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Can Transistors Be Made To Work When They're Off?

An anonymous reader writes "Engineers at the Belgian research institute IMEC are looking at the use of silicon transistors in the sub-threshold region of their operation as a way of pursuing ultra-low power goals. A chip the engineers are designing for biomedical applications could have blocks designed to operate at 0.2 or 0.3 volts, researchers said, according to EE Times. The threshold voltage is the point at which the transistor nominally switches off. Operating a transistor when it is 'off' would make use of the leakage conduction that is normally seen as wasted energy, according to the article."

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  1. Re:Yes and No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    What you claim to believe doesn't matter. This is real research being done, not whatever it is you think you know. This is serious stuff. Are you one of these researchers? No? Didn't think so. Do yourself a favor and get a clue about what you're commenting on before you run your mouth off like this.

    Every little bit of energy matters these days, and these people are putting their livelihood on the line for this and you, some "modern geek" who is very unlikely doing this level of significant research, basically says their whole work is bullshit. Prove that you're qualified to make that claim. Show some credentials. People like you probably said that flying or going to the moon was bullshit too. 640K is enough for everyone, don't need to optimize that code because the hardware will catch up, Earth is flat and stars revolve around it, blah blah blah....

    The lesson to be learned here is shut your fucking mouth unless you're a qualified authority on the subject. Otherwise, you risk looking like a fool.