Scientists from the University of Warwick and the National Research Council of Canada have reported the highest "hole mobility" ever measured in a material that works within today's silicon-based semiconductor manufacturing.
Silicon (Si) forms the foundation of most modern semiconductor devices, but as components shrink and are packed closer together, they generate more heat and approach fundamental performance limits. Germanium (Ge), which appeared in some of the earliest transistors of the 1950s, is drawing renewed interest because researchers are finding ways to take advantage of its superior electrical characteristics while retaining the benefits of established silicon production methods.
In a study published in Materials Today, a team led by Dr. Maksym Myronov at the University of Warwick demonstrated a major advancement for next-generation electronics. The researchers created a nanometer-thin germanium epilayer on silicon that is placed under compressive strain. This engineered structure enables electric charge to move faster than in any previously known silicon-compatible material.
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