UB researchers mix silicon with 2D materials for new semiconductor technology

Researchers from the University at Buffalo; Central South University in Changsha, China; Shandong Normal University in Jinan, China; TU Wien in Vienna, Austria; the University of Salerno in Italy; and Sungkyunkwan University in Suwon, South Korea, have demonstrated that using thin two-dimensional (2D) materials, like the semiconductor molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), in combination with silicon can create highly efficient electronic devices with excellent control over how an electrical charge is injected and transported. The presence of the 2D material between the metal and silicon – despite the MoS2 being less than one nanometer thick – can change how electrical charges flow. “Our work investigates how emerging 2D materials can be integrated with existing silicon technology to enhance functionality and improve performance, paving the way for energy-efficient nanoelectronics,” says Huamin Li, the study’s lead author.