A single semiconductor material combines P- and N-type operation; University of Seoul (UOS) opens a path to lower manufacturing costs

[Financial News] South Korean researchers have developed a technology that achieves both P-type and N-type operation using a single semiconductor material, paving the way for significant reductions in semiconductor manufacturing steps and costs.
A joint research team comprising Professor Kim Hyeok of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Seoul and Professor Lee Yong-ju of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering at Dong-A University announced on the 27th that it had developed a bipolar transistor that performs both P-type and N-type operations simultaneously using a single organic material, and successfully extended the technology to digital logic circuits.
Conventional semiconductor circuits had to use different materials to implement P-type and N-type operation separately. This made manufacturing processes more complex and drove up production costs. The team designed a device that enables both electrons and holes to move efficiently within a single material, drawing on the properties of the organic semiconductor material IEICO-4F.
The research went beyond the basic device level and successfully demonstrated the operation of actual semiconductor circuits. The team demonstrated stable digital logic operation by not only implementing a high-performance inverter but also operating NAND and NOR logic gates, which are central to memory and computing circuits.
Process simplification is expected not only to reduce production costs but also to make it easier to fabricate large-area and flexible electronic devices. Professor Kim Hyeok of UOS said, “By implementing both P-type and N-type operation with a single material, we reduced the materials and processes needed to make circuits.” He added, “This could be extended to a range of next-generation semiconductor industry fields, including wearable devices and low-power integrated circuits.”
The findings were published in the international journal Advanced Functional Materials. The research was conducted with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Mid-Career Researcher Support Program, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Semiconductor Advanced Strategic Industry Super-Gap Technology Development Project, and other programs.
[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter