What they’ve done is use two-dimensional materials one atom thick, specifically molybdenum disulfide and tungsten diselenide. With these materials they’ve managed to fabricate more than 2,000 transistors capable of performing logic operations. It’s fascinating because these materials maintain their properties at the atomic scale, something silicon can’t do.
Professor Saptarshi Das, the project leader, explains that while silicon has been fundamental for decades, when it’s miniaturized too much its performance degrades. 2D materials, on the other hand, maintain exceptional electronic properties at the atomic level.
The most interesting thing for us as users is that this processor operates at very low voltages, consumes minimal energy and can perform logic operations at frequencies of up to 25 kHz. Although we’re in the early stages, this could lead to much faster, more compact and more energy-efficient computers.
It’s incredible to think that we’re witnessing the dawn of post-silicon technology. The future of computing looks more and more promising.
Best regards,
Marta
