[PeaceBeWithYou]

Big step towards smaller, faster, more efficient, computers and more.

Enjoy.

[familyop]

...good post. Many other changes will accompany the new computers, when they are on the market.

[Echo Talon]

i'm still waiting for holographic drives(storage)... remember that?

[misterrob]

2010 is when current memory technology is supposed to hit its limit. Logic and processing chips not likely until 2015.

The manufacturing tool sets are coming to market and while CNTs are known to have quality issues the direction forward looks good.

[Lexinom]

What's a transistor? (just kidding)

Seriously, I've heard about many techtologies over the years: Germanium, gallium-arsenide. This particular one seems to imply a completely different manufacturing process.

One of the limitations of traditional N- and P- doped silicon is the atomic size difference between boron (+) and phosphorus (-). Even though CMOS stands for complimentary metal oxide semiconductor, the P-channel devices run at only about half the speed as their N- counterparts. This is why, in the early days before CMOS dominance, it was NMOS devices that were typically seen in early IC memory and microprocessor applications. Very few IC's employed PMOS, and all without exception that I can think of were linear, analog applications. I never quite understood why - cleaner signals maybe?

The key will be attaining a high yield rate with an inexpensive manufacturing process. The article hints at one of the upcoming challenges to this:

Current fabrication techniques produce a mix of nanotubes with different sizes and electronic properties, not all of which will work well in integrated circuits.

[Erasmus]

I always knew that transistors were a flash in the pan and that tubes would make a comeback some day.

[TexasTransplant]

Way too Cool.

I haven't even stressed the Pute I have and it's OLD

TT

[tophat9000]

Man I haven't dealt with this stuff since computer school learning semi conductor theory and "hole flow"...Good Stuff

(O God ! I am a geek !:O ;)

[indthkr]

"... much work remains to be done before commercial processors will be available."

An understatement to be sure.

Carbon nanotubes and bucky balls are interesting things, but as one nanotech researcher pointed out at a recent lecture, they have been around a long time.

It's basically soot! You can make your own nanotubes on Memorial Day when you get distracted and start incinerating those burgers on the grill. If you happen to have a Scanning Electron Microscope handy (someone I know has one in his garage), you can marvel at your creations. Maybe you'll get amazingly lucky and a few will land between the filaments of your wire grill brush & make carbon nanotube resistors!

[GEC]

bump to read.