Researchers have developed a groundbreaking material that will play a crucial role in advancing the next generation of high-power electronics by making them faster, clearer, and more efficient.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota have successfully created a new material that is set to revolutionize the next generation of high-power electronics, making them not only quicker but also transparent to both visible and ultraviolet light, and more efficient than ever before.
The study, featured in Science Advances, a respected peer-reviewed scientific journal, represents a major advancement in semiconductor technology, vital to a trillion-dollar global market that is expected to expand as digital technology evolves.
Semiconductors are essential components in nearly all electronic devices, including smartphones and medical instruments. A vital area for progress is in the development of “ultra-wide band gap” materials, which are capable of efficiently conducting electricity even under extreme conditions. These materials enable high performance in elevated temperatures, making them critical for the development of more robust and durable electronics.
In their research, the scientists aimed to develop a new class of materials with a greater “band gap,” which would enhance both transparency and conductivity. This remarkable innovation supports the creation of faster and more efficient devices, leading to potential breakthroughs in computers, smartphones, and even quantum technology.
The innovative material is a transparent conducting oxide, designed with a specialized layered structure that boosts transparency without compromising on conductivity. As the demand for advanced materials increases with the rise of technology and artificial intelligence, this groundbreaking discovery provides an encouraging solution.
According to Bharat Jalan, Shell Chair and Professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, “This breakthrough is a game-changer for transparent conducting materials, allowing us to overcome barriers that have slowed down deep ultraviolet device performance for years.”
The research not only showcases an unmatched combination of transparency and conductivity in the deep-ultraviolet range but also sets the stage for new innovations in high-power and optoelectronic devices capable of operating in the most challenging conditions, Jalan elaborated.
Fengdeng Liu and Zhifei Yang, Ph.D. students in chemical engineering and materials science who were the study’s first co-authors, noted that they demonstrated the material’s properties were remarkably suitable for electronic applications through rigorous experiments that targeted and corrected material defects.
“Our detailed electron microscopy work revealed that the material was exceptionally clean, with no noticeable defects. This highlights the potential of oxide-based perovskites as semiconductors when defects are well controlled,” commented Andre Mkhoyan, a senior author on this research and Ray D. and Mary T. Johnson Chair and Professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science.
The research team included Jalan, Liu, Yang, and Mkhoyan, along with Silo Guo from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and David Abramovitch and Marco Bernardi from the California Institute of Technology’s Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science.
