two-dimensional materials

A new Hackaday write-up describes how researchers can transform a tungsten ditelluride monolayer into a transistor, work that highlights the potential of two-dimensional materials in electronics. Single-atom-thick semiconductors like tungsten ditelluride are closely watched as candidates for transistors smaller and more efficient than today's silicon devices, and the piece walks through the science behind the conversion.

Researchers are highlighting the challenge of protecting two-dimensional materials, which promise major advances in electronics and quantum technologies but are extremely sensitive to air, moisture and fabrication chemicals. Conventional protection methods such as encasing the materials have so far hindered their practical integration, prompting discussion of new approaches to make them usable in real devices.

Hackaday reports on transforming a tungsten ditelluride monolayer into a transistor, an advance in working with atomically thin two-dimensional materials. Using a single layer of this transition metal dichalcogenide as the active channel of a transistor points toward future ultra-miniaturised, low-power electronics as conventional silicon approaches its physical limits.