In the push to make gadgets faster and more efficient, silicon might finally have met its match. Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai have developed a working prototype that merges atomically thin materials with traditional silicon chips — potentially setting the stage for a new era in electronics.

Led by Professor Chunsen Liu, the team managed to integrate a monolayer-thick 2D memory module directly onto a conventional silicon CMOS chip. The study, published in Nature, details how their so-called “Atom2Chip” process overcomes the fragility of 2D materials such as monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂).

To make the integration possible, the researchers created a full-stack on-chip process that bonds the 2D layer to silicon’s uneven surface without damaging it. A protective package shields the ultrathin layer, while a cross-platform interface allows smooth data transfer between the 2D circuits and standard CMOS components.

The result is a 1-Kb 2D NOR flash memory chip that isn’t just a lab demo — it’s fully operational. It runs at 5 MHz, achieves 20-nanosecond programming and erasing speeds, and operates with low energy consumption. In performance and density, it already surpasses comparable silicon-only memory, offering a glimpse of chips that could make future devices slimmer, faster, and more power-efficient.

As silicon manufacturing nears its physical limits, 2D materials like MoS₂ offer atomic-level precision for further miniaturization. Yet, efforts to merge them with silicon have long been hindered by material instability and process incompatibility. Fudan’s approach demonstrates a practical solution — even executing complex instruction-driven operations on a hybrid chip that bridges both technologies.

Although this prototype focuses on memory, the same architecture could be extended to logic gates and processors. That could eventually lead to ultra-thin wearables with long battery life or AI accelerators that stay cool under heavy workloads.

Mass production and cost scaling remain significant challenges, but the breakthrough marks a critical step toward the “angstrom era” of chip design. As global research teams race to keep Moore’s Law alive through new materials, Fudan University’s success shows that the next leap in computing might be built not just in nanometers — but in atoms.

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(Source | Via)

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Semiconductors are tiny chips that are used in almost all electronic devices. They are essential to our modern technology, and they are used in everything from smartphones to TV remotes. During the pandemic, there was a global shortage of semiconductors. This caused production difficulties for many industries, and it led to higher prices for electronic devices. Thankfully, the chip shortage is now over. And researchers are already working on new ways to improve this technology. Most recently, researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology department have developed a new microchip that uses two-dimensional (2D) materials to improve its performance. Here are the details…

2D Materials-Based Microchips Could Revolutionize Electronics

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new type of microchip that uses two-dimensional materials. 2D materials are incredibly thin, with some being only a single atom thick. This makes them very strong and lightweight, and they also have unique electrical and optical features.

However, integrating 2D materials into electronic devices has been challenging due to their fragility and the difficulty of fabricating them on a large scale. The KAUST team overcame these challenges by developing a new method for transferring 2D materials onto microchips. Researchers who made a statement on the subject describe their work as follows:

“Our motivation was to increase the technology readiness level of 2D material-based electronic devices and circuits by using conventional silicon-based CMOS microcircuits as a base and standard semiconductor fabrication techniques. The challenge, however, is that synthetic 2D materials can contain local defects such as atomic impurities that can cause small devices to fail. Also, it is very difficult to integrate the 2D material into the microchip without damaging it.”

“We produced the 2D material — hexagonal boron nitride, or h-BN, on copper foil — and transferred it to the microchip using a low-temperature wet process, and we then formed electrodes over the top by conventional vacuum evaporation and photolithograpy, which are processes we have in-house. In this way we produced a 5×5 array of one-transistor/one-memristor cells connected in a crossbar matrix.”

The team is now working to improve the performance and scalability of the microchips. They are also exploring new applications for the technology. The team believes that the microchips could be used in a variety of applications, including; Wearables, flexible displays, artificial intelligence chips, medical devices, energy harvesting sensors, and Security systems. However, let’s underline that we have a long time ahead of us for these developments.

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Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) the largest chipmaker in China recently released its unaudited financial report for the fourth quarter of 2022. 

As per the report, SMIC revenue for 2022 crossed $7.2 billion, which is a 34% increase YoY. The gross margin increased to a record high of 38%. The company has reported an annual growth rate of more than 30% for two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022. The company said that mobile phone wafers accounted for 27% of its total wafer revenue and by the end of 2022, it was able to increase its monthly capacity for 8-inch wafers to 714 thousand units and an annual capacity utilization rate of 92%.

Despite the crushing sanctions by the US on China’s semiconductor industry and a downward economy, the company was able to create record sales in 2022. However, the management has predicted a bleak future as the semiconductor industry cycle is still at the bottom and there are too many complex external factors including the ongoing US-China tech war that can adversely affect the semiconductor industry. 

For the first quarter of 2023, the company is expecting a steady decline of 10% to 12% in revenue. The gross margin projection stands at 19% to 21% which is almost 19% lower than the previous year. Annual revenue for 2023 is expected to decline by a low-teens percentage year-over-year, and the gross margin is expected to be around 20%.

What is the Future of SMIC?

SMIC and its subsidiaries are one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and are the front-runners in manufacturing capability, scale, and comprehensive services in China. The company provides semiconductor foundry and technology services to global customers on 0.35 micron to FinFET process node technologies.

SMIC is currently in the expansion phase and is making continuous high investments to increase its production capacity. The company’s capital expenditure stood at $6.35 billion in 2022. By the end of the year, the company had started production in its Shenzhen plant and had entered into a pilot production phase in the the Jingcheng factory. SMIC has already completed the construction of the main fab shell at the Liangang plant and has started the construction work for the new factory at Xiqing. 

US-China Tech War: Its effects on SMIC

The mass production at SMIC Jingcheng is postponed by a couple of quarters due to a delay in getting bottleneck equipment. Though the company has not stated the reason for the delay, experts speculate that the ongoing US sanctions have made it difficult for the company to acquire important semiconductor manufacturing machines. 

In 2020, the US added SMIC and other Chinese semiconductor companies to its Entity List, which is basically a US trade blacklist. From 2020 to date, Washington is trying to desperately stop China’s advancement in the semiconductor industry as it fears that the Asian tech giant would become a global leader in fields like Artificial Intelligence, military, and quantum computing. The Biden administration, not only stopped US companies from exporting technology, equipment, personnel, and ancillary services to China’s semiconductor companies, but also roped in allies like Japan and Netherlands to boycott the Chinese chipmakers. 

China is the world’s largest semiconductor market and accounts for almost one-third of global sales. The semiconductor industry plays a vital role in the country’s technology sector and accounts for almost 30% of the GDP.  However, the country is not self-sufficient in this field, as it is heavily dependent on foreign nations for advanced technology and equipment. 

Though SMIC competes with global leaders like TSMC Taiwan and Samsung of South Korea, it is still generations behind when it comes to technology. SMIC is now working on research and development and expansion of its factories to overtake its competitors. The company has invested $197.5 million in just the fourth quarter of 2022 in research and has reported a 14.7 % YoY increase in R&D expenditure. 

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