An atom-sized single electron transistor!

[tedster]

The latest contender to succeed silicon's throne is graphene. It has been used to make a truly tiny transistor that works at room temperature, offering hope for making faster, smaller electronics devices once silicon reaches its limits.

Graphene is a two-dimensional form of carbon, discovered just three years ago. It is very thin -- just one atom thick -- and highly conductive with minimal resistance, which has sent physicists and materials scientists into a frenzy to find applications that exploit these properties.

[nature.com...]

[grandpa]

I remember learning about 'hole-theory' for semiconductors. That was more than a few years ago (early 70's), and I couldn't properly explain the theory today if I had to. But in a nutshell, we were being taught how transistors work at the atomic level - how different materials and electric charges would affect the flow of electrons. Back then you could still see a transistor, pick it up and hold it, solder the leads onto a board. And after that class, we went to the next one to study vacuum tubes.

I recently read an article about the new generation in semiconductors, and how researchers were getting to the atomic level with the thickness of layers in a chip. I think we're down to a 3 atom thickness on the next generation of new chips. So while I basically understand how semiconductors work at the atomic level, it's mind boggling to consider an atom sized transistor, or a 3 atom thick layer in a chip. The work being done at that level must make the hole-theory seem like elementary school.

[draggar]

I don't know which piece of news is harder to imagine, that one or the one about the neutron star that spins at about 1400 revolutions per second...

Interesting new technology!