Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Experimental Transistor Breaks 600 Gigahertz

Posted by timothy on from the dang-that's-fast dept.

neutron_p writes "The goal of a terahertz transistor for high-speed computing and communications applications could now be within reach. A new type of transistor structure, invented by scientists at the University of Illinois, has broken the 600 gigahertz speed barrier. A new type of transistor - built from indium phosphide and indium gallium arsenide - is designed with a compositionally graded collector, base and emitter to reduce transit time and improve current density. With their pseudomorphic heterojunction bipolar transistor, the researchers have demonstrated a speed of 604 gigahertz - the fastest transistor operation to date."

4 of 381 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Not being an EE geek...let me ask a question by RayDude · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I suspect the power requirements for this bi-polar transistor would make it impossible to build something on the scale of a P4.

    Bipolar eats power.

    I think these transistors, if found to be manufacturable, will probably be used in communications not digital logic.

    Raydude

  2. Re:Power usage? by jridley · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Even worse, over 100 watts of the power is lost to heat!

    For all practical purposes, ALL the power is "lost" to heat. Information has SOME thermodynamic value, but it's pretty damn small.

    If you have a computer that draws 500 watts of power, you have a 499.99999(etc) watt heater.

  3. CMOS logic isn't the only product by NoseBag · · Score: 3, Insightful

    IMO you are correct that Intel/Microchip/AMD aren't going to change their processes without a damned good reason. But PC parts and logic circuits aren't the only thing transistors go into.

    How about the RF modulators/demodulators in all cell-phones, the RF amps in same, the special-purpose chips, regulators, detectors, buffers, amplifiers, etc that mfgrs still crank out by the butt-load, etc?

    Personally, I'd really get off on an op-amp designed around these puppies! Imagine the gain-bandwidth product (eff-sub-Tee)!

    --
    Cloned foods give the statement "We had that last week!" a whole new meaning.
  4. Scope This by Nexboy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I just looked on Agilent's website and they don't seem to have any 600,000 MHz oscilloscopes for sale. I wonder how they tested this thing? A string of divider flipflops, perhaps?

    --
    Nexsan Technologies SATA RAID