- Semimetals promise more efficient conductivity, overcoming copper in energy use
- Copper limitations drive the search for semimetals such as Niobium phosphuro
- Niobium phosphuro leads electricity better, even in nanometric thicknesses
For almost two centuries, copper has been the standard for electrical conductivity, used in wiring, microelectronics and computing, but as electronic devices become portable energy stations, it is clear that copper is reaching its physical limits.
To that end, recent research at Stanford University have shown that Niobium phosphuro can overcome copper in ultra thin films, so he is a promising candidate for electronics to Nanoscala.
Researchers are exploring semimetals as a potential alternative because these materials have unique electronic properties that could improve efficiency, minimize energy loss and improve next -generation technology performance.
Unlock new possibilities in conductivity
Unlike traditional metals, semimetals such as niobium phosphuro exhibit distinctive band structures and topological properties, allowing better electron transport.
Thin niobium phosphuro (NBP) films exhibit a much lower resistivity than copper in nanometric scales. As the thickness of the film decreases, NBP resistivity also decreases, reaching only one sixth of copper resistivity with a similar thickness.
With approximately 1.5 nanometers, NBP has a resistivity of approximately 34 centimeters from microohm at room temperature, significantly exceeding copper resistivity of about 100 centimeters from microohm to similar scales.
“The best materials could help us spend less energy on small cables and more energy actually calculation,” said Eric Pop, a professor at Stanford’s School of Engineering.
The problem with copper is that it becomes less effective as it becomes thinner, particularly below 50 nanometers, and struggle to handle rapid electrical signals, resulting in the loss of energy as heat, however, Stanford’s equipment discovered that NBP, even only five thick nanometers, conducts electricity more efficiently than copper due to its topological nature, where the external surface of the material is more conduct core.
“Now we have another kind of materials, these topological semimetals, which could act as a way to reduce the use of energy in electronics,” said Akash Ramdas, a doctoral researcher involved in the study.
One of the key advantages of the niobium phosphuro is its compatibility with existing semiconductor technologies, since it can be deposited only 400 ° C, a temperature low enough to avoid harmful silicon chips. This means that it could be integrated into the current manufacturing processes without requiring expensive redesign.
Stanford’s team is now exploring other topological semimetals that could further improve performance and efficiency.
“This type of advance in non -crystalline materials could help address energy and energy challenges both in current and future electronics,” Pop explained.
However, there are challenges to make NBP a viable commercial material, such as maintaining the correct tolerances of the layer during production, since variations in the thickness of the NB seed layer can affect the resistivity and quality of the NBP film.
As the demand for smaller, faster and more energy efficient devices grows, semimetals could play a crucial role in configuration of the future of microelectronics. If the investigation continues to advance, semi -nanometric thick drivers can soon replace copper in high performance computing, establishing a new standard for electrical conductivity.
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