A Plasmonic Revolution for Computer Chips?

Roland Piquepaille writes "Today, we're using basically two ways to move data in our computers: transistors carry small amounts of data and are extremely small, while fiber optic cables can carry huge amounts of data, but are much bigger in size. Now, imagine a single technology combining the advantages of photonics and electronics. This Stanford University report says a new technology can do it: plasmonics. (For more about plasmons, read this Wikipedia article.) Theoretically, it is possible to design plasmonic components with the same materials used today by chipmakers, but with frequencies 100,000 times greater than the ones of current microprocessors. There is still a challenge to solve before getting plasmonic chips. Today, plasmons can only travel a few millimeters before dying, while today's chips are typically about a centimeter across. Read this overview for more details and references about plasmonics, and to discover why it's one possible future for chips' circuitry."

Comments

I can see it working

[Neil Blender]

But they might need to rephase the modulators and run in through some sort of tachion inverter feild.

Re:I can see it working

[Anonymous Coward]

how about we just rephase these posts to where the joke was funny the first time and not the third time? oh wait.. already done.

Re:I can see it working

[Tumbleweed]

Good thought, but we should be careful to avoid a feedback loop which could overload the inertial dampeners, and possibly cause the subspace bubble to either lose cohesion, or perhaps even become detached from the regular space-time continuum. Don't laugh - I've had it happen, and you wouldn't _believe_ the amount of trouble it is to get the Traveller to help you out. What a primadonna, and his consultation fees are outrageous!

Re:The future is now.

[Anonymous Coward]

+5 You Made All That Shit Up Didn't You?

Plasmonics does not sound like...

[stefanlasiewski]

Plasmonics does not sound like a perfectly cromulent word. Are you sure that the authors haven't embiggened the word a bit a bit? I mean, it's not unpossible...

Sounds like....

[Valiss]

Today, plasmons can only travel a few millimeters before dying, while today's chips are typically about a centimeter across.

Well, in that case, it sounds similar to my research. See, if you jump, you can fly. Now currently, I can only fly a foot or two. Of course, most people want to fly longer distances, but it's a start.

Re:Plasmonics does not sound like...

[tomcode]

Didn't the Plasmonics tour with the Dead Kennedys in the 1980s?

Plasmonics?

[tekrat]

Wasn't that a Punk Rock Band from the 80's with Wendy O'Williams?

Wendy O'Williams...

[Sebastopol]

... is making semiconductors???

Oh, plasMONICS... my bad...

(I know, I know: she's deceased)

Ob. MST3k reference

[loqi]

"He worked at Plasmonics Institute, just an engineer in a sealed white suit... he did a good job in the computer race, but his bosses didn't like him so they shot him into space!"

Re:Alright

[Stalyn]

i'll take Roland Piquepaille over Jon Katz any day.

Re:Heat

[ralphclark]

Piffle! Just use a smaller value of Planck's constant! Easy. :o)

Just in time (manditory joke)

[joey_knisch]

Hmm... Let's see...

7 years: Develop efficient plasmonic tech.
5 years: Create manufacturing process
+3 years: Design cpu
________________________________

15 years: Just in time for Duke Nukem Forever

Re:Yet another SciFi point of view...

[Urusai]

So you suggest quantum-entangling plasmonic conduits? If we fold them into 11-space we can also exploit zero-point dark energy in the Einstein-Svengali manifold continuum, giving us a positronic gage vector consistent with the Hawking-Niebelungen juxtaposition. What were we talking about?

Re:To see the Roland Piquepaille problem

[jazznjava]

Maybe Timothy is Roland Piquepaille!