World's smallest wire creation to pave way for next gen computers

Canberra, June 23 : A team of Australian scientists have succeeded in making the world's smallest wire - a silicon-coated wire just a few atoms wide, laying the groundwork for the next generation of computers.

According to a report carried out in www.news.com.au, Professor Michelle Simmons and her team from the Centre for Quantum Computer Technology developed this wire.

The team modified a scanning probe microscope to lay down a string of individual phosphorus atoms, then encased them in silicone - creating the world's smallest wire.

According to Professor Simmons, this new technique of "atomic-scale fabrication" significantly lowers the size limit of the connections possible within integrated circuits, helping to perpetuate the famous "Moore's Law".

First observed by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore, Moore's Law states that the number of transistors on a computer chip should double every 18 months.

Despite numerous predictions of its demise over the years, some by Moore himself, Moore's Law has proved to be correct for the past 30 years.

Recently, experts had been predicting that the semi-conductor industry was reaching the lower size limit of circuits that could be produced with current technology.

Professor Simmons's new technique shows that electronic components can be made all the way down to the atomic level, allowing Moore's Law to overcome yet another obstacle.

Simmons has already attracted the interest of industry heavyweights like Intel, AMD and IBM, with IBM beginning to model the next generation of transistors on her new techniques.

ANI