Ultra-thin insulators for shrinking nano-electronics
07 Jun '18 06:08https://phys.org/news/2018-06-molecular-insulator-boundaries-current-state.html
"...Ever shrinking transistors are the key to faster and more efficient computer processing. Since the 1970s, advancements in electronics have largely been driven by the steady pace with which these tiny components have grown simultaneously smaller and more powerful—right down to their current dimensions on the nanometer scale. But recent years have seen this progress plateau, as researchers grapple with whether transistors may have finally hit their size limit. High among the list of hurdles standing in the way of further miniaturization: problems caused by "leakage current."
Leakage current results when the gap between two metal electrodes narrows to the point that electrons are no longer contained by their barriers, a phenomenon known as quantum mechanical tunnelling. As the gap continues to decrease, this tunnelling conduction increases at an exponentially higher rate, rendering further miniaturization extremely challenging. Scientific consensus has long held that vacuum barriers represent the most effective means to curtail tunnelling, making them the best overall option for insulating transistors. However, even vacuum barriers can allow for some leakage due to quantum tunnelling.
...
In a highly interdisciplinary collaboration, researchers across Columbia ... have upended conventional wisdom, synthesizing the first molecule capable of insulating at the nanometer scale more effectively than a vacuum barrier.
...
The team's insight was to exploit the wave nature of electrons. By designing an extremely rigid silicon-based molecule under 1 nm in length that exhibited comprehensive destructive interference signatures, they devised a novel technique for blocking tunnelling conduction at the nanoscale.
"This quantum interference-based approach sets a new standard for short insulating molecules," ..."Theoretically, interference can lead to complete cancellation of tunneling probability, and we've shown that the insulating component in our molecule is less conducting than a vacuum gap of same dimensions. At the same time, our work also improves on recent research into carbon-based systems, which were thought to be the best molecular insulators until now."
Destructive quantum interference occurs when the peaks and valleys of two waves are placed exactly out of phase, annulling oscillation. Electronic waves can be thought of as analogous to sound waves—flowing through barriers just as sound waves "leak" through walls. The unique properties exhibited by the team's synthetic molecule mitigated tunneling without requiring, in this analogy, a thicker wall.
..."
"...Ever shrinking transistors are the key to faster and more efficient computer processing. Since the 1970s, advancements in electronics have largely been driven by the steady pace with which these tiny components have grown simultaneously smaller and more powerful—right down to their current dimensions on the nanometer scale. But recent years have seen this progress plateau, as researchers grapple with whether transistors may have finally hit their size limit. High among the list of hurdles standing in the way of further miniaturization: problems caused by "leakage current."
Leakage current results when the gap between two metal electrodes narrows to the point that electrons are no longer contained by their barriers, a phenomenon known as quantum mechanical tunnelling. As the gap continues to decrease, this tunnelling conduction increases at an exponentially higher rate, rendering further miniaturization extremely challenging. Scientific consensus has long held that vacuum barriers represent the most effective means to curtail tunnelling, making them the best overall option for insulating transistors. However, even vacuum barriers can allow for some leakage due to quantum tunnelling.
...
In a highly interdisciplinary collaboration, researchers across Columbia ... have upended conventional wisdom, synthesizing the first molecule capable of insulating at the nanometer scale more effectively than a vacuum barrier.
...
The team's insight was to exploit the wave nature of electrons. By designing an extremely rigid silicon-based molecule under 1 nm in length that exhibited comprehensive destructive interference signatures, they devised a novel technique for blocking tunnelling conduction at the nanoscale.
"This quantum interference-based approach sets a new standard for short insulating molecules," ..."Theoretically, interference can lead to complete cancellation of tunneling probability, and we've shown that the insulating component in our molecule is less conducting than a vacuum gap of same dimensions. At the same time, our work also improves on recent research into carbon-based systems, which were thought to be the best molecular insulators until now."
Destructive quantum interference occurs when the peaks and valleys of two waves are placed exactly out of phase, annulling oscillation. Electronic waves can be thought of as analogous to sound waves—flowing through barriers just as sound waves "leak" through walls. The unique properties exhibited by the team's synthetic molecule mitigated tunneling without requiring, in this analogy, a thicker wall.
..."
