The basis of Graphene transistor becomes a reality

The Samsung Research Institute publishes new results - demonstration in support - manufacturing of functional Graphene-based transistors.

The Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, in the heart of the R & D of Korean, have developed a new basis of Graphene transistor. We talked about in a few months ago already suggested that this new material could one day allow the production of new transistors better than silicon.

Researchers in the foundries have two areas of research to continuously improve the performance of transistors that are in part the processors of our computers. The first axis is the reduction of the size of these transistors to reduce the distance that should browse the electrons between the source and the drain of a transistor. The second axis is simply the acceleration of the speed of the electron. To do so, should find a new material that replaces silicon and allow a more important than latter electron mobility. Researchers focused primarily on reducing the size even if others have also begun research into new materials, with the discovery of the Graphene in 2004.

Even if this discovery had excellent results with nearly 200 times the rate of mobility of electrons from Silicon, the manufacture of transistor was then still not possible. The reason is simple, the Graphene as a semi-metallic compound, the possibility to cut the flow of electrons was until now impossible. However, this possibility is essential to generate the bits necessary to the operation of our computers, the famous "0" and "1". Previous research had resulted in changes the Graphene to make semiconductor, but the mobility of electrons was much smaller than initially and was really an interest for the manufacture of transistors.

Graphite (base of the Graphene) to a wafer base of Graphene transistor Samsung

The Samsung Research Institute has published new results of research and announced that its researchers have developed a semiconductor Graphene-based without reducing its effectiveness. Called Barristor, Samsung indeed us demonstration by presenting a transistor made from Graphene with a door of Schottky mixing silicon and Graphene, which allows to control the passage of electrons between the collector and the transmitter at very low voltage. Researchers of the known have also exploited their new technique in manufacturer a few logic circuits to perform basic operations such as additions for example.

A new door is now open and researchers around the world can funnel into the breach to produce new yet more efficient transistors in the future. For when? We see products marketed with this type of transistors before a decade, unfortunately.