Bismuth is becoming increasingly important in the microelectronics sector, valued for its unique electrical, thermal, and environmental properties. What many don’t realize is that this metal is not typically mined on its own. Instead, it is recovered as a by-product of refining other metals—primarily lead, copper, tin, tungsten, molybdenum, and zinc.
Silicon, the cornerstone of modern computing, is approaching its physical limits. As transistors shrink below 2 nanometers, quantum phenomena like electron tunneling begin to disrupt their stability and efficiency. In response to these challenges, researchers at Peking University have developed a groundbreaking silicon-free transistor using bismuth-based materials—potentially marking a new era in microelectronics.
The device is a Gate-All-Around Field-Effect Transistor (GAAFET) built with bismuth oxyselenide (Bi?O?Se), a material chosen for its excellent electron mobility and strong spin-orbit interaction. This quantum property allows for electron control not only via electric charge—as in silicon—but also via spin, making it a promising candidate for spintronics and quantum computing applications.
To overcome the lack of a natural band gap in bismuth—a major obstacle that prevents it from functioning as a conventional semiconductor—researchers introduced a layered structure including high-dielectric Bi?SeO?, enabling effective switching behavior and reduced power consumption.
The resulting chip, fabricated at a 5 Ångström scale (0.5 nanometers), is built entirely without silicon in the active layers. It also incorporates graphene interconnects, which provide superior electrical and thermal conductivity. Performance tests show this bismuth-based transistor is 40% faster and up to three times more energy-efficient than the most advanced 3nm silicon chips currently produced by Intel, TSMC, and Samsung.
This breakthrough signals not only a technical evolution in chip architecture but also a geopolitical shift, as China—responsible for over 70% of global bismuth production—may gain a strategic advantage if bismuth adoption increases. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain, including scaling up the production of high-purity bismuth materials and integrating this technology into existing semiconductor manufacturing systems. is also extracted as a secondary product during the processing of polymetallic ores.
In a sector increasingly driven by the need for new materials, rather than further refinement of silicon, bismuth could be the key to unlocking the next generation of ultra-fast, energy-efficient, and quantum-ready electronics.
As demand rises for safer, lead-free solder alloys and high-performance thermoelectric materials, bismuth’s role in next-generation electronics is only expected to grow. Yet its supply chain remains highly concentrated, and largely invisible—making it a strategic resource that deserves closer attention.