New transistors switch at nanosecond speeds and deliver remarkable durability — ferroelectric material transistor could revolutionize electronics, say MIT scientists

Generic circuit diagram rendering.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team that created a new ferroelectric material in 2021 has used the same substance to build a transistor. This novel ultra-thin transistor is claimed to be superior to those used in today’s electronics. Specifically, the scientists boast of rapid nanosecond switching speeds and remarkable durability.

“In my lab, we primarily do fundamental physics,” says Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics who led the team behind the breakthrough (via Interesting Engineering). “This is one of the first, and perhaps most dramatic, examples of how very basic science has led to something that could have a major impact on applications.”