A Carbon Layer Just 0.8 Nanometers Thick Could Help Chips Keep Shrinking

Researchers developed atomically thin amorphous carbon films that combine an ultralow dielectric constant with high dielectric strength, mechanical hardness, and resistance to copper-ion diffusion. The films retain their dielectric properties down to 0.8 nm and can be grown conformally below 300 °C, highlighting their potential for highly scaled semiconductor technologies.