When Semiconductors Stick Together, Materials Go Quantum
March 8, 2019 | Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryEstimated reading time: 4 minutes
A team of researchers led by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has developed a simple method that could turn ordinary semiconducting materials into quantum machines—superthin devices marked by extraordinary electronic behavior.
Image Caption: A method developed by a Berkeley Lab-led research team may one day turn ordinary semiconducting materials into quantum electronic devices. (Credit: iStock.com/NiPlot)
Such an advancement could help to revolutionize a number of industries aiming for energy-efficient electronic systems—and provide a platform for exotic new physics.
The study describing the method, which stacks together 2D layers of tungsten disulfide and tungsten diselenide to create an intricately patterned material, or superlattice, was published online recently in the journal Nature.
“This is an amazing discovery because we didn’t think of these semiconducting materials as strongly interacting,” said Feng Wang, a condensed matter physicist with Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and professor of physics at UC Berkeley. “Now this work has brought these seemingly ordinary semiconductors into the quantum materials space.”
Image Caption: The twist angle formed between atomically thin layers of tungsten disulfide and tungsten diselenide acts as a “tuning knob,” transforming these semiconductors into an exotic quantum material. (Credit: Berkeley Lab) (Credit: Berkeley Lab)
Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are just one atom thick, are like nanosized building blocks that can be stacked arbitrarily to form tiny devices. When the lattices of two 2D materials are similar and well-aligned, a repeating pattern called a moiré superlattice can form.
For the past decade, researchers have been studying ways to combine different 2D materials, often starting with graphene—a material known for its ability to efficiently conduct heat and electricity. Out of this body of work, other researchers had discovered that moiré superlattices formed with graphene exhibit exotic physics such as superconductivity when the layers are aligned at just the right angle.
The new study, led by Wang, used 2D samples of semiconducting materials—tungsten disulfide and tungsten diselenide—to show that the twist angle between layers provides a “tuning knob” to turn a 2D semiconducting system into an exotic quantum material with highly interacting electrons.
Page 1 of 2
Suggested Items
AIM Solder Appoints Mhanny Aguillo as Southeast Asia Technical Sales Manager
05/31/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mhanny Aguillo as the Southeast Asia Technical Sales Manager.
Underconstraining Your Materials? Leave It to the Experts
05/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamWith traditional laminates now sporting improved resin systems, some OEMs are choosing various flavors of FR-4 instead of high-speed laminates for their high-speed designs—even RF applications. Avoiding overconstraining your materials in high-speed products can lead to considerable cost savings, not to mention a more streamlined trip through fabrication.
Elementary, Mr. Watson: Pushing Design Boundaries
05/29/2024 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonOverconstraint: What a concept. Our first thoughts would be: What are we hurting by overconstraining a design? Isn't it better to be safe than sorry? What is meant by overconstraint? It means to apply excessive constraints. In engineering and mathematics, it's used when there are too many simultaneous equations to result in an exact solution. For example, fitting a line to many points is overconstrained because a line cannot be drawn simultaneously through all of the points. In PCB design, overconstraints always occur, including dimensional, electrical, manufacturing, and timing constraints. The list goes on.
Indium Corporation Expert to Present at MiNaPAD 2024
05/27/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation’s Senior Global Product Manager for Semiconductor and Advanced Materials, Sze Pei Lim, will deliver two technical presentations at the 11th Micro/Nano-Electronics Packaging and Assembly, Design and Manufacturing (MiNaPAD) Forum, taking place June 19-20 in Grenoble, France.
IDTechEx Asks if Silicon Anodes Are the Key to Mass EV Adoption
05/24/2024 | PRNewswireMaximizing energy density has been one key area of focus in electric vehicle battery development. Optimizations in cell and battery pack designs, alongside the use of higher nickel NMC and NCA cathodes, have led to steady improvement in battery energy density over the past 10-15 years.