Future of fast computer chips could be in graphene and not silicon, says new research

Scientists using lasers at a Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) facility in the UK believe that they are a step closer to finding a replacement for silicon chips that are faster and use less energy than at present.

The team has tested the behaviour of bilayer graphene to discover whether or not it could be used as a semiconductor. Their results suggest that it could replace silicon transistors in electronic circuits.

Graphene is pure carbon in the form of a very thin, almost transparent sheet, 0one atom thick. It is known as a 'miracle material' because of its remarkable strength and efficiency in conducting heat and electricity.

In its current form graphene is not suitable for transistors, which are the foundation of all modern electronics. For a transistor to be technologically viable, it must be able to 'switch off' so that only a small electric current flows through its gate when in standby state. Graphene does not have a band gap so cannot switch off.

The research team, led by Professor Philip Hofmann from Aarhus University in Denmark, used a new material – bilayer graphene – in which two layers of graphene are placed one on top of the other, leaving a small band gap to encourage the transfer of energy between layers.