Rugged components may benefit from diamond transistors, researchers say
NewsMarch 29, 2024
WENHEIM, Germany. Researchers in Japan report that they created the first "n-channel" diamond-based transistor, which they say brings the scientific computing community closer to processors that can operate at super-high temperatures, according to findings in the scientific journal Advanced Science.
According to the research team, by using diamond in transistors -- the electrical switches that flip between 1 and 0 when voltage is applied -- they eliminated the need for direct cooling of parts and increased the range of environments where processors can operate, including the harsh environments of space.
In the recently reported study, the research team built a transistor using several diamond epilayers with phosphorus added in different amounts to make what they assert is the world's first operational n-channel (that is, using electrons to carry charge) MOSFET [metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor] made using diamond.
Upon testing to check for conductivity performance, the researchers found that the n-type diamond MOSFETs exhibited a high field-effect mobility around 150 cm2/V/sec at 573K, referring to high conductivity and stability at extremely high temperatures. This was "the highest among all the n-channel MOSFETs based on wide-bandgap semiconductors," they noted.
Additional information on the study can be found on the Wiley/Advanced Science website.
