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We are on the cusp of a materials revolution – in electronics, health care, and avionics – says guest engineer-scientist Eric Pop. For instance, silicon and copper have served electronics admirably for decades, he says, but at the nanoscale, better materials will be needed. Atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors (like molybdenum disulfide) and topological semimetals (like niobium phosphide) are two candidates, but with AI tools to design new materials, the future is going to be really interesting, Pop tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ introduces guest Eric Pop, a professor of electrical engineering and materials science at Stanford University
(00:02:59) The Status of Electronics Today
The stability of silicon and copper and the challenges with miniaturization.
(00:06:25) Limits of Current Materials
How miniaturization has increased speed but also created new bottlenecks.
(00:10:29) Universal Memory
The need for faster, non-volatile memory that integrates directly with the CPU.
(00:14:57) The Search for Next-Gen Materials
Exploring better materials for chips, from silicon to copper alternatives.
(00:17:54) Challenges of Copper at Nanoscale
Issues with copper at the nanoscale and the potential of niobium phosphate.
(00:24:46) Two-Dimensional Semiconductors
The potential of carbon nanotubes and 2D materials as replacements for silicon.
(00:29:47) Nanoelectronics and Manufacturing
The shift to 2D materials and the challenges in scaling up production
(00:32:34) AI in Material Discovery
AI’s potential in discovering and manufacturing new materials.
(00:34:56) Conclusion
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