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IBM Nanotechnology Transistor Faster than Silicon
Dustin Destree writes: "This article on MSNBC talks about how IBM has developed a new transistor based on nanotube technology that at its first stages outperforms even the fastest silicon transistor. Interesting read that gives ideas about where the computer industry is heading in the next few years."
We have seen many things in the last two years that outperform silicon based transistors. When it becomes cost effective and just plain realistic, thats when I wan't to hear about it. Is there anything cool that we might actually be using in 5 years?
Hell, people I work with built a batch last year iirc.
Is IBM actually doing something new in the way of making them practical for large scale or better integration?
As a side note, IBM seems hell-bent on getting out of the hardware business, so if they manufacture carbon transistors themselves or license the technology to another firm remains to be seen.
Ok thats all fine and dandy to say we can now have transistors which will carry on moores law for another x years but there are still physical problems we cannot get roud without rethinking the whole VLSI consept.
In future technology it will take several clock cycles to get a signal at a speed of light from one side of the chip to the other. Its impossible to breat that rule.
Imagine distributing a clock where the destination is 50 cycles ahead and each clock path has to be accurate to within a 10th of a cycle.
Or if one transistor has one atom of impurity it will make a pipeline stage three times slower and basicly make the chip unworkable.
The material to make these circuits out of isnt the biggest problem. Even before silicon runs out of steam we will hit a great big technology wall which requires new ways of thinking.
I beleve asynchronous logic is the answear but thats just me.
Mouse powered Chips, Open source Processors and Lego
That is if they are used for 300hrs consecutively... If the technology is fast enough, they will have rolling blackouts inside the processors. That way no one set of cores is in use for an extended period of time. This will extend the life of the circuits, and of the chip.
Don't forget this is an IBM's R&D lab here. In 24-48 months we will hear that not only do they last an unlimited amount of time, they are twice as fast, and three times as small. Only thing between this new merical and us will be a huge licensing fee.
Speed=Heat=Wear. The principals of Moores Law could also track the life expectancy of the faster technologies.
IBM announced it has created the highest performing nanotubes transistors to date and has proven that carbon nanotubes -- tube-shaped molecules made of carbon atoms that are 50,000 times thinner than a human hair -- can outperform the leading silicon transistor prototypes available today.
From the MSNBC article:
ARMONK, NEW YORK-BASED IBM said it used a carbon nanotube -- a tiny cylindrical structure made up of carbon atoms that is about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair
So which is it - 100,000 or 50,000 times smaller than a human hair? It seems that there is quite a bit of hype on the MSNBC side of things. Doesn't it bother anyone that MSNBC distorted the truth?
The society for a thought-free internet welcomes you.
Do not click on that link with automatic downloading of DLLs or Active-X controls enabled.
I was surprised to see hostile code from a supposedly respectable news organization. There's no contractual relationship or EULA which could possibly justify this. In California, this is a criminal offense. California law is tougher on computer viruses and related hostile code than other states.
Here's the relevant Calfornia law:
"502. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to expand the degree of protection afforded to individuals, businesses, and governmental agencies from tampering, interference, damage, and unauthorized access to lawfully created computer data and computer systems." ...
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(4) Knowingly accesses and without permission adds, alters,
damages, deletes, or destroys any data, computer software, or
computer programs which reside or exist internal or external to a
computer, computer system, or computer network.
- (5) Knowingly and without permission disrupts or causes the
disruption of computer services or denies or causes the denial of
computer services to an authorized user of a computer, computer
system, or computer network.
- (6) Knowingly and without permission provides or assists in
providing a means of accessing a computer, computer system, or
computer network in violation of this section.
- (7) Knowingly and without permission accesses or causes to be
accessed any computer, computer system, or computer network.
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(8) Knowingly introduces any computer contaminant into any
computer, computer system, or computer network.
That seems to cover it.I have filed a complaint with the Office of the California Attorney General in this matter.