Physicists at the University of Maryland have demonstrated that graphene, a single-atom-thick sheet of graphite, has a greater ability to conduct electricity than any other known material at room temperature. In fact, electrons can travel up to 100 times faster in graphine than silicon, making it a likely candidate to replace it as a semiconductor material in devices like computer chips and sensors.
Good news for those who rely on their mobile phones for their photo- taking needs; Samsung has just unveiled the world’s slimmest 8MP CMOS, which measures a diminutive, 28mm × 15.3mm × 8.5mm. The semiconductor was designed specifically for mobile phones, and it will push handsets beyond their current 5MP restraints. [Ed: 5MP as the limit in slimmer phones.]The new module, which is 10% more compact than current solutions, will have an ISO 1600 sensitivity, anti-shake capability, face detection technology, 1-cm macro and an automated shoot mode that is activated by silly, smiling faces.