‘Changing lanes’: China heralds fastest-ever chip technology – without silicon

Research path ‘born out of necessity’ leads Peking University scientists to develop faster, more efficient transistor

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The Peking University researchers, led by Peng Hailin (right) said their breakthrough has the potential to circumvent the use of silicon in semiconductors entirely. Photo: Peking University

Published: 12:01pm, 11 Mar 2025

A team of researchers at Peking University claims to have shattered chip performance limits and proven that China can use new materials to “change lanes” in the semiconductor race by circumventing silicon-based roadblocks entirely.

The researchers, led by physical chemistry professor Peng Hailin, said their self-engineered 2D transistor could operate 40 per cent faster than Intel and TSMC’s cutting-edge 3-nanometre silicon chips, while consuming 10 per cent less energy.

“It is the fastest, most efficient transistor ever,” according to an official statement published last week on the PKU website.

“If chip innovations based on existing materials are considered a ‘short cut’, then our development of 2D material-based transistors is akin to ‘changing lanes’,” Peng said in the statement.

“While this path is born out of necessity due to current sanctions, it also forces researchers to find solutions from fresh perspectives,” he added.

According to Peng and his team, their bismuth-based transistor outperformed the most advanced comparable devices from Intel, TSMC, Samsung and the Belgian Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre, when placed under the same operating conditions.