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UIUC Creates World's Fastest Transistor Again

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the breaking-one's-own-record dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The University of Illinois has developed (again) the world's fastest transistor operating at over 500 GHz. They used an indium phosphide based wafer, and super-scaled dimensions. The device kind of looks like a spaceship." Milton Feng, the professor in charge of the team behind the transistor, admits that their ultimate goal is a terahertz transistor, which given their previous achievements, doesn't sound too lofty.

3 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. The important thing to remember is *reliability* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Troll

    While it's wonderful that they can create a 300fs inverter, you also have to consider that they have yet to prove that they can actually mass-produce these structures to get adequate yields. This is not a trivial operation. Bell Labs, IBM, Intel, and AMD have all announced ultra-small and/or ultra-fast transistor structures, but they all admit that they are far from mass-producing them on a wafer/die.

    Also - the rest of the componentry in a computer or other electronic structure, and how it will all communicate all of these calculations, will also be a problem. Already, integrated circuit I/O circuits are having trouble transporting data back and forth on a PCB.

    ALSO, consider that the photolithography tools that are supposed to support the next generation of smaller structures are already off-track. 157nm lithography tools have been delayed due to development and financial difficulties.). My personal guess is that the vertical MOSFETs will be the winners in the short term because, until they get other trinity and neo die a truce is made the matrix cointinues to exist factors in line, they will have to make do with what they've got, though *again* the additional processing required for the wafer will impact yields, so it will be an expensive technology to implement either way.

  2. Re:Faster video games??? by Pedrito · · Score: 0, Troll

    You'll never better humanity by spending money on technology.

    Yeah, you're right. All that money spent on medical research, artificial hearts, pace makers, water purification technology, improved crop yields due to improved pesticides in third world countries, penicillin, what a total waste of time and money.

  3. Parent is a troll, MOD DOWN by parkanoid · · Score: 0, Troll

    Jesus Christ, do you people even READ THE COMMENT YOU'RE MODDING UP? Somehow I don't find the matrix spoilers very "insightful".