Scientists Craft Seamless 2D Semiconductor Junctions 49
vinces99 (2792707) writes Scientists have developed what they believe is the thinnest-possible semiconductor, a new class of nanoscale materials made in sheets only three atoms thick. The University of Washington researchers have demonstrated that two of these single-layer semiconductor materials can be connected in an atomically seamless fashion known as a heterojunction. This result could be the basis for next-generation flexible and transparent computing, better light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, and solar technologies.
"Heterojunctions are fundamental elements of electronic and photonic devices," said senior author Xiaodong Xu, a UW assistant professor of materials science and engineering and of physics. "Our experimental demonstration of such junctions between two-dimensional materials should enable new kinds of transistors, LEDs, nanolasers, and solar cells to be developed for highly integrated electronic and optical circuits within a single atomic plane."
"Heterojunctions are fundamental elements of electronic and photonic devices," said senior author Xiaodong Xu, a UW assistant professor of materials science and engineering and of physics. "Our experimental demonstration of such junctions between two-dimensional materials should enable new kinds of transistors, LEDs, nanolasers, and solar cells to be developed for highly integrated electronic and optical circuits within a single atomic plane."
Two dimensional? (Score:2, Funny)
Nope. It's common knowledge that 2D fab (which uses little circles as opposed to spherical atoms) is much cheaper than 3D. It just hasn't gained market visibility yet, since almost everything has always used 3D based techniques.
Though the insurance rates are higher because of what the companies describe as "very sharp edges."
Re:Two dimensional? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, apparently they've defined a plane to be 3 atoms thick, and have grossly understimated the collective anal retentiveness of the people reading the article.
Dude, seriously, it's a dumbed down metaphor written for a press release.
From the parts of the paper [nature.com] which are available without subscription:
I'm quite sure they're not idiots who really think this is a freakin' 2D plane.
TFA isn't the actual scientific paper, it's the press release intended for the public.
Now, unclench a little, you're gonna hurt yourself. :-P