuits.

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non-silicon computer