ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Electronics

Transistor nanowires stacked in ‘4-D’ hint to future tech

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
December 10, 2012
in Electronics, Technology
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
rdue and Harvard universities. The transistor is made from tiny nanowires of a material called indium-gallium-arsenide, which could replace silicon within a decade.  The image was taken with a transmission electron microscope (Purdue University image)
rdue and Harvard universities. The transistor is made from tiny nanowires of a material called indium-gallium-arsenide, which could replace silicon within a decade. The image was taken with a transmission electron microscope (Purdue University image)

It’s amazing how this cross-section view on the right showcasing a  new type of transistor from  Purdue and Harvard universities resembles a Christmass tree, just in the nick of the time for the holiday season. Its design, however, has little to do with a Christmas trees. Make no mistake, the transistor’s shape and design follows a pattern that allows it to operate faster and possibly lead to a new generation of computers powered by it.

“It’s a preview of things to come in the semiconductor industry,” said Peide “Peter” Ye, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University.

The transistor are made out of three nanowires progressively smaller, yielding a tapered cross section resembling a Christmas tree. Typically, transistors are flat, however the researchers’ design follows previous work where a 3-D structure was used. This allows for a significant  improvement in performance by linking the transistors vertically in parallel.

“A one-story house can hold so many people, but more floors, more people, and it’s the same thing with transistors,” Ye said. “Stacking them results in more current and much faster operation for high-speed computing. This adds a whole new dimension, so I call them 4-D.”

Transistors are indispensable to electronic components since they regulate the flow of electricity, and thus information. These devices have what are called logic gates which either switch the transistor on and off and direct the flow of electrical current. The smaller the logic gate, the faster the operation time, and in turn performance.

In today’s high-end 3-D silicon transistors, the length of these gates is about 22 nanometers, or billionths of a meter. This is where silicon, however, has reached its limit and the future’s next generation transistors need to employ a different semiconductor in order to pass this threshold.

A new semiconductor shrinks transistors even further

Researchers from Purdue and Harvard universities created their transistor from a material that could replace silicon within a decade, called  indium-gallium-arsenide. The material is among several promising semiconductors being studied to replace silicon. Such semiconductors are called III-V materials because they combine elements from the third and fifth groups of the periodic table.

And that’s not all either. In order to shrink transistor even further, another important design parameter, the insulating, or “dielectric” layer that allows the gate to switch off, also needs to be changed. Nanowires in the new transistors are coated with a different type of composite insulator, a 4-nanometer-thick layer of lanthanum aluminate with an ultrathin, half-nanometer layer of aluminum oxide.

Ultimately, the researchers  transistors made of indium-gallium- arsenide with 20-nanometer gates, which is a milestone, Ye said.

RelatedPosts

Novel ionic conducting material acts like artificial muscle and plays music
Scientists devise computer using swarms of soldier crabs
Quantum materials may replace silicon in transistor construction
MIT engineers create LED that has 230% efficiency. Thermodynamics laws still in place

Findings will be detailed in two papers to be presented during the International Electron Devices Meeting on Dec.  8-12 in San Francisco

 

Tags: electrical engineeringlogic gatetransistor

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Future

China Just Made the World’s Fastest Transistor and It Is Not Made of Silicon

byTibi Puiu
3 weeks ago
Future

This toothpaste-based transistor could be the future of edible electronics

byMihai Andrei
7 months ago
Future

New magneto-electric transistor cuts energy use while saving space. Here’s why this could be huge

byTibi Puiu
3 years ago
Simone Fabiano and Jennifer Gerasimov. Credit: Thor Balkhed.
Neurology

Organic transistors bring us closer to brain-mimicking AI

byTibi Puiu
6 years ago

Recent news

This Superbug Learned How to Feed on Plastic from Hospitals

May 20, 2025

China’s Tiangong space station has some bacteria that are unknown to science

May 20, 2025

Hidden Communication Devices Found in Chinese-Made Inverters Could Put U.S. Electrical Grid at Risk

May 20, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.