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Thanks to the recent experiment they have conducted, Stanford researchers unveil new atom-wide tin material that can boost the electricity charge of devices. The newly revealed material is called 2D statene and it is a close relative of the famous graphene, as scientists have explained.
The benefits of graphene have long been discovered by scientists, who plan on using its 3D structure to create faster computer chips. However, 2D statene has proven itself even more efficient due to its honeycomb pattern. For that matter, the one-atom wide tin material could be used in the construction of many electronic devices in the future.
The experiment consisted in the vaporization of the tin material with the help of a special vacuum that scientists have created for the current experiment. During these tests, the atoms have freely arranged themselves, thus leading to the formation of a new material that is only one atom thick. This discovery has long been foreseen by scientists, but the theory has not been mirrored by practice so far.
Closer analyses of the new material have revealed that it is a much better semiconductor than other resources that have been tested and used so far. According to researchers, 2D statene is better than graphene and other materials because electrons travel at a much faster rate on its surface. Even so, no collisions between electrons and atoms have been registered during experiments.
Physicists have taken a closer look at this discovery because they wanted to explain why the electrons behave differently on the tin material. They have found out that the honeycombed pattern of the material enables the electrons to move through the center of the sheet and not on its edges, as is the case with previous materials.
This new trajectory makes electrons a lot faster, while reducing temperatures and collision risks. The natural conclusion following these experiments would be that tin may be used to produce computers that are faster, even though the CPU specifications remain the same. Since 2D statene produces much more electricity without wasting energy it has been labeled as a good replacement for microprocessor wiring.
In spite of all the hype that the discovery of the new material has triggered, there are many experiments that researchers have to conduct. Before they use the new material in the construction of various devices, scientists have to find out if the one-atom mesh is indeed 2D statene or other material.
There is but one way to do this, according to the co-author of the study, Shou-Cheng Zhang, The arrangements of the crystals existing in the material have to be closely observed to find out where the mesh could be included, the author concluded.
Image source: www.phys.org
