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UK Scientists Make Transistor One Atom Long, 10 Atoms Wide

Posted by Soulskill on from the you-win-this-round-moore dept.

Bibek Paudel points out a story about the latest step forward in the development of nano-scale circuits. Researchers from the University of Manchester have created some of the smallest transistors ever, measuring only one atom by 10 atoms. The transistors are made out of graphene, which has the potential to replace silicon in the never-ending hunt for smaller computer technology. From NewScientist: "There are other kinds of prototype transistors in this size range. But they usually need supercooling using liquid gas, says Novoselov. The new graphene devices work at room temperature. Such prototypes are typically made by building one atom at a time, or wiring up individual molecules. Those approaches are complex and impractical, Novoselov says. By contrast, the graphene transistors were made in the same way that silicon devices are, by etching them out of larger pieces of material. 'That's their big advantage,' he says."

13 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Orientation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    One question...
    How do you know it's one atom long and ten wide? maybe it's ten atoms long and one wide?

  2. Wait... by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 5, Funny

    Shouldn't that be 10 Atoms long, One Atom wide?

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    Summation 2
    1. Re:Wait... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      You could think of it that way because you are a guy... but he article was submitted by a woman thinking "I am too fat"

  3. Old news by HetMes · · Score: 3, Funny

    Pah! I discovered Miniaturization two years ago in Civilization II.

    1. Re:Old news by GreyWolf3000 · · Score: 4, Funny
      I demand that you give me the secret of Miniaturization or we will crush your feeble civilization with our mighty armies immediately.

      You reject our generous offer? Very well, we will mobilize our armies for WAR. You will pay for your foolish pride!

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  4. Re:Science or Magic by wpiman · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think it is interesting it is one atom long by ten atoms wide. Isn't the definition of the long side the one that is longer?

  5. Liquid gas? by jomegat · · Score: 3, Funny

    So... is a liquid gas anything like a solid liquid? Or perhaps a case of flatulence gone wrong?

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    In theory, practice and theory are the same. In practice, they're not.

  6. Re:Power consumption? by Sinbios · · Score: 5, Funny

    Since the material in question is graphene, I'm going to take a wild guess and say... carbon.

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  7. Re:There's such a thing as too small. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I can just see the case mods now.

    1: Dude, that is really cool that you put a window in your computer case, but why is there a dead cat in there?
    2: Oh, that? That was there when I broke the factory seal.

  8. Proper terminology by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 2, Funny

    UK Scientists Make Transistor One Atom Long, 10 Atoms Wide

    They're in the UK, so I believe the proper term for them is "boffins".

  9. meh by sootman · · Score: 3, Funny

    call me when they make one that's 1x4x9.

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  10. Re:"which has the potential to replace silicon" by beav007 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I got an early engineering version to test, but I can't figure out how to solder the damn thing to a PCB...

  11. Re:1 hidden comment by SilentBob0727 · · Score: 4, Funny

    And I can't think of a single application where a CMOS transistor is required, where a vacuum tube wouldn't do the trick.

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