Samsung device may revolutionize transistors

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest computer memory-chip maker, said yesterday it has developed a graphene device that could help revolutionize the capabilities of transistors.

Samsung’s advanced institute of technology said it has successfully created a three-terminal active device with a graphene variable barrier, which can effectively cut off electric currents in transistors.

Graphene is a super-strong and flexible material with the potential to be used in next-generation semiconductors and displays. Until now, its inability to cut off electric currents has made its use in transistors impossible.

“If the experimental graphene device is fully developed, it could be used to make transistors with 100 times the computing power of conventional silicon units,” the institute said. “So it could help make better semiconductors and other electronic devices.”

The breakthrough has been published in the online edition of Science and nine patents have been secured.

Samsung has invested heavily in R&D in recent years to stay ahead of its rivals. The company announced earlier it has started mass production of the world’s first 20-nano level low power double data rate two (LPDDR2), 4 gigabit mobile DRAMs.

With a thickness of just 8 millimeters (0.31 inches), the new mobile DRAMs can be used in notebooks and mobile devices. These are 20 percent smaller, have faster processing speeds but use the same power as the current 30 nano LPDDR2 mobile DRAMs.

The tech giant said it will make the 20-nano DRAMs its main mobile DRAM products in the second half of this year.Yonhap