17-07-2025
German scientists create material that never existed before and could transform semiconductors, lasers, and quantum technology
Researchers in Germany have successfully created a material that has never existed before, a stable alloy made from carbon, silicon, germanium, and tin. This new compound, known as
CSiGeSn
, is being hailed as a potential game-changer for the future of electronics, optics, and
quantum computing
.
The team behind the
discovery
includes scientists from
Forschungszentrum Jülich
and the Leibniz Institute for Innovative Microelectronics (IHP). For years, combining these four Group IV elements into a single, stable crystal lattice was considered virtually impossible due to their vastly different atomic sizes and bonding behaviors.
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Dr. Dan Buca from Forschungszentrum Jülich, one of the lead scientists on the project, described the development as a long-awaited milestone. 'By combining these four elements, we've achieved what many thought wasn't possible, the ultimate Group IV semiconductor,' Buca said. 'This opens up a range of new applications, from
lasers
and photodetectors to
quantum
circuits and thermoelectric energy devices.'
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Carbon atoms are extremely small and bond very differently compared to the much larger tin atoms, making their integration in a single material extremely challenging. But through precise engineering and the use of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system from German equipment manufacturer AIXTRON, the team managed to overcome these physical limitations and create a uniform, high-quality material.
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The new material is expected to be fully compatible with existing chip nufacturing technology, particularly the widely used CMOS process. According to the researchers, this compatibility is crucial because it allows advanced new components to be produced using current semiconductor infrastructure, removing one of the biggest barriers to commercialization.
Carbon is the game changer
The addition of carbon takes the possibilities even further, allowing unprecedented control over a property called the band gap, the key factor that determines how a material behaves in electronic and optical applications. With this fine-tuning, devices such as room-temperature lasers, energy-harvesting thermoelectrics, and highly sensitive optical sensors could become not only possible, but scalable.
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Capellini from IHP, who has been working with Buca for more than a decade on new semiconductor materials, emphasized the potential of the discovery. 'The material offers a unique combination of tunable optical properties and full silicon compatibility,' Capellini said. 'This lays the foundation for scalable photonic, thermoelectric, and quantum components.'
The significance of the discovery extends beyond the lab. Because the alloy was created using tools and processes already standard in the chip industry, there is strong potential for scaling up production and deploying it in commercial applications sooner rather than later.