The invention also opens the door to a new generation of high-performance electronic devices made with organic materials that will be biodegradable or that can be easily recycled, promising to help substantially reduce e-waste, says ANU.
The organic component has the thickness of just one atom - made from just carbon and hydrogen - and forms part of the semiconductor that the ANU team developed. The inorganic component has the thickness of around two atoms. The hybrid structure is said to be capable of converting electricity into light efficiently for displays on mobile phones, televisions and other electronic devices.
The team grew the organic semiconductor component molecule by molecule, in a similar way to 3D printing – a process known as chemical vapour deposition.
"We characterised the opto-electronic and electrical properties of our invention to confirm the tremendous potential of it to be used as a future semiconductor component," said Associate Professor Larry Lu from the ANU Research School of Engineering.
According to the team, their experiments demonstrate that the semiconductor’s performance would be much more efficient than conventional semiconductors made with inorganic materials such as silicon, and opens up possibilities to make mobile phones as powerful as today’s supercomputers.
"We are working on growing our semiconductor component on a large scale, so it can be commercialised in collaboration with prospective industry partners,” adds Assoc Prof. Lu.