World’s First 2D, Non-Silicon Computer Developed

In a world first, researchers have used 2D materials, which are only an atom thick and retain their properties at that scale, unlike silicon, to develop a computer capable of simple operations. The development, published June 11 in Nature, represents a major leap toward the realization of thinner, faster and more energy-efficient electronics, the researchers said. They created a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), which is at the heart of nearly every modern electronic device, without relying on silicon. Instead, they used two different 2D materials to develop both types of transistors needed to control the electric current flow in CMOS computers: molybdenum disulfide for n-type transistors and tungsten diselenide for p-type transistors.