2024-01-09 12:38:00
Silk is the material of the future: researchers have created transistors that respond to humidity
Silk transistors are revolutionizing medicine, computer science and energy.
New research published in a magazine Advanced Materials is unlocking the potential of silk in transistor production, which could lead to highly sensitive and ultra-fast sensors. The development paves the way for many new applications for hybrid devices.
Transistors, typically made from inorganic materials such as minerals and metals, can take on new properties when organic materials are added. Researchers at Tufts University have experimented with using silk in transistors. The authors of the work note the unique properties of silk, such as the ability to incorporate various molecules, control of application and biocompatibility.
The researchers created silk films ranging from 3 to 300 nanometers thick on chips, using them as an insulator in transistors. The nanoscale thickness of the silk films helped them respond to water molecules in the air, changing their electrical behavior and the behavior of the transistor. This means that hybrid transistors can serve as compact, ultra-fast and highly sensitive sensors that detect changes in humidity.
By applying manufacturing techniques used in commercial semiconductor manufacturing, researchers envision billions of such devices being built. Possible applications include analyzing breath molecules to detect cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, sleep apnea, and monitoring blood oxygen and sugar levels.
In the future, hybrid transistors could lead to circuits that mimic the brain, capable of learning, responding to the environment, and recording memories, much like neural networks. Experts see promise in creating functional devices consisting of many interconnected transistors for more complex integrated circuits.
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