July 16, 2024 — Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory, and the University of Ottawa in Canada have announced the development of a new ultrafine crystal thin-film semiconductor. This innovative film is only 100 nanometers thick, about one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair, and its electron mobility has achieved a new record seven times higher than that of traditional semiconductors.

The study utilized a crystal material known as ternary quartz. The research team manufactured this film using a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) process, which allows for the construction of the material atom by atom, minimizing defects and achieving higher electron mobility.

Professor Jagadish Mudhar from MIT, the corresponding author of the study, stated that when current is applied to this thin-film semiconductor, the electron mobility reaches 10,000 square centimeters per volt-second. This speed far exceeds the 1,400 square centimeters per volt-second of traditional silicon semiconductors and is significantly higher than that of conventional copper wires.

The applications for this ultrafine crystal thin-film semiconductor are extensive. Its exceptional electron mobility opens new possibilities for developing highly efficient electronic devices. In particular, its application in spintronics and thermoelectric devices could enhance device performance and efficiency.

Spintronics devices use the spin properties of electrons for information storage and processing, which is expected to provide higher processing speeds and lower energy consumption. Thermoelectric wearables, on the other hand, can convert the waste heat generated by the human body into electrical energy, providing sustainable power support for electronic devices and improving their sustainability.

Despite these promising results, researchers still face challenges. They note that even the smallest defects in the material can affect electron mobility. Future research will focus on further improving the film's manufacturing process to reduce material defects and explore ways to make the film even thinner, in order to better apply this technology to future electronic devices.