Research shows 'no end in sight' for Moore's Law

Posted on 15 Dec 2008 at 15:25

There is "no end in sight" for the fast rate of processor development predicted by Moore's Law, according to new research from the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL).

Moore's Law observed that the density of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles every two years. Components have shrunk over time to achieve this. However, many experts have argued that heating and quantum effects will prevent the manufacture of viable transistors less than 20 nm in size.

In a paper published in the scientific journal, Nano Letters, researchers at NPL looked at solutions to this problem. They reported positive results for using magnetic nanowires as building blocks for next-generation electronic devices.

Senior research scientist at NPL, Dr Olga Kazakova, said: "The solution lies in changing not only the material but also the structure of our transistors. We have worked mainly with germanium nanowires that we have made magnetic. Magnetic semiconductors don't exist in nature, so they have to be artificially engineered."

However, Kazokova added that transistors based on NPL's germanium nanowire technology, which could revolutionise computing and electronic devices, could be 10 years away.

Author: Robert Jaques

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