Project set to deliver 10x faster processing speeds
1 min read
An international research collaboration has been launched today that aims to drive innovation in next generation electronics through measurements of strain materials at the nano scale.
The Nanostrain initiative is focused on delivering a 10 fold increase in chip processor speed to 30GHz, faster internet connections and substantial reductions in power consumption.
The project is being backed by national measurement institutes such as the National Physical Laboratory and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, with industry support from the likes of IBM and Globalfoundries.
A particular focus for the consortium is a class of materials called piezoelectrics, which change their shape in response to electric voltages.
The results will be made openly available to drive innovation in other technology sectors, including chemical and optical sensors, electromagnetic telecommunications, automotive, power and medicine.
Dr Glenn Martyna, IBM, said: "Computer clock speeds have remained frozen since 2003, limiting not only innovation in new electronics, but also in global efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce power consumption within the electronics sector as a whole.
"However with our latest calculations suggesting piezoelectronic transistors can operate at one-tenth of the voltage of today's CMOS equivalent, consuming 100 times less power as they do so, we believe we are on the verge of a major breakthrough. We are excited to be part of the Nanostrain project because we believe this impressive collection of organisations and expertise can deliver this important final step towards long awaited fast processing speeds."
