Graphene-like logic microprocessors have promise for Internet of Things

While graphene is the undoubted star of ultra-thin materials, other substances that can be separated into crystals only a few atoms thick are also attracting attention. The Graphene Flagship at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Vienna) has now revealed research on an integrated circuit constructed from molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), a material known as a transition metal dichalcogenide that exhibits semiconducting properties.

The processor chip contains 115 transistors, is capable of one-bit logic operations and is scalable to multibit operations that would be more useful for computing, claim the researchers. Because they are so thin and lightweight, they could potentially be used in wearable systems and other ubiquitous computing applications without adding bulk, they add.

“In principle, it’s an advantage to have a thin material for a transistor. The thinner the material, the better the electrostatic control of the transistor channel, and the smaller the power consumption,” said Thomas Mueller (TU Vienna), who led the work.