The Switzerland-based team used molybdenite disulfide (MoS2) – a dark-coloured, naturally occurring mineral.
The group said the substance could be used in thinner layers than silicon, which is currently the most commonly used component in electronics.
It said MoS2 could make smaller, more flexible chips that used less energy.
The substance is currently used as an ingredient in engine lubricants, ski waxes and as a strengthening agent for plastics.
Prof Andras Kis, the director of the Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures (LANES) in Lausanne, published details of the research in the latest edition of the ACS Nano journal.