The days of silicon chips are numbered.
And soon they might be replaced by
carbon nanotubes. After a long stretch
of challenges, IBM researchers have
fi nally achieved a milestone by creating
an integrated circuit out a single carbon
nanotube. Integrated chips (IC) are used
to process and store information in a wide
range of electronic devices from PCs to cell
phones.
Initially, the problem was to create
transistors used in ICs. Once that hurdle
was crossed, Big Blue researchers faced the
challenge of fi guring out a reliable way to
assemble the transistors to form an IC.
IBM researchers developed an 18-micron
(less than the thickness of a plastic bag) long
carbon nanotube with a 10-transistor ring
oscillator, a device typically used for testing
new manufacturing technologies. The
success of the research also proved to be
economical as only one nanotube was used
instead of multiple tubes.
The introduction of carbon nanotubes
will have two advantages. Firstly, the data
transfer rate will increase as electrical
current moves more freely and faster
through carbon nanotubes than silicon.
Secondly, it is indeed very small—one
carbon nanotube is 50,000 times thinner
than a strand of hair, which translates to
more data storage in less space and makes
it more energy effi cient and speedier.
It will take time for these chips to
appear as IBM intends to spend more time
on research.

Labels: IBM