We are on the cusp of a materials revolution – in electronics, health care, and avionics – says guest engineer-scientist Eric Pop. For instance, silicon and copper have served electronics admirably for decades, he says, but at the nanoscale, better materials will be needed. Atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors (like molybdenum disulfide) and topological semimetals (like niobium phosphide) are two candidates, but with AI tools to design new materials, the future is going to be really interesting, Pop tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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Episode Reference Links:

• Stanford Profile: Eric Pop

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• Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ introduces guest Eric Pop, a professor of electrical engineering and materials science at Stanford University

(00:02:59) The Status of Electronics Today

The stability of silicon and copper and the challenges with miniaturization.

(00:06:25) Limits of Current Materials

How miniaturization has increased speed but also created new bottlenecks.

(00:10:29) Universal Memory

The need for faster, non-volatile memory that integrates directly with the CPU.

(00:14:57) The Search for Next-Gen Materials

Exploring better materials for chips, from silicon to copper alternatives.

(00:17:54) Challenges of Copper at Nanoscale

Issues with copper at the nanoscale and the potential of niobium phosphate.

(00:24:46) Two-Dimensional Semiconductors

The potential of carbon nanotubes and 2D materials as replacements for silicon.

(00:29:47) Nanoelectronics and Manufacturing

The shift to 2D materials and the challenges in scaling up production

(00:32:34) AI in Material Discovery

AI’s potential in discovering and manufacturing new materials.

(00:34:56) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

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