Magnetoresistive-coupled transistor using the Weyl semimetal NbP

Nat Commun. 2024 Jan 24;15(1):710. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-44961-5.

Abstract

Semiconductor transistors operate by modulating the charge carrier concentration of a channel material through an electric field coupled by a capacitor. This mechanism is constrained by the fundamental transport physics and material properties of such devices-attenuation of the electric field, and limited mobility and charge carrier density in semiconductor channels. In this work, we demonstrate a new type of transistor that operates through a different mechanism. The channel material is a Weyl semimetal, NbP, whose resistivity is modulated via a magnetic field generated by an integrated superconductor. Due to the exceptionally large electron mobility of this material, which reaches over 1,000,000 cm2/Vs, and the strong magnetoresistive coupling, the transistor can generate significant transconductance amplification at nanowatt levels of power. This type of device can enable new low-power amplifiers, suitable for qubit readout operation in quantum computers.