Chinese scientists have developed the world’s first carbon-based AI chip, marking a major breakthrough in computing. Unlike traditional silicon chips, this advanced microchip uses a ternary logic system, allowing it to process data in three states instead of just ones and zeros. This innovation could lead to faster, more energy-efficient computing, reshaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing.
Carbon Nanotubes: The Future of Microchips
Researchers from Peking University and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications created this chip using carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These tiny cylindrical tubes, made from graphene sheets, offer exceptional electrical conductivity, stability, and efficiency. Previously used in lithium-ion batteries, CNTs are now emerging as a promising alternative to silicon in semiconductor technology.
How the Ternary Logic System Works
Unlike conventional chips that rely on binary logic, this new ternary system processes data using three distinct states. This boosts computational speed while reducing energy consumption. The chip’s design improves data transmission efficiency, making it ideal for AI applications, machine learning, and complex computations.
The researchers developed a novel carbon nanotube transistor using source-gated transistors (SGTs). By adjusting the gate voltage, the transistor switches between three current states, forming the basis of ternary logic circuits. This advancement overcomes limitations of silicon-based chips, especially in power consumption and processing speed.
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Proving AI Capabilities
To test the chip, scientists built a neural network that mimics the human brain’s connections. Their experiments showed that the CNT-based chip achieved perfect accuracy in recognizing handwritten digits, demonstrating its potential for AI tasks like image recognition and data processing.
China’s Leadership in Carbon-Based Chips
Peng Lianmao, a leading researcher and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been working on carbon-based chip technology for over 20 years. His team has made significant progress, including the fabrication of an eight-inch CNT wafer in 2020 that outperformed similar silicon-based devices. This progress places China at the forefront of carbon-based semiconductor research.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Despite its advantages, CNT chips still face challenges in integration density. For example, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 GPU, announced in January 2025, has 92 billion transistors, far surpassing the current capabilities of CNT technology. However, scientists believe carbon-based chips are the future of semiconductors.
Peng Lianmao remains optimistic, predicting that carbon nanotube chips could become mainstream within 10 to 15 years. If successful, they could replace silicon chips in everything from supercomputers and data centers to smartphones and IoT devices. This shift would revolutionize the semiconductor industry, ushering in a new era of high-performance, energy-efficient computing.
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