Re:New Metal-Air Transistor Replaces Semiconductors
by nine_k on Sunday December 02, 2018 @12:02PM
(#18583143)
Holes are virtual particles. They are spots with a missing electron. A hole "moves" when an electron moves in an opposite direction.
Re:New Metal-Air Transistor Replaces Semiconductors
by twtw on Sunday December 02, 2018 @02:30PM
(#18584027)
True, but not really an answer to the question.
Unlike semiconductor devices, there is only one "kind" of vacuum tube. A push-pull amplifier with vacuum tubes requires an anti phase generator before the high and low side drivers, while with both n- and p- type available you sorta get this for free.
You can make electrons jump from emitter to collector over nanoscopic distances in "air," but how to you make a hole to do the same? With my level of understanding of physics, that's impossible.
And without a P device, you can't make a CMOS pair. Thus, any logic family using it will eat tons of current.
You can't use it for logic in a real world application, but if they can solve the endurance issue, that will be an enviable device for use in power gating. Active logic may also be of interest (it is still being used for ultra high frequency DACs in military radar tech)