Even before Weixiao Huang received his doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, his new transistor captured the attention of some of the biggest American and Japanese automobile companies. The 2008 graduate’s invention could replace one of the most common pieces of technology in the world — the silicon transistor for high-power and high-temperature electronics.

 

Huang, who comes from humble roots as the son of farmers in rural China, has invented a new transistor that uses a compound material known as gallium nitride (GaN), which has remarkable material properties. The new GaN transistor could reduce the power consumption and improve the efficiency of power electronics systems in everything from motor drives and hybrid vehicles to house appliances and defense equipment.

 

“Silicon has been the workhorse in the semiconductor industry for last two decades,” Huang said. “But as power electronics get more sophisticated and require higher performing transistors, engineers have been seeking an alternative like gallium nitride-based transistors that can perform better than silicon and in extreme conditions.”

 

More at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute...

IBM release about a paper every 3 months saying "this will replace silicon in the next 5 years" and have been doing so for well over 20 years Forgive me for being cynical

I think Hafnium Oxide chips have even better dielectric constants for faster smaller chips. Intel are starting to use already I think - google "hafnium chip" for more info.

 

We'll need mroe advances like this for Moore's Law to continue I think.

Hafnium Oxide is a replacement for the oxide layer not for the semiconducting layer.

Hafnium Oxide is a replacement for the oxide layer not for the semiconducting layer.

 

Sorry Klaynos - right you are!