Academic and industry research progress in germanium nanodevices
1Components Research, Technology and Manufacturing Group, Intel Corporation, 5200 Northeast Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124, USA. ravi.pillarisetty@intel.com
Nature
|November 19, 2011
Summary
Researchers are revisiting germanium, a high-mobility material, for advanced transistors. Germanium-based devices promise high speeds and low power consumption, potentially advancing semiconductor technology beyond silicon.
Area of Science:
- Solid-state physics and materials science.
- Semiconductor device engineering.
Background:
- Silicon dominates the semiconductor industry, but early transistors used germanium.
- Improving transistor performance hinges on enhancing charge-carrier mobility.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate germanium as a high-mobility material for next-generation transistors.
- Explore the potential of germanium in non-silicon-based semiconductor technologies.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical semiconductor material usage.
- Analysis of charge-carrier mobility in germanium.
- Assessment of potential performance benefits for germanium-based transistors.
Main Results:
- Germanium exhibits high charge-carrier mobility, a key factor for transistor speed.
- Germanium-based transistors show potential for high-speed operation.
- These devices may offer low power requirements.
Conclusions:
- Germanium is a promising material for future high-performance transistors.
- Germanium could enable advancements in semiconductor technology, complementing or replacing silicon.
- Further research into germanium-based devices is warranted for low-power, high-speed applications.
