公众号记得加星标⭐️，第一时间看推送不会错过。 遵循摩尔定律，集成电路中晶体管尺寸的持续缩小——微芯片上的晶体管数量大约每两年翻一番—— 是一项非凡的工程壮举，突破了基础物理学的极限。晶体管是关键元件，它通过开关电流来调节端子 （导电连接点）之间的电流。当晶体管尺寸减小时，开关速度加快，从而使集成电路能够更快地处理 信息。 然而，随着晶体管尺寸缩小到纳米级，互连线——连接晶体管和微芯片上其他电路元件的金属导线 ——成为处理速度的主要瓶颈。因此，提升下一代电子设备集成电路的性能不能仅仅依靠缩小晶体管 尺寸来实现，还需要开发新型互连材料。 互连线用于将信号从一个电路元件传输到另一个电路元件。信号在导线中传输所需的时间称为电阻- 电容 (RC) 时间延迟，它取决于互连材料的固有电阻和周围介质元件（一种可被电场极化的电绝缘 体）的电容。因此，铜作为导电性最好的金属之一，一直是互连线的标准材料。然而，仿真结果表 明，目前使用的最小互连线（宽度约为 15 nm）的 RC 时间延迟可能高达晶体管开关速度的 20 倍。 互连线的RC时间延迟为何如此之大？铜的电阻会随着尺寸的减小而增大。金属内部电子的运动是造 成这种尺寸效应影 ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the development of a new type of ultra-thin film made of niobium phosphide (NbP) that exhibits significantly lower electrical resistance as its thickness decreases, contrasting with traditional conductors like copper which show increased resistance at the nanoscale [1][2][4]. Group 1: Research Findings - Researchers at Stanford University have created NbP films with thicknesses ranging from 1.5 nanometers to 80 nanometers, finding that the resistance decreases as the film becomes thinner [3][4]. - The resistance of a 1.5 nanometer thick NbP layer at room temperature is approximately 34 micro-ohm centimeters, which is about one-sixth of the resistance of thicker films and significantly lower than that of copper, which has a resistance of around 100 micro-ohm centimeters at similar thickness [2][3]. Group 2: Implications for Technology - The low resistance of the NbP films is attributed to their surface conductivity being greater than that of the bulk material, a behavior referred to as "topological semimetal" [4]. - This advancement is crucial for the manufacturing of smaller digital circuits, as it allows for reduced energy loss in the form of heat at transistor connections, leading to more energy-efficient integrated circuits [6]. Group 3: Manufacturing Considerations - The NbP films can be deposited at relatively low temperatures of 400 degrees Celsius, making them compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes, unlike other experimental ultra-thin conductors that require much higher synthesis temperatures [6]. - However, there are commercial challenges, such as the importance of layer tolerances on performance, particularly the thickness of the Nb seed layer which affects the quality and resistance of the resulting NbP film [6]. Group 4: Future Research Directions - The lead researcher, Eric Pop, suggests that NbP may be just one of several materials exhibiting this desirable behavior, and further testing is needed to explore other materials that may also show low resistance with decreasing thickness [6].