February 1, 2016, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University -- The end of Moore's Law -- the prediction that transistor density would double every two years -- was one of the hottest topics in electronics-related discussions in 2015. Silicon-based technologies have nearly reached the physical limits of the number and size of transistors that can be crammed into one chip, but alternative technologies are still far from mass implementation. The amount of heat generated during operation and the sizes of atoms and molecules in materials used in transistor manufacturing are some of problems that need to be solved for Moore's Law to make a comeback.

Atomic and molecular sizes cannot be changed, but the heat problem is not unsolvable. Recent research has shown that in two-dimensional systems, including semiconductors, electrical resistance decreases and can reach almost zero when they are subjected to magnetic and microwave influence. Electrical resistance produces a loss of energy in the form of heat; therefore, a decrease in resistance reduces heat generation. There are several different models and explanations for the zero-resistance phenomenon in these systems. however, the scientific community has not reached an agreement on this matter because semiconductors used in electronics are complex and processes in them are difficult to model mathematically.

Research conducted by the Quantum Dynamics Unit at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology graduate University (OIST) could represent an important step in understanding two-dimensional semiconductors. The Unit's latest paper, published in Physical Review Letters, describes anomalies in the behaviour of electrons in electrons on liquid helium two-dimensional system.
The system is maintained at a temperature close to absolute zero (-272.75ºC or 0.4K) to keep the helium liquefied. Extraneous electrons are bound to the helium surface because their presence causes slight changes in the orbits of helium electrons, inducing a subtle positive charge at the helium surface. At the same time, free electrons lack the energy required to penetrate the surface to enter the liquid. The resulting system is ideal for studying various electron properties, as it has virtually zero impurities, which avoids artefacts caused by defects of surface and structure, or due to the presence of other chemical elements. Prof. Denis Konstantinov, head of the Quantum Dynamics Unit, and his team study conditions under which electrons can violate selection rules regulating transitions from one state to another.

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