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Researchers find a way to integrate two two-dimensional materials into a single electronic device
Researchers find a way to integrate two two-dimensional materials into a single electronic device
Researchers working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to integrate two different two-dimensional materials in one single electronic device. In their paper published in the journal Nano Letters, the team describes how they used both graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to create a single circuit.
Two dimensional materials (so named because they are just one atom thick) have created a lot of buzz in the electronics community because of their unique electronic properties. Scientists hope to use them to create smaller, more efficient devices. The two main materials that have captured the attention of the research world are graphene (a sheet of carbon) and MoS2. Both have shown promise, but each has its limitations. To take advantage of what each does well, and to avoid the disadvantages, researchers have looked to joining the two on a single circuit. In this new effort the team at MIT is reporting that they've done just that, creating large-scale electronic circuits.
Getting the two materials to cooperate was no easy feat. They started by growing samples of MoS2 and graphene using chemical vapor deposition. The MoS2 was then etched to fashion it into channels, followed by a process that caused aluminum oxide (Al2O3) to form on its surface. Graphene sheets were then applied to the channel, cut with oxygen plasma to form gate electrodes and source drains. In the final result, the Al2O3 serves to protect the MoS2 allowing the circuit to run as designed.
The researchers believe their fabrication process could be used to allow for integrating many types of two-dimensional materials, allowing for the creation of whole new device types, e.g. lasers, tunneling microscopes and a variety of transistors. An additional plus, they note, is that because the finished products are exceptionally thin, they can be bent to allow for the creation of circuits of virtually any shape. The circuits are also transparent, which means they could likely be used for new types of personal technology devices (skin patches or those that can be sewn into clothes, for example) or as a part of hidden sensors. The team plans to next work on integrating insulating layers onto their tiny circuits, allowing for the creation of even more exotic circuitry.
- TAMS SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Two dimensional materials (so named because they are just one atom thick) have created a lot of buzz in the electronics community because of their unique electronic properties. Scientists hope to use them to create smaller, more efficient devices. The two main materials that have captured the attention of the research world are graphene (a sheet of carbon) and MoS2. Both have shown promise, but each has its limitations. To take advantage of what each does well, and to avoid the disadvantages, researchers have looked to joining the two on a single circuit. In this new effort the team at MIT is reporting that they've done just that, creating large-scale electronic circuits.
Getting the two materials to cooperate was no easy feat. They started by growing samples of MoS2 and graphene using chemical vapor deposition. The MoS2 was then etched to fashion it into channels, followed by a process that caused aluminum oxide (Al2O3) to form on its surface. Graphene sheets were then applied to the channel, cut with oxygen plasma to form gate electrodes and source drains. In the final result, the Al2O3 serves to protect the MoS2 allowing the circuit to run as designed.
The researchers believe their fabrication process could be used to allow for integrating many types of two-dimensional materials, allowing for the creation of whole new device types, e.g. lasers, tunneling microscopes and a variety of transistors. An additional plus, they note, is that because the finished products are exceptionally thin, they can be bent to allow for the creation of circuits of virtually any shape. The circuits are also transparent, which means they could likely be used for new types of personal technology devices (skin patches or those that can be sewn into clothes, for example) or as a part of hidden sensors. The team plans to next work on integrating insulating layers onto their tiny circuits, allowing for the creation of even more exotic circuitry.
- TAMS SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED