As the miniaturization of the semiconductor process faces limitations such as device stability, multiplication logic circuits that can perform the same operation with fewer devices have emerged as an alternative, while the development of ternary inverters is attracting attention.

Professor Daesung Chung’s research aims to introduce a diarylethene molecular switch to a ternary inverter to adjust the resistance of each semiconductor through a light source with a certain wavelength, thereby realizing an inverter that can perform quinary or higher operations. Developing such an inverter that is capable of performing quinary or higher operations will enable the same operations with less than half of the number of devices required for the existing semiconductors, consequently providing a breakthrough solution for the huge challenges that face semiconductor scaling, such as cost reduction and energy efficiency maximization.

Developing multiple numeral inverters that can maintain structural simplification is challenging but has a high potential for expansion. The research results are expected to provide a technological breakthrough to semiconductor companies and contribute to low-power / small-device technology.