Electrons in silicon dispersed to 0.3% of the speed of light
Engineers from the Pohang University of Science and Technology (South Korea) set a new record for electron speed in silicon . Thanks to the graphene film coating, it was possible to increase the speed of the particles by about 20 times compared to conventional transistors, namely, to 0.3% of the speed of light in a vacuum.
Thus, even on the existing technological base, it is possible to create processors with a frequency 20 times higher than the current one. The so-called “fast silicon” will be easier to produce in existing factories than fully graphene processors.
The phenomenal properties of a graphene film 1 atom thick are known from the moment of its discovery in 2005. In this unique material, electric charges behave like relativistic particles with zero effective mass, that is, they can theoretically move with the speed of light. Therefore, graphene has the best conductivity of all known materials at room temperature.
The problem is that graphene film is difficult to obtain due to its instability. Only recently was tested the first method of its manufacture on an industrial scale .
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In silicon, the electron velocity is strongly inhibited due to electrical resistance. To break through this barrier, South Korean experts added graphene to the silicon layer. It was assumed that this layer will affect the electron velocity in silicon itself. To test the hypothesis, electrons were bombarded by photons in order to knock out some electrons and measure their energy. The experiment showed that some electrons in silicon have a mass of 1/20 of normal, which indicates the possibility of creating a material with a 20-fold increase in the electron velocity.
This is not the limit, according to South Korean experts. According to them, experimenting with different coatings, one can achieve even greater relief of electrons in silicon, because now they are three times heavier and slower than graphene ones.
The scientific article was published in the journal Physical Review Letters (DOI: 10.1103 / PhysRevLett.104.246803).
Thus, even on the existing technological base, it is possible to create processors with a frequency 20 times higher than the current one. The so-called “fast silicon” will be easier to produce in existing factories than fully graphene processors.
The phenomenal properties of a graphene film 1 atom thick are known from the moment of its discovery in 2005. In this unique material, electric charges behave like relativistic particles with zero effective mass, that is, they can theoretically move with the speed of light. Therefore, graphene has the best conductivity of all known materials at room temperature.
The problem is that graphene film is difficult to obtain due to its instability. Only recently was tested the first method of its manufacture on an industrial scale .
')
In silicon, the electron velocity is strongly inhibited due to electrical resistance. To break through this barrier, South Korean experts added graphene to the silicon layer. It was assumed that this layer will affect the electron velocity in silicon itself. To test the hypothesis, electrons were bombarded by photons in order to knock out some electrons and measure their energy. The experiment showed that some electrons in silicon have a mass of 1/20 of normal, which indicates the possibility of creating a material with a 20-fold increase in the electron velocity.
This is not the limit, according to South Korean experts. According to them, experimenting with different coatings, one can achieve even greater relief of electrons in silicon, because now they are three times heavier and slower than graphene ones.
The scientific article was published in the journal Physical Review Letters (DOI: 10.1103 / PhysRevLett.104.246803).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/99594/
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