An interdisciplinary team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a low-temperature growth process that can effectively and efficiently "grow" two-dimensional (2D) transition metal disulfide (TMD) material layers directly on silicon chips for more dense integration. This technology may make chips more dense and powerful. The relevant paper was published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology. This technology bypasses previous issues related to high temperature and material transfer defects, shortens growth time, and allows for the formation of uniform layers on larger 8-inch wafers, making it an ideal choice for commercial applications. Emerging artificial intelligence applications, such as chat robots that generate human language, require more intensive and powerful computer chips. But semiconductor chips are traditionally made of block like materials, which have a square three-dimensional (3D) structure, making it difficult to stack multiple layers of transistors for more dense integration. However, transistors made of ultra-thin 2D materials, each only about three atoms thick, can be stacked to create more powerful chips. Growing 2D materials directly on silicon wafers is a major challenge, as this process typically requires a high temperature of approximately 600 ℃, and silicon transistors and circuits may be damaged when heated above 400 ℃. The newly developed low-temperature growth process will not damage the chip. In the past, researchers cultivated 2D materials elsewhere and then transferred them to chips or chips. This often leads to defects that affect the performance of the final device and circuit. In addition, it is extremely difficult to smoothly transfer materials on a chip scale. In contrast, this new process can grow a smooth and highly uniform layer on an 8-inch wafer. This new technology can also significantly reduce the time required to "plant" these materials. The previous method required more than a day to grow a layer of 2D material, while the new method can grow a uniform TMD material layer on an 8-inch chip in less than an hour. Researchers say that what they are doing is like building a multi-story building. Traditionally, only one floor cannot accommodate many people. But with more floors, this building will accommodate more people. Thanks to the heterojunction integration they are researching, with silicon as the first layer, they can directly integrate many layers of 2D materials at the top. (New News Agency)