HP uses nanotech to build transistor successor

Posted on Feb 2, 05 12:39 AM PDT

The crossbar-latches as HP calls them could replace transistors as the basic building bloc of computers in about a decade.

The latch does the same job than a transistor, producing the same result, but in a different way. It is expected that for a similar functionality, less latches will be needed. Even better, the latches will be much smaller than today's transistors. 90 nanometers is considered high-end in today's semi-conductor manufacturing. The crossbar latch could be as small as 2 or 3 nanometers.

"Transistors will continue to be used for years to come with conventional silicon circuits," Kuekes said, "but this could someday replace transistors in computers, just as transistors replaced vacuum tubes and vacuum tubes replaced electromagnet relays before them."

(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

via ABC news

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