8bitfuture:Carbon nanotubes could replace silicon transistors.While traditional silicon chips have m
8bitfuture:Carbon nanotubes could replace silicon transistors.While traditional silicon chips have managed to follow Moore’s Law for around 50 years now, that is predicted to slow down by the end of 2013 as they finally reach their limits. With the current generation of chips now reaching a 22-nanometer scale, there’s not much room for them to shrink further, as they are likely to hit problems approaching the 10nm scale, where electrons are unlikely to be able to be contained in the correct areas of the transistors.While Intel have just begun to release new 3D 22nm designs, which will provide extra performance at the same scale, scientists at IBM are now looking towards how to create chips below the 10nm mark.By using carbon nanotubes instead of silicon, the IBM team was able to produce devices at a nine nanometer scale in the lab. While not ready for commercial production yet, the demonstration proves that carbon nanotubes are suitable for further research and development as a viable replacement for silicon.Not only can the carbon design work with lower consumption - handy for portable devices like tablets and notebooks - but they can also carry more current than comparable silicon devices, which means a better signal.The proposed Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid may also use carbon nanotubes. -- source link