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Lightning Rods for Nanoelectronics

dcunning writes "Over the last several years (in my short view) there has been a fairly constant hum as to whether or not processors will continue to be able to keep up with Moore's law. Usually this question (and the arguments answering it) is phrased in terms of the ability to continue to shrink transistors/wires/etc. and escape such things as electron tunneling, etc. Scientific American has an interesting article titled Lightning Rods for Nanoelectronics discussing the how's and what's of another issue: handling electrostatic charges as devices become smaller (and hence more sensitive to both the shock and the resultant heat.) After all, being able to build a 100GHz chip is useless if merely breathing on it will fry its circuitry."

3 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Dust by Kryptoff · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Ever wanted to remove the dust that accumulates inside your computer? Think again about how to do it. :-) I know someone who tried to remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner. Guess what didn't work anymore... :-)

  2. It's too early by Raul654 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Was I the only one who read that as "Lightning rods for narcoleptics" ?

    --


    To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
    --E.C. Stanton
  3. Re:Sad news ... Stephen King dead at 55 by DumbSwede · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Oh My God -- Slashdot killed Stephen King
    You Bastards