Transistors

Science

The Transistor Was Almost Called The Iotatron

3:20AM September 8, 2011 | Adrian Covert

When Bell Laboratories wrapped up work on the transistor in 1948, they let 25 employees vote on the name. And for some reason, those stodgy bastards passed up options such as the crystal triode and the iotatron. Sad face. More »

Computing

2nm Quantum Transistors Are The World’s Smallest

8:20AM June 1, 2011 | Adrian Covert

A team of scientists at Chungbuk National University in South Korea have created a transistor that’s only 2nm in size, which happens to be the smallest in the world. By comparison, the current generation of Intel processors use 32nm transistors. More »

Computing

Intel’s 22nm 3D Transistors Keep Moore’s Law Alive

2:42AM May 5, 2011 | Brian Barrett

Intel’s introduction today of the world’s first 3D transistors is more than just a tech breakthrough. It’s an assurance that Moore’s Law – that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles every year – will stay alive just a while longer. More »

Science

First Single-Electron Transistor Works Like Tiny Etch-A-Sketch

1:20PM April 19, 2011 | Andrew Tarantola

It’s amazing what an electron can do. Researchers, lead by a team from the University of Pittsburg, have built the world’s first operational single-electron transistor, the SketchSET, which could become an essential component of all sorts of futuristic technologies; from super-dense, high-capacity solid-state drives to quantum processors. More »

Gadgets

Printable Transistors? What Can’t Makerbot Do?

1:00PM December 16, 2010 | Adrian Covert

DIY’ers are losing their shit over these printable transistors. Why? Because they could make it that much easier to prototype intricate gadgets without having to send orders to a fabrication plant to have these components made. More »

Science

Fastest Integrated Circuit Getting Close To One Terahertz

6:00AM May 29, 2010 | Popular Science

Following up on a 2007 world record for the fastest transistor speed, Northrop Grumman announced today that it has shattered the world record for integrated circuit performance, nearing one terahertz. More »

Science

The Seven-Atom-Long Transistor That Will Change The World

12:00AM May 26, 2010 | Jesus Diaz

It only measures seven atoms, but according to project lead scientist Michelle Simmons, computers made with this transistor – the smallest ever made – will “solve problems that would take longer than the life of the universe with a classical computer”. More »

Brain-Like Memristors Could Revolutionise Memory Chips At The Atomic Level

2:00AM April 12, 2010 | Jack Loftus

The brainiacs at H.P. think they’ve discovered a way to replace transistors with technology that will shrink chips to the atomic scale. Emphasis on “brain”. More »

Science

The World’s Smallest Laser

10:40AM March 24, 2010 | Kyle VanHemert

Just in time for its 50th birthday party, the world’s smallest laser has arrived. It’s 30 millionths of a metre long, it could revolutionise microprocessors as we know them, and it emits an impossibly adorable “pew pew”. More »

Science

IBM’s 100GHz Graphene Transistor Might Replace Silicon Someday

4:00AM February 8, 2010 | Jack Loftus

We know graphene is tough stuff, but Big Blue’s discovering the substance makes a great transistor too, to the tune of a record-setting 100GHz. More »