For almost two decades, scientists have been trying to move beyond silicon, the material that powers every modern computer chip. Their hope lies in ultrathin 2D semiconductors—materials just one or two atoms thick that could enable smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient transistors.
Now, new research from engineers at Duke University suggests that we may have been looking at these materials through a distorted lens. The study authors found that a widely used laboratory testing method can significantly exaggerate transistor performance.
In some cases, devices appeared up to six times better than they would under realistic conditions — a difference large enough to reshape how researchers evaluate the future of 2D electronics.
The findings highlight an important problem: the way many 2D transistors are tested in labs is not compatible with how real commercial chips are built.
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