It turns out that coffee also accelerates the operation of semiconductors
An ingredient naturally found in coffee could make semiconductors work faster tests (opens in a new tab) from the Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan.
The researchers formed a thin layer of caffeic acid on a gold electrode in an organic semiconductor in a process known as vacuum deposition.
This was reportedly able to increase the current flow in the semiconductor by up to 100-fold, as measured by a process called the Kelvin probe method.
How was the process?
According to research, after creating a thin layer of caffeic acid on the surface of the electrode, caffeic acid molecules spontaneously align themselves on the surface of the electrode, allowing the current to flow faster.
While that doesn’t mean you can pour coffee on a mobile workstation to speed up render times, Japanese researchers believe this breakthrough could have practical applications.
These include the development of fully sustainable organic semiconductor devices, which could potentially be made entirely from biomass-derived materials.
While organic semiconductors already exist, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic solar cells (OPVs), scientists have drawn attention to the environmental impact of disposing of these technologies.
The researchers noted the current deployment of electrode modification layers that are used to accelerate the flow of electric charges in semiconductors, highlighting how the use of these materials ‘may adversely affect aquatic organisms’.
Using caffeic acid, which can only be derived from plants, could reduce the need for unsustainable chemicals in semiconductor manufacturing, according to the researcher.
- Want to get your work done faster without another coffee? Check out our guide to the best workstations
