Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!ucsd!ucbvax!decwrl!decvax!ima!haddock!suitti
From: suitti@haddock.ima.isc.com (Stephen Uitti)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: TI announcement
Keywords: quantum effect transistor
Message-ID: <11462@haddock.ima.isc.com>
Date: 19 Jan 89 17:57:52 GMT
Organization: Interactive Systems, Boston, MA
Lines: 27


	The AWST (Aviation Week) Jan 16th issue had a little blurb
about TI's announcement.  It went something like this:

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS has fabricated the first quantum effect transistor.
The device, called a bipolar resonant tunneling transistor, has active
regions measuring 0.01-0.02 microns and offers the possibility of
switching speeds 1,000 times faster than today's best semiconductor
devices.  Experts regard this line of research as the most likely to
produce the next generation of integrated circuits.  AT&T Bell Labs is
also involved in the research.  Quantum effect transistors operate on
the principles of quantum mechanics, where electrons act more like
waved than particles when confined to regions the size of their
wavelength.  This effect limits the minimum dimensions of today's
semiconductor integrated circuits.  Practical applications, which
could include single-chip supercomputers, real-time pattern
recognition and advanced expert systems are still at least 10 years
away, according to company officials.

	Any comments on probable device speeds & likely delivery
schedules of this technology as compared with, say GaAs, Josephson
Junctions, etc.?  Other comments?

	Stephen.

PS: quoted without permission from Aviation Week & Space Technology, a
high signal to noise weekly magazine.