Graphene is showing progress continuously and beside showing self-cooling abilities it has now reached another milestone. Scientists at IBM have managed to create a graphene transistor that operates at 155 GHz, a bit increase from the previous record at 100 GHz, set last year.
IBM set the previous record as well, but but has through an improved manufacturering technology managed to raise the bar substantially. In February 2010, IBM used 240 nanometer technology when making the record-fast graphene transistor, which could be compared to the most efficient manufacturing technologies for microprocessors was 32nm at the time. It could despite a relatively long port length reach 100 GHz frequency, and now even higher.
The manufacturing technology for IBM’s graphene transistors has been improved over the last year and the new 155 GHz transistor is made with 40 nanometer technology, on par with the commercial solutions available today, which is also a record note in terms of gate length for graphene.
Older 100mm graphene wafer
The carbon-based graphene transistor was developed together with DARPA to be used in radio frequency technology and reach extreme clock frequencies through its molecular characteritstics where the hexagonal pattern makes it possible for electrones to jump forward at incredible speeds.
Graphene is especially effective when it comes to handling analog signals and we still don’t have a full replacement for silicon in modern circuis. If the material will find its way into our microcircuits we need more, including compatibility with future litography technologies and transistor designs. Two of the most important pieces of semiconductor manufacturing.
Source: Nature
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