Silicon

A cooler way to protect silicon surfacesNew room-temperature process could lead to less expensive solar cells and other electronic devices.

Researchers demonstrate record-setting p-type transistorNew design for a basic component of all computer chips boasts the highest ‘carrier mobility’ yet measured.

Tiny compound semiconductor transistor could challenge silicon’s dominanceMIT researchers develop the smallest indium gallium arsenide transistor ever built.

New way to grow microwiresResearchers find simple, inexpensive method to produce silicon wires for sensors, batteries and solar cells.

Silicon can be made to melt in reverseMaterial that shows melting while cooling might someday lead to applications in solar cells and other devices

Straining forwardNanowires made of ‘strained silicon’ — silicon whose atoms have been pried slightly apart — show how to keep increases in computer power coming.

Selling chip makers on optical computingBy designing chips that can be built using existing fabrication processes, MIT researchers show that computing with light isn’t so far fetched.