A transistor that replaces entire logic circuits. Free Technical Library News

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Transistor that replaces entire logic circuits

26.12.2021

Scientists have taken a step in an interesting direction in the production of semiconductors - they have developed a dynamically programmable transistor, which alone can implement such multi-component logic as NOR, NAND and others. The proposed transistor fits easily into the existing production infrastructure and does not use exotic materials. A special benefit from its use is expected in the field of artificial intelligence.

A conventional transistor consists of two electrodes for the current-carrying channel and another electrode for controlling the channel (gate). Gate control allows current to pass through the transistor or to turn it off. Almost all modern digital electronics is based on this principle. Researchers from the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) proposed adding two additional electrodes to the transistor structure and connecting them with the thinnest pure germanium (Ge) thread. And it brought success.

Due to its electronic properties, germanium exhibits a negative differential resistance effect. This means that as the voltage increases in a certain area, the current stops increasing and a dip forms. The more voltage we apply on such a segment of the current-voltage characteristic, the less current, which can also be used to switch the device (signal).

This additional metal-germanium junction (aluminum is used as the metal electrodes) makes it possible to program the transistor for given threshold switching voltages. We emphasize that this threshold can be dynamically set at a given level - this is actually programming the transistor for a series of sequential logical operations instead of a simple "on" or "off".

"Until now, the intelligence of electronics has arisen simply by connecting several transistors, each with only a fairly primitive functionality. In the future, this intelligence can be transferred to the adaptability of the new transistor itself," said Professor Walter M. Weber. - Arithmetic operations , which previously required 160 transistors, will become possible with 24 transistors due to this increased adaptability. In this way, the speed and power efficiency of the circuits can also be greatly increased."

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