High-Tech 'Atom Transistor' Developed

The National Institute for Materials Science announced on December 24, 2010, that it successfully developed a novel transistor--the "atom transistor"--that performs both logic and memory functions all while consuming overwhelmingly less power than conventional transistors. The new development was the product of joint research with Osaka University and the University of Tokyo, and has the potential to dramatically reduce power consumption in electronic devices and may also pave the way to personal computers with zero start-up time.

In contrast to conventional transistors, which move electrons in a semiconductor, the "atom transistor" operates by transferring a very small amount of metal atoms in an insulator. The new device achieves a high on/off ratio comparable to that of conventional semiconductor transistors, but with extremely lower power consumption. Moreover, it was found that the "atom transistor" also operates as a memory element that maintains states by control of the operating voltage range.

The need for extremely high levels of power for memory has impeded efforts to create a "storable logic element" formed by combining a logic element and a memory element. The "atom transistor" reduces the power consumption required for memory to one-millionth that of conventional elements, and for operation of the logic element, to one-hundredth that of semiconductor transistors. In addition, because it possesses both logic and memory functions, the "atom transistor" is expected to contribute to the realization of more flexible computer circuits, ones more closely resembling the human brain.

World's First Non-volatile Logic LSI with Zero Standby Power Consumption (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027144.html
New Semiconductor Device Could Result in Super Energy Efficient Computers (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027125.html
New Technology to Cut Power Consumption of Advanced LSI Circuit Components by Up to Half (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028503.html

Posted: 2011/04/23 06:00:15 AM