Researchers used the MIT and Tim the Beaver logos to show photoluminescence emissions from a monolayer of molybdenum disulfide inlayed onto graphene. The arrow indicates the graphene-MoS2 lateral heterostructure, which could potentially form the basis for ultrathin computer chips. (Image courtesy of Xi Ling and Yuxuan Lin.)
Who: Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT.
What: A new chip-fabrication technique that enables significantly different materials to be deposited in the same layer. The experimental chip uses molybdenum disulfide and graphene. To assemble laterally integrated circuits, the researchers first deposited a layer of graphene on a silicon substrate. Then they etched it away in the regions where they wish to deposit the molybdenum disulfide.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-4095
Where: Ultralow-power, high-speed tunneling transistors and, potentially, for the integration of optical components into computer chips.
When: Applied research/demonstration stage.
