Ultra-Thin Alternative To Silicon 83
An anonymous reader writes "There's good news in the search for the next generation of semiconductors. Researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley have successfully integrated ultra-thin layers of the semiconductor indium arsenide onto a silicon substrate to create a nanoscale transistor with excellent electronic properties (abstract). A member of the III–V family of semiconductors, indium arsenide offers several advantages as an alternative to silicon, including superior electron mobility and velocity, which makes it an outstanding candidate for future high-speed, low-power electronic devices."
Arsenic compounds (Score:2, Interesting)
I know there is already arsenic compounds in other devices (Some LED colours, GaAs based FETs, etc)
LED's aren't such an issue, because even when you kill them they usually stay contained within their epoxy. IC's and transistors on the other hand like to explode violently on occasion.
Just curious about the health hazards, if any apply. I've been known to kill some silicon on occasion ;-)
Sounds interesting anyway.
Ultra-Thin Alternative to Silicone - FINALLY (Score:3, Interesting)
This day has been a long time in coming. I'd like to congratulate everyone involved. Younger folks may not realize how important this news is. Thanks to this we FINALLY have a slashdot headline where "Natalie Portman" is actually on topic.
Re:Four words why this is useless. (Score:4, Interesting)
multiplied by millions or billions of chips. k.
Spread out over 149 million square kilometers [universetoday.com]. At a billion chips that comes out to be less than 7 chips per square kilometer. As someone else pointed out, it's about 3 micrograms of arsenic per chip for a total of about 20 micrograms per square kilometer.
Yes, there can be higher concentrations in places like trash dumps but it's still going to take a gigantic amount of these chips in one spot before anyone would have any reasonable concerns about the environmental impact due to the arsenic levels.
Somehow I think we'll be just fine...
Why Bother? (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't see the point of this when comparing the potential of Graphene based processors. These things, when (not if) they become reality, will have the same impact that perfecting Fusion power will. There's just no reason to spend the time trying to eek out a few more percent when the second that we manage to get the better technology to work, we'll no longer need anything else.