Researchers have created an experimental switch that goes between on and off in one trillionth of a second. This was done by blasting samples of magnetite with a laser to rearrange their atomic structure. The scientists then used ultrabright, ultrashort X-ray pulses to measure how long it took for the switch to go from off to on. The experiment is one of several aimed at finding an alternative to silicon as the semiconductor industry runs up against the limits of Moore’s Law, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.
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Speedy Magnetite Switch Makes Blink of an Eye Seem Poky
Posted by: Richard Adhikari July 30, 2013 03:38 PMResearchers have created an experimental switch that goes between on and off in one trillionth of a second. This was done by blasting samples of magnetite with a laser to rearrange their atomic structure. The scientists then used ultrabright, ultrashort X-ray pulses to measure how long it took for the switch to go from off to on. The experiment is one of several aimed at finding an alternative to silicon as the semiconductor industry runs up against the limits of Moore’s Law, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.