Chinese, US researchers develop semiconductor

Researchers from Tianjin University and the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States have recently developed a new type of semiconductor using the material graphene, which could lead to the development of smaller, faster and more efficient electronics.

Their study, published on the website of the journal Nature on Jan 3, reports that graphene, a strong, flexible, lightweight sheet of carbon atoms, can perform 10 times better than silicon — the material from which virtually all electronic devices are made.

Without silicon semiconductors, the world's computers would not be able to function, as these components regulate the flow of electricity that computers need to perform. Semiconductors are needed to start cars, open doors on buses or trains and use electronics such as smartphones or laptops.