Prime Highlights: 

Researchers in China have developed a silicon-free 2D transistor using bismuth oxyselenide, offering a potential leap in processor performance and energy efficiency. 

The new transistor could make chips up to 40% faster than current silicon processors while consuming 10% less power. 

Key Background: 

Researchers in China have developed a groundbreaking 2D transistor that could lead to the creation of processors significantly faster and more energy-efficient than current silicon-based models. The new technology, which is based on bismuth oxyselenide, represents a significant departure from traditional silicon transistors and could potentially revolutionize chip manufacturing, reducing the reliance on conventional materials and methods. 

The key advancement is the introduction of a gate-all-around field-effect transistor (GAAFET), a novel design that offers superior performance over older transistor architectures such as the fin field-effect transistor (FinFET). Unlike the FinFET, which wraps the gate around three sides of a transistor’s source, the GAAFET wraps the gate around all four sides. This design enhances electrostatic control, reduces energy loss, and allows for faster switching times. As a result, chips using this new design could perform up to 40% faster than the best silicon processors produced by companies like Intel, while also consuming 10% less power. 

The 2D bismuth transistors developed by the team at Peking University (PKU) are also less brittle and more flexible than their silicon counterparts, providing improved durability. Additionally, bismuth oxyselenide offers superior electron mobility and a higher dielectric constant, factors that contribute to the increased efficiency of these transistors. 

This advancement could pave the way for silicon-free chips, offering substantial improvements in computing power and energy efficiency. Furthermore, if successfully commercialized, the technology could enable China to bypass current restrictions on advanced chip imports from the U.S., opening the door to independent chip manufacturing through an entirely new process. The findings were published in the journal Nature on February 13.