Will other materials replace silicon for use in transistors for integrated circuits?

Ruixi Wang

doi:10.54254/2977-3903/2025.22395

Research Article

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Published on 16 April 2025

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Wang,R. (2025). Will other materials replace silicon for use in transistors for integrated circuits?. Advances in Engineering Innovation,16(4),60-74.

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Will other materials replace silicon for use in transistors for integrated circuits?

Ruixi Wang *^,1,

¹ The University of New South Wales

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2977-3903/2025.22395

Abstract

Moore's Law states that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. Due to the physical limits of silicon transistors, there is a need for a material with better development potential than silicon to make transistors, in order to develop more advanced integrated circuits. Looking back at the literature, research has been going on for decades, and currently the promising materials are gallium and germanium, which have different properties; gallium compounds are well suited for semiconductors, Gallium nitride can withstand higher electric fields and conduct electrons more efficiently than silicon. Compared to other materials, germanium transistors offer a cost-effective solution and can be mass-produced efficiently. In general, people are bound to work out more significant integrated circuit. Gallium transistors and germanium transistors will certainly take over part of the transistor body market, but will not be able to completely replace silicon as the main material for integrated circuits.

Keywords

integrated circuits, silicon substitutes, Gallium Arsenide, Germanium, semiconductor materials

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Cite this article

Wang,R. (2025). Will other materials replace silicon for use in transistors for integrated circuits?. Advances in Engineering Innovation,16(4),60-74.

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Journal：Advances in Engineering Innovation

Volume number: Vol.16

ISSN：2977-3903(Print) / 2977-3911(Online)

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