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GE Claims Ten-Atom Wide Nanotube

Posted by timothy on from the can-you-trust-them dept.

Richthofen80 writes "GE is touting a development in nanotechnology; specifically they say they've developed a nanotube ten atoms wide. While the article is a little sparse on the applications for such tubes, they do seem to mention how this should help delay the impending Moore's law crisis with transistor size. According to the article, 'Unlike earlier designs, GE's nanotube can both emit and detect light, GE said. That means it has potential to perform tasks like shining small amounts of light on molecules, a possible application in medicine or security.'"

5 of 19 comments (clear)

  1. Holy Patent Application! by Dr.+Smeegee · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is the first cool thing I have seen out of actual GE research for a long time. I was a GE employee for 4 years. It seemed from the inside that they would rather have GE Capital aquire the interesting technology- then figure out a way to Six-Sigma and Shigijutsu it to the point where they lose a shit-load of money on it. Medical notwithstanding, the old GE ain't what it used to be.

    1. Re:Holy Patent Application! by Dr.+Smeegee · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Heh. Yeah. Six Sigma (as applied, read "Cult of Statistical Analysis") is a stack of really effective tools blunted by inexperienced users. Shoving these fairly complicated methodologies down the throats of unwilling workers and customers. It works like gangbusters on the factory floor - it don't work for coding.

  2. Too thin? by kev0153 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kramer: "I've cut slices so thin, I couldn't even see them."

    Elaine: "How'd you know you cut it?"

    Kramer: "Well, I guess I just assumed."

  3. How to manipulate nanotubes? by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The article mentioned it would be hard to build anything out of these... I can just imagine! Also, there was no mention of how long these thing are. We are a long time from being able to assemble anything useful from these things.

  4. Re:The article refers to a 'device' by p3tersen · · Score: 4, Informative
    No. The abstract to their publication (Appl Phys Lett 85 145) begins:

    We demonstrate a single-walled carbon nanotube p-n junction diode device. The p-n junction is formed along a single nanotube by electrostatic doping using a pair of split gate electrodes. By biasing the two gates accordingly, the device can function either as a diode or as an ambipolar field-effect transistor.

    It's a device.