News Article
Semiconductor breakthrough sees vertical growth of nanowires
Semiconductor research at two universities has led to silicon nanowires being grown vertically to help meet the requirements of Moore's law.
A new generation of more powerful computer chips and ultrasmall transistors which use semiconductor nanowires is one step closer to becoming a reality after a team of researchers made a breakthrough.
Researchers at Purdue University and the University of California at Los Angeles were able to create semiconducting nanowires with layers of different materials defined at the atomic level, something which is needed for making efficient transistors out of the structures.
Convention transistors are made on flat and horizontal pieces of silicon - widely used in commercial semiconductors. However, the researchers grew the silicon nanowires vertically, making it possible to fit more transistors on to a chip or integrated circuit.
This could help continue the traditional of Moore s law, which states that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit will approximately double every 18 months without the circuit needing to increase in size.
"Doubling the number of devices that can fit on a computer chip translates into a similar increase in performance. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue shrinking electronic devices made of conventional silicon-based semiconductors," Purdue University noted.
The electronics industry faces the challenge of market demand for more efficient devices without them increasing in size.
Researchers at Purdue University and the University of California at Los Angeles were able to create semiconducting nanowires with layers of different materials defined at the atomic level, something which is needed for making efficient transistors out of the structures.
Convention transistors are made on flat and horizontal pieces of silicon - widely used in commercial semiconductors. However, the researchers grew the silicon nanowires vertically, making it possible to fit more transistors on to a chip or integrated circuit.
This could help continue the traditional of Moore s law, which states that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit will approximately double every 18 months without the circuit needing to increase in size.
"Doubling the number of devices that can fit on a computer chip translates into a similar increase in performance. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue shrinking electronic devices made of conventional silicon-based semiconductors," Purdue University noted.
The electronics industry faces the challenge of market demand for more efficient devices without them increasing in size.
