China may have just taken a significant step forward in the global chip race. A team of researchers from Peking University says it has developed a silicon-free transistor that could dramatically improve processor speed and efficiency—and reshape how silicon-free chips are built in the future.
In a study published in Nature Materials, the team describes a next-generation chip architecture that replaces traditional silicon with a two-dimensional material called bismuth oxyselenide. Not only is this material thinner and more flexible than silicon, but it also enables faster electron movement and better control of electrical currents.
The transistor design wraps the gate around all sides of the source, unlike conventional designs that cover only three. This complete wrapping boosts current control and cuts down on energy loss—two key improvements that lead to faster performance and lower power use.
According to the researchers, chips built using this new silicon-free transistor could run up to 40 percent faster than top-tier silicon chips made by companies like Intel. Even more impressive, they could do so while using 10 percent less energy.
That combination of speed and efficiency is largely due to the unique properties of bismuth oxyselenide. The material allows for higher carrier mobility, which means electrons can move faster, giving it a high dielectric constant, which helps it store electrical energy more effectively.
Lead researcher Hailin Peng described the breakthrough as more than just an upgrade to existing silicon tech. “If chip innovations based on existing materials are considered a ‘shortcut’, then our development of 2D material-based transistors is akin to ‘changing lanes,’” he told the South China Morning Post.
Beyond its technical promise, the new transistor could also have global implications. As China faces ongoing restrictions on advanced U.S. chips, a move toward silicon-free transistors could offer a path to more independent chip development—and a new advantage in semiconductor innovation.
For now, the transistor remains at the research stage. But if it scales successfully, this breakthrough may not only challenge the dominance of silicon, but it could completely rewrite the roadmap for the next generation of chips.
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