Beyond the Silicon Plateau: A Convergence of Novel Materials for Transistor Evolution

As silicon-based transistors face fundamental scaling limits, the search for breakthrough alternatives has led to innovations in 3D architectures, heterogeneous integration, and sub-3 nm semiconductor body thicknesses. However, the true effectiveness of these advancements lies in the seamless integration of alternative semiconductors tailored for next-generation transistors. In this review, we highlight key advances that enhance both scalability and switching performance by leveraging emerging semiconductor materials. Among the most promising candidates are 2D van der Waals semiconductors, Mott insulators, and amorphous oxide semiconductors, which offer not only unique electrical properties but also low-power operation and high carrier mobility. Additionally, we explore the synergistic interactions between these novel semiconductors and advanced gate dielectrics, including high-K materials, ferroelectrics, and atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride layers. Beyond introducing these novel material configurations, we address critical challenges such as leakage current and long-term device reliability, which become increasingly crucial as transistors scale down to atomic dimensions. Through concrete examples showcasing the potential of these materials in transistors, we provide key insights into overcoming fundamental obstacles-such as device reliability, scaling down limitations, and extended applications in artificial intelligence-ultimately paving the way for the development of future transistor technologies.