Slashdot Mirror
Scientists Demonstrate Ultra-Fast Magnetite Electrical Switch
adeelarshad82 writes "Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory recently demonstrated electrical switching thousands of times faster than in transistors now in use thanks to a naturally magnetic mineral called magnetite (abstract). The experiment is considered a major step forward in understanding electrical structures at the atomic level and working with recently identified electrical 'building blocks' called trimerons. The breakthrough could lead to innovations in the tiny transistors that control the flow of electricity across silicon chips, enabling faster, more powerful computing devices."
No, but it is relevant for nerds.
As for whether or not new technologies ever pan out... perhaps you should compare whatever computer it is you're using now against the one you were using in 1980.
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
Yes, it's a dupe, but at least this one has a link to an article that explains something about it.
Is this actually relevant for end-user electronics? Or is it yet another of those wonderful promising potential fast-switching techs that are announced every few months(since 1980 or so) yet never pan out to anything practical.
It it's current form, no, at least not for desktops. It might be useful for supercomputers. Real supercomputers that is, not the supercomputers currently in vogue made of hundreds of pallet loads of commodity type PCs linked by networks. The requirement for cryocooling (-190 C.) pretty much rules it out otherwise.
Hopefully it will serve as a good starting point for further research that could lead to breakthroughs that allow it to work at higher temperatures.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
this is normal for scientific R&D for possible future products, most things don't pan out. those very few things that get invested in don't pan out. most start up businesses don't pan out. One of my past jobs was manager of engineering group at profitable company, and even then most things done in R&D there don't pan out.
so don't complain, it's normal and always has been
It's made from Tight Magnets . . .
We are Dead Stars looking back Up at the Sky
You can probably take it as a rule of thumb that it will take 5-10 years for a basic scientific development like this, involving the materials, to move from the lab to production quality chips. That is assuming that it ever makes it. Variations in the count of things (going from 2 processors to 4) generally aren't that difficult on the hardware side, but getting full effect from the software may take some time. The more "exotic" the technology is, the greater the risk that it will take longer, or not happen at all. A lot of things can happen between the lab and your desktop. The technology may not be suitable for mass production. They may not be able to get it to work without cryo-cooling which will significantly limit where and how it can be used, as well as the expense. (This technology requires -190C to work.) It may take new design technology or techniques to integrate the devices from the development into a commercial chip. The process of making it may not be compatible with the processes used by the semiconductors used to make things in your PC. Lots of things can go wrong. But sometimes you get lucky and it can drive a chain of improvements. So yes, 5-10 years, if all goes well is I think a reasonable rule of thumb. It can take longer, it might rarely go quicker. Also keep in mind that companies do sometimes keep a key new development secret to try to get ahead of the competition. In those cases it will be available before you would otherwise expect it.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell