When it comes to moving electrons in tiny devices, copper becomes less reliable due to increased resistance, leading to more energy loss as heat. Stanford researchers led by Asir Intisar Khan and Eric Pop have discovered that ultrathin films of niobium phosphide (NbP) show very low electrical resistivity, even lower than copper. These films have a higher conductivity on their surfaces compared to the bulk, acting as a “topological semimetal.” This breakthrough paves the way for more energy-efficient and smaller digital circuits. While obstacles to commercialization exist, this research opens the door to discovering more materials with similar advantageous properties.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/thin-film