Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!dravido.soar.cs.cmu.edu!acha From: acha@CS.CMU.EDU (Anurag Acharya) Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: 64-bits, How many years? Message-ID: Date: 22 Mar 91 00:32:29 GMT References: <1991Mar21.181256.1494@sj.nec.com> Sender: acha@dravido.soar.cs.cmu.edu Organization: Carnegie Mellon University Lines: 17 In-reply-to: koll@NECAM.tdd.sj.nec.com's message of 21 Mar 91 18:12:56 GMT In article <1991Mar21.181256.1494@sj.nec.com> koll@NECAM.tdd.sj.nec.com (Michael Goldman) writes: >This is to argue that we may be able to circumvent the speed of light limiting > computer speed by using the quantum tunneling effect currently under > development at TI and others. (I think they made a functioning circuit a year > or two ago.) ............... >So, maybe we'll get switching times faster than light!? Ons of the implications of the theory of special relativity is that *information* cannot be transmitted at a speed faster than that of light. Therefore, it is *not* possible to switch faster than the speed of light -- no matter what quantum mechanical trick you pull. Tunnel effects have been used in working devices for quite some time now -- eg the tunnel diodes. No one claims that any of these will ever switch faster than the speed of light. anurag