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Shrinking components was (and still is) the main way to boost the speed of all electronic devices; however, as devices get tinier, making them becomes trickier. A group of scientists from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University has discovered another method to enhance performance: putting a special metal layer known as a metamaterial on top of a silicon base to make electrons move faster. This approach shows promise, but the tricky part is managing the metamaterial's structure so it can adapt to real-world needs.
To address this, the team looked into vanadium dioxide (VO₂). When heated, VO₂ changes from non-conductive to metallic, allowing it to carry electric charge like small adjustable electrodes. The researchers used this effect to create 'living' microelectrodes, which made silicon photodetectors better at spotting terahertz light. "We made a terahertz photodetector with VO₂ as a metamaterial. Using a precise method, we created a high-quality VO₂ layer on silicon. By controlling the temperature, we adjusted the size of the metallic regions—much larger than previously possible—which affected how the silicon detected terahertz light," says lead author Ai I. Osaka.
When the temperature was just right, VO₂s metallic parts formed a network that changed the electric field in the silicon layer. As a result, the silicon became more responsive to terahertz light, and by changing the temperature, it allowed the 'living' metallic regions in VO₂ to boost the silicon's reaction to terahertz light.
"Heating the photodetector to 56°C significantly improved its signal. This happened because the silicon layer and the dynamic VO₂ microelectrode network worked together at this temperature. The controlled VO₂ structure amplified the electric field, improving silicon's performance," explains senior author Azusa Hattori.
This research points to the potential of metamaterials, as it could pave the way for quicker, more effective electronics that surpass what traditional materials can do. However, one of the concerns is the fact that in order to be effective, the temperature must be controlled precisely.
The article "Si−VO₂ Hybrid Materials with Tunable Networks of Submicrometer Metallic VO₂ Domains Provide Enhanced Diode Functionality," was published in ACS Applied Electronic Materials.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
To address this, the team looked into vanadium dioxide (VO₂). When heated, VO₂ changes from non-conductive to metallic, allowing it to carry electric charge like small adjustable electrodes. The researchers used this effect to create 'living' microelectrodes, which made silicon photodetectors better at spotting terahertz light. "We made a terahertz photodetector with VO₂ as a metamaterial. Using a precise method, we created a high-quality VO₂ layer on silicon. By controlling the temperature, we adjusted the size of the metallic regions—much larger than previously possible—which affected how the silicon detected terahertz light," says lead author Ai I. Osaka.
When the temperature was just right, VO₂s metallic parts formed a network that changed the electric field in the silicon layer. As a result, the silicon became more responsive to terahertz light, and by changing the temperature, it allowed the 'living' metallic regions in VO₂ to boost the silicon's reaction to terahertz light.
"Heating the photodetector to 56°C significantly improved its signal. This happened because the silicon layer and the dynamic VO₂ microelectrode network worked together at this temperature. The controlled VO₂ structure amplified the electric field, improving silicon's performance," explains senior author Azusa Hattori.
This research points to the potential of metamaterials, as it could pave the way for quicker, more effective electronics that surpass what traditional materials can do. However, one of the concerns is the fact that in order to be effective, the temperature must be controlled precisely.
The article "Si−VO₂ Hybrid Materials with Tunable Networks of Submicrometer Metallic VO₂ Domains Provide Enhanced Diode Functionality," was published in ACS Applied Electronic Materials.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source