IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#1

Post by ukdm » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 12:30 PM UTC

IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon
extremetech.com

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#2

Post by tpatke » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 1:19 PM UTC

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#3

Post by ginko » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 1:24 PM UTC

tpatke wrote: post #2

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer) http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/embargo-ibm-develops-inst... http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays... I hate to think what their patent portfolio looks like.

It's true that IBM does incredible research, but their results never seem to break into mainstream.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#4

Post by mrsebastian » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 1:27 PM UTC

tpatke wrote: post #2

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer) http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/embargo-ibm-develops-inst... http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays... I hate to think what their patent portfolio looks like.

Its patent portfolio is huge -- the biggest in the world. They have registered the most patents per year for, like, the last 10 years. More than 5,000 per year! (Next biggest is Samsung and MS, which have averaged around 2k-3k per year, I think).

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#5

Post by wcoenen » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 1:51 PM UTC

How do they get the carbon nanotube in the correct position and orientation like that? I suspect it will be difficult to do it reliably and cheaply for billions of transistors at a time.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#6

Post by dataminer » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 1:58 PM UTC

ginko wrote: post #3

tpatke wrote: post #2

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer) http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/embargo-ibm-develops-inst... http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays... I hate to think what their patent portfolio looks like.

It's true that IBM does incredible research, but their results never seem to break into mainstream.

SQL came out of IBM research and its quite mainstream.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#7

Post by acangiano » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 2:01 PM UTC

ginko wrote: post #3

tpatke wrote: post #2

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer) http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/embargo-ibm-develops-inst... http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays... I hate to think what their patent portfolio looks like.

It's true that IBM does incredible research, but their results never seem to break into mainstream.

They do end up into the mainstream. IBM is not a B2C company, though, so there is no hype behind the unveiling of a new shiny gadget. So the tech community at large seriously underestimates IBM's contributions to the field.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#8

Post by yvdriess » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 3:10 PM UTC

wcoenen wrote: post #5

How do they get the carbon nanotube in the correct position and orientation like that? I suspect it will be difficult to do it reliably and cheaply for billions of transistors at a time.

The mass production of transistors is completely thanks to its relatively etching process. I wonder if we will see a relatively similar process for alternative transistor technology.

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#9

Post by kibwen » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 3:12 PM UTC

"At 9nm, IBM’s transistor is also smaller than the physical limit of silicon transistors, which is around 11nm."

Can anyone cite a source for that statement regarding the theoretical minimum size of silicon transistors?

Re: IBM creates 9nm carbon nanotube transistor that outperforms silicon

#10

Post by nickik » Thu, Jan 26, 2012, 3:17 PM UTC

mrsebastian wrote: post #4

tpatke wrote: post #2

When I think of IBM, I still think of consultants and guys in blue suits. ...but more than anyone else out there, these guys are building the future. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson_(computer) http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/embargo-ibm-develops-inst... http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/14/ibm-stores-bits-on-arrays... I hate to think what their patent portfolio looks like.

Its patent portfolio is huge -- the biggest in the world. They have registered the most patents per year for, like, the last 10 years. More than 5,000 per year! (Next biggest is Samsung and MS, which have averaged around 2k-3k per year, I think).

How awesome would it be it we just could hit delete on the hole shity patent db.