The resurrection of tellurium as an elemental two-dimensional semiconductor


Abstract "The graphene boom has triggered a widespread search for novel elemental van der Waals materials thanks to their simplicity for theoretical modeling and easy access for material growth. Group VI element tellurium is an unintentionally p-type doped narrow bandgap semiconductor featuring a one-dimensional chiral atomic structure which holds great promise for next-generation electronic, ... » read more

Pressure-induced Anderson-Mott transition in elemental tellurium


Oliveira, J.F., Fontes, M.B., Moutinho, M. et al. Pressure-induced Anderson-Mott transition in elemental tellurium. Commun Mater 2, 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-020-00110-1 Abstract: "Elemental tellurium is a small band-gap semiconductor, which is always p-doped due to the natural occurrence of vacancies. Its chiral non-centrosymmetric structure, characterized by helical chains ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: March 31


Tellurium transistors Researchers from Purdue University, Washington University in St Louis, University of Texas at Dallas, and Michigan Technological University propose the rare earth element tellurium as a potential material for ultra-small transistors. Encapsulated in a nanotube made of boron nitride, tellurium helps build a field-effect transistor with a diameter of two nanometers. �... » read more

System Bits: July 1


In the quest to build gadgets that can survive the abuse, engineers have been testing electronic systems based on new materials that are both flexible and switchable – that is, capable of toggling between two electrical states: on-off, one-zero, the binary commands that can program all things digital. At the same time, three Stanford researchers believe that they’ve discovered just such ... » read more