Physicists say they made the smallest microchips ever that would help computers and smartphones thousands of times faster.
Researchers from the University of Sussex shook a strip of graphene and used other 2D materials, in a process similar to nano-origami.
They performed the nanomaterial function as a transistor, essential for the regulation of electrical power in machines, while the graphene behaved like a microchip.
It is about 100 times smaller than normal microchips, which may be ideal for smaller devices, especially smartphones.
“We mechanically create kinks in a series of graphene,” explained Professor Alan Dalton, from the University of Sussex.
“It’s a bit like nano-origami.
“Using these nanomaterials will make our computer chips smaller and faster.
“It is absolutely vital that this happens as computer manufacturers are now at the forefront of traditional semiconducting technology.
“Ultimately, this will speed up our computers and phones thousands of times in the future. ”
“This type of technology, straintronics uses nanomaterials instead of electronics, allows for more chips within any device.
“Everything we want to do with computers, to accelerate them, can be done by pressing graphene like this. ”
The research, published in the journal ACS Nano, could be greener and more sustainable than existing technology in that it does not require additional materials and is capable of operating at room temperature. instead of high temperatures.
Lead author Dr Manoj Tripathi, from the University of Sussex, said: “Instead of putting foreign materials into a machine, we have shown that we can create structures from graphene and other 2D materials just by adding connections into the structure.
“By doing this type of corrugation we can create a sleek electronic component, such as a transistor, or a logic gate. ”