Bachelor's research on ultra-thin nanochip nominated for Young Talent Award
Using 2D materials, physics student Romme van der Kemp developed a nanochip that is extremely small ánd scalable. This is needed to make all kinds of technologies better, faster and smaller. He has been nominated for the FWN Young Talent Award 2023 for his research.
‘All kinds of two-dimensional materials have been invented in the past decade. These are materials of only one atom thick,’ Romme explains. ‘A certain group of 2D semiconductors turns out to be very interesting for making transistors, and thus chips, at the nanoscale.’
This was already evident from previous research, but the physics student focused on something that had yet to succeed: inventing a scalable method. ‘Only then will it become interesting for industrial applications. I developed a simulation and also tried to make these chips experimentally.’
Research, video games and marshmallows
Romme conducted his research in Semonti Bhattacharyya's group at the Leiden Institute of Physics. ‘Romme shows deep knowledge, resilience, innovation, enthusiasm and curiosity - all important qualities for becoming an excellent researcher,’ praises supervisor Bhattacharyya. ‘He excels in both theoretical and experimental aspects of research. That is a rare and commendable trait.’
And the thing he liked most about doing research? ‘The fact that the other undergraduates and I did a lot of things together. We often had to learn the same things and often that was far from fun or easy,’ Romme acknowledges. ‘Then it's nice to work it out together. We also often drank chocolate milk with marshmallows and played the video game Links Crossbow Training. Unfortunately, I did overwork myself with the research. That wasn't fun, of course, but I did learn from it. So now I am taking it considerably easier with my master's in experimental physics in Utrecht.’