Electrons in a transistor are like cars on a mountain road. If the road is smooth and free of traffic, cars drive fast. If there's a sharp turn ahead, they slow down and might crash. In the new gallium oxide transistor, the road for electrons is made very smooth, so they fly freely and don't lose speed.

To make the road smooth, the electrons are gathered into a thin layer just a few atoms thick. This layer is called a two-dimensional electron gas. The impurities that usually hinder motion are placed not in the channel itself but nearby. This way, electrons are separated from impurities, like cars from potholes on the roadside.

Scientists tested what happens if you lengthen the road section between two electrodes. The longer the section, the higher the voltage the device can handle. At a length of 28 micrometers, the transistor showed 6.6 kilovolts. But at the edge of one electrode, the field concentrates, like cars before a turn. If it isn't weakened, the device might break. For now, this spot remains the most dangerous.

The road isn't perfect yet, but it's already passable. This transistor is the first to withstand several kilovolts without complex additional components. In the future, it could help make small, powerful converters for electric vehicles and factories.