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from the same group as silicon fit seamlessly into the crystal lattice on the wafer. Elements from other groups disrupt the sensitive struc- ture. The underlying process is called epitaxy, a key process in semiconductor technology in which thin layers are deposited on a substrate with atomic precision.


Optics Meets Electronics Dan Buca’s team together


with various research groups had already succeeded in com- bining silicon, germanium, and tin to develop transistors, pho- todetectors, lasers, LEDs, and thermoelectric materials. The addition of carbon now provides even greater control over the band gap — the key factor that determines electronic and pho- tonic behaviour.


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researcher Lei Zhu, a professor of macromolecular science and engineering at the Case School of Engineering. “Unlike current ferroelectric materials, it doesn’t have to crystallize to lock in the polarity that gives it electrical properties.”


Electronic Polymers Polymers are large mole-


cules composed of long chains of smaller molecular units that can be man-made — such as plastics — or natural, like in a person’s hair or DNA. By changing a poly- mer’s molecular structure and length, it can vary its strength, flexibility, heat-resistance and ability to be recycled.


www.us-tech.com “An example is a laser that


also works at room temperature. Many optical applications from the silicon group are still in their infancy,” explains Dan Buca. “There are also new opportuni- ties for the development of suit- able thermoelectrics to convert heat into electrical energy in wearables and computer chips.”


Within the Lattice For a long time, manufac-


turing such a material was thought to be virtually impossi- ble. Carbon atoms are tiny while the tin atoms are large, and their bonding forces are very different. Only through precise adjust- ments to the production process was it possible to combine these opposites — using an industrial CVD system from AIXTRON AG. No special apparatus was re-


August 2025 New Semiconductor for Future Chips...


quired, just equipment similar to that already standard in chip manufacturing. The result: a high-quality


material with a uniform compo- sition. This also led to the first light-emitting diode based on so- called quantum well structures made from all four elements — an important step towards new optoelectronic components. “The material offers a


unique combination of tunable optical properties and silicon compatibility,” says Dr. Giovanni Capellini from IHP, who has been working with Dan Buca for over ten years to explore the ap- plication potential of new Group IV semiconductors. “This lays the foundation for scalable pho- tonic, thermoelectric and quan- tum technology components.” Web: www.fz-juelich.de r


Eco-Friendly Electronic Plastic... Ferroelectricity refers to cer-


tain materials with what is known as “spontaneous polariza- tion” that can be reversed by ap- plying an electric field — like an on-off switch. Ferroelectric mate- rials allow for the development of smaller, more efficient electronic devices, reducing our reliance on traditional energy sources.


Flexible On-Off Switches The new material Zhu and


his research team have created is both flexible and has what is known as tunable electronic properties, which means they can be switched on and off. They have wide applications


in infrared detectors and sensors in wearable electronics, for


which the materials need to be soft, pliable and elastic to be compatible with the human body. Conventional ceramic fer- roelectric materials are rigid and brittle.


Polymers have the advan-


tage of being flexible and light- weight, but the dominant ferro- electric polymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride), or PVDF, doesn’t natu- rally degrade in the environ- ment, making it a “forever chem- ical.” The new material is made without fluorine. Ferroelectric polymers also


have applications in sensors for ultrasound diagnostic tools be- cause they are acoustically com- patible with biological tissues. They are also potentially useful in augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) goggles.


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Tech-Op-Ed .............................4 Tech Watch ...........................10 People......................................12 Business News......................14 Business Briefs.................... 15 Management......................... 16 EMS .......................................18 Electronic Mfg. Prods.............26 Production............................ 36 Partnering............................. 38 Distribution........................... 40 New Products........................50 High-Tech Events..................60 2026 Editorial Calendar.........60 Advertisers Index...................62


Special Focus: Test and Inspection.............. 42


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