‘One-dimensional’ material seems suitable for nanoelectronics

Scientists have discovered that nanostrips of quasi-1d materials have a high electrical current density. This may make the material suitable as a successor to copper and silicon as a conductive material for interconnects.

The research comes from the American university UC Riverside, where a team of scientists has been focusing on 1D materials instead of 2D materials for electronics for some time. 2D materials involve layers of atoms, and graphene, for example, is seen as an interesting candidate for electronics. 1d materials involve chains of atoms, which enables applications on an even smaller scale than graphene.

The researchers worked with zirconium tritelluride, which consists of a chain of atoms in crystalline configuration. They do not have the disadvantage of a rough surface like polycrystalline metals, so that electrons do not spread. The researchers think this is the reason for the high electrical current density of the 1d material.

That current density is fifty times higher than copper and is almost at the level of carbon nanotubes and graphene. In time it may be possible to grow the material as nanowire. The electronics and semiconductor industry will need nano-scale materials with high current density in the future, otherwise the development towards smaller components will run into a barrier.

Integrated circuits require a higher current density as they get smaller: the less space there is for the electrons, the lower the currents and the slower the transistors. Applying higher electric currents to thinner copper lines can cause overheating and lead to fractures.

Materials such as graphene and zirconium tritelluride could serve as alternatives in the future.

Microscopic image of electronics created with one-dimensional ZrTe3 nanostrips. The metal contacts are yellow and are laid across the channel, in green.