2D Computer: Silicon Replaced by Atom-Thin Tech
- In a potential leap for semiconductor technology, Penn State-led researchers have constructed a functional computer using two-dimensional (2D) materials instead of silicon.
- The team, led by saptarshi Das, Ackley Professor of Engineering at Penn State, successfully built a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) computer, the foundation of modern electronics, using molybdenum...
- Das said that while silicon has driven advances for decades, its performance degrades as devices shrink.
News flash: Penn State researchers have pioneered a working computer constructed from two-dimensional (2D) materials, a groundbreaking advancement poised to revolutionize the tech landscape. This innovative leap replaces silicon with atom-thin materials like molybdenum disulfide adn tungsten diselenide, possibly leading to faster, more efficient electronics. The team successfully built a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) computer using these materials, demonstrating the feasibility of replacing customary silicon components. these 2D materials could be the future and offer key advantages, including sustained performance at the atomic level, addressing the performance degradation that silicon faces with shrinking device sizes. The 2D computer performs basic logic at 25 kilohertz.News Directory 3 is excited by this future. Discover what’s next as this technology evolves.
Penn State Researchers Build Computer From 2D Materials
Updated June 12, 2025
In a potential leap for semiconductor technology, Penn State-led researchers have constructed a functional computer using two-dimensional (2D) materials instead of silicon. This marks a significant step toward creating thinner, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics.
The team, led by saptarshi Das, Ackley Professor of Engineering at Penn State, successfully built a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) computer, the foundation of modern electronics, using molybdenum disulfide for n-type transistors and tungsten diselenide for p-type transistors.
Das said that while silicon has driven advances for decades, its performance degrades as devices shrink. He added that 2D materials maintain their properties at the atomic level, offering a promising alternative.
The key, according to Das, was combining n-type and p-type semiconductors to achieve high performance with low power consumption. Previous efforts to scale 2D materials to complex computers had been unsuccessful.
Using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), the team grew large sheets of molybdenum disulfide and tungsten diselenide, fabricating over 1,000 transistors of each type. Fine-tuning the fabrication process allowed them to adjust the threshold voltages, enabling functional CMOS logic circuits.
Subir Ghosh, a doctoral student working under Das, said their 2D CMOS computer operates at low voltages, consumes minimal power, and performs simple logic operations at frequencies up to 25 kilohertz.
Ghosh added that while the operating frequency is lower than silicon CMOS circuits, their one instruction set computer can still perform basic logic. He also noted that a computational model was developed to project the performance of their 2D CMOS computer and benchmark it against silicon technology.
Das noted that while further development is needed, the field is advancing rapidly compared to silicon technology, which has been in development for about 80 years.
What’s next
Researchers plan to continue optimizing the 2D CMOS computer approach, aiming for broader applications and improved performance to fully realize the potential of 2D materials in future electronics.